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LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

University  of  California. 

GIFT   OK 

Mrs.  SARAH  P.  WALSWORTH. 

Received  Oct  obey,  i8g4. 
^Accessions  No.Qfp  o  13  •      Class  No. 

NOTES 


EXPLANATORY  AND  PRACTICAL, 


SECOND  EPISTLE  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS 


AND  THE 


EPISTLE  TO  THE   GALATIANS. 


P^( 


BY  ALBERT  BARNES. 

It 


NEW    YORK: 
HARPER  &  BROTHERS,   PUBLISHERS, 

82    CLIFF    STREET. 

1851. 


-3$ 
1 


SIS!? 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  tlie  year  1839,  by 

Albert  Barnes, 

in  the  Office  of  the  Clerk  of  the  District  Court  of  the  Eastern  District 

of  Pennsylvania. 


INTRODUCTION 


§  1.  The  Design  of  the  Second  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians, 

Its  the  Introduction  to  the  first  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  the  situation  and 
character  of  the  city  of  Corinth,  the  history  of  the  church  there,  and  the  design 
which  Paul  had  in  view  in  writing  to  them  at  first,  have  been  fully  stated.  In 
order  to  a  full  understanding  of  the  design  of  this  epistle,  those  facts  should  be 
borne  in  distinct  remembrance,  and  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  statement  there 
made  as  material  to  a  correct  understanding  of  this  epistle.  It  was  shown  there 
that  an  important  part  of  Paul's  design  at  that  time  was  to  reprove  the  irregu- 
larities which  existed  in  the  church  at  Corinth.  This  he  had  done  with  great 
fidelity.  He  had  not  only  answered  the  inquiries  which  they  proposed  to  him, 
but  he  had  gone  with  great  particularity  into  an  examination  of  the  gross  disor- 
ders of  which  he  had  learned  by  some  members  of  the  family  of  Chloe.  A  large 
part  of  the  epistle,  therefore,  was  the  language  of  severe  reproof.  Paul  felt  its 
necessity ;  and  he  had  employed  that  language  with  unwavering  fidelity  to  his 
Master. 

Yet  it  was  natural  that  he  should  feel  great  solicitude  in  regard  to  the  recep- 
tion of  that  letter,  and  to  its  influence  in  accomplishing  what  he  wished.  That 
letter  had  been  sent  from  Ephesus,  where  Paul  proposed  to  remain  until  after  the 
succeeding  Pentecost  (1  Cor.xvi.  8);  evidently  hoping  by  that  time  to  hear  from 
them,  and  to  learn  what  had  been  the  manner  of  the  reception  of  his  epistle. 
He  proposed  then  to  go  to  Macedonia,  and  from  that  place  to  go  again  to  Co- 
rinth (1  Cor.  xvi.  5 — 7);  but  he  was  evidently  desirous  to  learn  in  what  manner  his 
first  epistle  had  been  received,  and  what  was  its  effect,  before  he  visited  them.  He 
sent  Timothy  and  Erastus  before  him  to  Macedonia  and  Achaia  (Acts  xix.  22. 
1  Cor.  xvi.  10),  intending  that  they  should  visit  Corinth,  and  commissioned 
Timothy  to  regulate  the  disordered  affairs  in  the  church  there.  It  would  appear 
also  that  he  sent  Titus  to  the  church  there  in  order  to  observe  the  effect  which  his 
epistle  would  produce,  and  to  return  and  report  to  him.  2  Cor.  ii.  13;  vii.  6 — 16. 
Evidently  Paul  felt  much  solicitude  on  the  subject;  and  the  manner  in  which 
they  received  his  admonitions  would  do  much  to  regulate  his  own  future  move- 
ments. An  important  case  of  discipline  ;  his  authority  as  an  apostle  ;  and  the 
interests  of  religion  in  an  important  city,  and  in  a  church  which  he  had  himself 
founded,  were  all  at  stake.  In  this  state  of  mind  he  himself  left  Ephesus,  and  went 
to  Troas  on  his  way  to  Macedonia,  where  it  appears  he  had  appointed  Titus  to  meet 
him,  and  to  report  to  him  the  manner  in  which  his  first  epistle  had  been  received. 
See  Note  on  ch.  ii.  13.  Then  his  mind  was  greatly  agitated  and  distressed  because 
he  did  not  meet  Titus  as  he  had  expected,  and  in  this  state  of  mind  he  went  for- 
ward to  Macedonia.  There  he  had  a  direct  interview  with  Titus  (ch.  vii. 
5,  6),  and  learned  from  him  that  his  first  epistle  had  accomplished  all  which  he 
had  desired,  ch.  vii.  7 — 16.  The  act  of  discipline  which  he  had  directed  had 
been  performed ;  the  abuses  had  been  in  a  great  measure  corrected,  and  the  Corin- 
thians had  been  brought  to  a  state  of  true  repentance  for  their  former  irregulari- 
ties and  disorders.     The  heart  of  Paul  was  greatly  comforted  by  this  intelligence, 

in 


IT  INTRODUCTION. 

and  by  the  signal  success  which  had  attended  this  effort  to  produce  reform.     In 
this  state  of  mind  he  wrote  to  them  this  second  letter. 

Titus  had  spent  some  time  in  Corinth.  He  had  had  $m  opportunity  of  learn- 
ing the  views  of  the  parties,  and  of  ascertaining  the  true  condition  of  the  church. 
This  epistle  is  designed  to  meet  some  of  the  prevailing  views  of  the  party 
which  was  opposed  to  him  there,  and  to  refute  some  of  the  prevailing  slanders 
in  regard  to  himself.  The  epistle,  therefore,  is  occupied  to  a  considerable  extent 
in  refuting  the  slanders  which  had  been  heaped  upon  him,  and  in  vindicating 
his  own  character.  This  letter  also  he  sent  by  the  hands  of  Titus,  by  whom  the 
former  had  been  sent,  and  he  designed  doubtless  that  the  presence  of  Titus  should 
aid  in  accomplishing  the  objects  which  he  had  in  view  in  the  epistle.  See  2  Cor. 
viii.  17,  18. 

§  2.  The  Subjects  treated  of  in  this  Epistle. 

It  has  been  generally  admitted  that  this  epistle  is  written  without  much  definite 
arrangement  or  plan.  It  tieats  on  a  variety  of  topics  mainly  as  they  occurred  to 
the  mind  of  the  apostle  at  the  time,  and  perhaps  without  having  formed  any  defi- 
nite arrangement  before  he  commenced  writing  it.  Those  subjects  are  all  impor- 
tant, and  are  all  treated  in  the  usual  manner  of  Paul,  and  are  all  useful  and  in 
teresting  to  the  church  at  large ;  but  we  shall  not  find  in  this  epistle  the  same 
systematic  arrangement  which  is  apparent  in  the  epistle  to  the  Romans,  or  which 
occurs  in  the  first  epistle  to  the  Corinthians.  Some  of  the  subjects  of  which  it 
treats  are  the  following. 

(1.)  He  mentions  his  own  sufferings,  and  particularly  his  late  trials  in  Asia. 
For  deliverance  from  these  trials,  he  expresses  his  gratitude  to  God  ;  and  states  the 
design  for  which  God  called  him  to  endure  such  trials  to  have  heen,  that  he  might 
be  better  qualified  to  comfort  others  who  might  be  afflicted  in  a  similar  manner, 
ch.  i.  1—12. 

(2.)  He  vindicates  himself  from  one  of  the  accusations  which  his  enemies  had 
brought  against  him,  that  he  was  unstable  and  fickle-minded.  He  had  promised 
to  visit  them  ;  and  he  had  not  yet  fulfilled  his  promise.  They  took  occasion, 
therefore,  to  say  that  he  was  unstable,  and  that  he  was  afraid  to  visit  them.  He 
shows  to  them,  in  reply,  the  true  reason  why  he  had  not  come  to  them,  and  that 
his  real  object  in  not  doing  it,  had  been  "  to  spare"  them.  ch.  i.  13 — 24. 

(3.)  The  case  of  the  unhappy  individual  who  had  been  guilty  of  incest,  had 
deeply  affected  his  mind.  In  the  first  epistle,  he  had  treated  of  this  case  at  large, 
and  had  directed  that  disoipline  should  be  exercised.  He  had  felt  deep  solicitude 
in  regard  to  the  manner  in  which  his  commands  on  that  subject  should  be  received, 
and  had  judged  it  not  best  to  visit  them  until  he  should  be  informed  of  the  man- 
ner in  which  they  had  complied  with  his  directions.  Since  they  had  obeyed  him, 
and  had  inflicted  discipline  on  him,  he  now  exhorts  them  to  forgive  the  unhappy 
man,  and  to  receive  him  again  to  their  fellowship,  ch.  ii.  1 — 11. 

(4.)  He  mentions  the  deep  solicitude  which  he  had  on  this  subject,  and  his 
disappointment  when  he  came  to  Troas  and  did  not  meet  with  Titus  as  he  had 
expected,  and  had  not  been  informed  as  he  hoped  to  have  been  of  the  manner  in 
which  his  former  epistle  had  been  received,  ch.  ii.  12 — 17.  In  view  of  the  man- 
ner in  which  they  had  received  his  former  epistle,  and  of  the  success  of  his  efforts, 
which  he  learned  when  he  reached  Macedonia,  he  gives  thanks  to  God  that  all  his 
efforts  to  promote  the  welfare  of  the  church  had  been  successful,  ch.  ii.  14 — 17. 

(5.)  Paul  vindicates  his  character,  and  his  claims  to  be  regarded  as  an  apostle. 
He  assures  them  that  he  does  not  need  letters  of  commendation  to  them,  since 
they  were  fully  acquainted  with  his  character,  ch.  iii.  1 — 6.  This  subject  leads 
him  into  an  examination  of  the  nature  of  the  ministry  and  its  importance,  which 


INTRODUCTION.  y 

he  illustrates  by  showing  the  comparative  obscurity  of  the  Mosaic  ministrations, 
and  the  greater  dignity,  and  permanency  of  the  gospel,  ch.  iii.  7 — 18. 

(6.)  In  chs.  iv.  v.  he  states  the  principles  by  which  he  was  actuated  in  the 
ministry.  He  and  the  other  apostles  were  greatly  afflicted,  and  were  subjected  to 
great  and  peculiar  trials,  but  they  had  also  great  and  peculiar  consolations.  They 
were  sustained  with  the  hope  of  heaven,  and  with  the  assurance  that  there  was 
a  world  of  glory.  They  acted  in  view  of  that  world,  and  had  gone  forth  in  view 
of  it  to  entreat  men  to  be  reconciled  to  God. 

(7.)  Having  referred  in  ch.  v.  to  the  nature  and  objects  of  the  Christian  minis- 
try, he  expatiates  with  great  beauty  on  the  temper  with  which  he  and  his  bre 
thren,  in  the  midst  of  great  trials  and  afflictions,  executed  this  important  work 
ch.  vi.  1—10. 

(8.)  Having  in  this  manner  pursued  a  course  of  remark  that  was  calculated  to 
conciliate  their  regard,  and  to  show  his  affection  for  them,  he  exhorts  them  (ch. 
vi.  11 — 18),  to  avoid  those  connexions  which  would  injure  their  piety,  and  which 
were  inconsistent  with  the  gospel  which  they  professed  to  love.  The  connexions 
to  which  he  particularly  referred  were,  improper  marriages  and  ruinous  alliances 
with  idolaters,  to  which  they  were  particularly  exposed. 

(9.)  In  ch.  vii.  he  again  makes  a  transition  to  Titus,  and  to  the  joy  which  he 
had  brought  him  in  the  intelligence  which  he  gave  of  the  manner  in  which  the 
commands  of  Paul  in  the  first  epistle  had  been  received,  and  of  its  happy  effect  on 
the  minds  of  the  Corinthians. 

(10.)  In  chs.  viii.  and  ix.  Paul  refers  to,  and  discusses  the  subject  on  which  his 
neart  was  so  much  set — the  collection  for  the  poor  and  afflicted  Christians  in 
Judea.  He  had  commenced  the  collection  in  Macedonia,  and  had  boasted  to 
them  that  the  Corinthians  would  aid  largely  in  that  benevolent  work,  and  he  now 
sent  Titus  to  complete  it  in  Corinth. 

(11.)  In  ch.  x.  he  enters  upon  a  vindication  of  himself,  and  of  his  apostolic 
authority  against  the  accusation  of  his  enemies  ;  and  pursues  the  subject  through 
ch.  xi.  by  a  comparison  of  himself  with  others,  and  in  ch.  xii.  by  an  argument  di- 
rectly in  favour  of  his  apostolic  authority  from  the  favours  which  God  had  bestowed 
on  him,  and  the  evidence  which  he  had  given  of  his  having  been  commissioned 
by  God.  This  subject  he  pursues  also  in  various  illustrations  to  the  end  of  the 
epistle. 

The  objects  of  this  epistle,  therefore,  and  subjects  discussed,  are  various.  They 
are,  to  show  his  deep  interest  in  their  welfare — to  express  his  gratitude  that  his 
former  letter  had  been  so  well  received,  and  had  so  effectually  accomplished  what 
he  wished  to  accomplish — to  carry  forward  the  work  of  reformation  among  them 
which  had  been  so  auspiciously  commenced — to  vindicate  his  authority  as  an 
apostle  from  the  objections  which  he  had  learned  through  Titus  they  had  con- 
tinued to  make — to  secure  the  collection  for  the  poor  saints  in  Judea,  on  which 
his  heart  had  been  so  much  set — and  to  assure  them  of  his  intention  to  come  and 
visit  them  according  to  his  repeated  promises.  The  epistle  is  substantially  of  the 
same  character  as  the  first.  It  was  written  to  a  church  where  great  dissensions 
and  other  evils  prevailed;  it  was  designed  to  promote  a  reformation ;  and  is  a 
model  of  the  manner  in  which  evils  are  to  be  corrected  in  a  church.  In  con- 
nexion with  the  first  epistle,  it  shows  the  manner  in  which  offenders  in  the 
church  are  to  be  dealt  with,  and  the  spirit  and  design  with  which  the  work  of 
discipline  should  be  entered  on  and  pursued.  Though  these  were  local  evils, 
yet  great  principles  are  involved  here  of  use  to  the  church  in  all  ages ;  and  to 
these  epistles  the  church  must  refer  at  all  times,  as  an  illustration  of  the  proper 
manner  of  administering  discipline,  and  of  silencing  the  calumnies  of  enemies. 

1* 


VI  INTRODUCTION. 

§  3.  The  time  and  place  in  which  the  Epistle  was  written. 

It  is  manifest  that  this  epistle  was  written  from  Macedonia  (see  ch.  viii.  1 — 14, 
and  ix.  2),  and  was  sent  by  Titus  to  the  church  at  Corinth.  If  so,  it  was  writ- 
ten probably  about  a  year  after  the  former  epistle.  Paul  was  on  his  way  to  Co- 
rinth, and  was  expecting  to  go  there  soon.  He  had  left  Ephesus,  where  he  was 
when  he  wrote  the  first  epistle,  and  had  gone  to  Troas,  and  from  thence  to  Mace- 
donia, where  he  had  met  with  Titus,  and  had  from  him  learned  what  was  the 
effect  of  his  first  epistle.  In  the  overflowing  of  his  heart  with  gratitude  for  the 
success  of  that  letter,  and  with  a  desire  to  carry  forward  the  work  of  reformation 
in  the  church,  and  completely  to  remove  all  the  objections  which  had  been  made 
to  his  apostolic  authority,  and  to  prepare  for  his  own  welcome  reception  when  he 
went  there,  he  wrote  this  letter — a  letter  which  we  cannot  doubt  was  as  kindly 
received  as  the  former,  and  which  like  that  accomplished  the  objects  which  he  had 


^W5« 


THE  SECOND 

EPISTLE   TO  THE   COM 


CHAPTER  I. 
TDAUL,   an  apostle  a  of  Jesus 
L     Christ  by  the  will  of   God, 

CHAPTER  I. 

This  chapter  consists  of  the  following 
parts,  or  subjects : 

1.  The  usual  salutation  and  benedic- 
tion in  the  introduction  of  the  epistle,  ver. 
1.  2.  This  is  found  in  all  the  epistles  of 
Paul,  and  was  at  once  an  affectionate 
salutation  and  an  appropriate  expression 
of  his  interest  in  their  welfare,  and  also 
an  appropriate  mode  of  commencing  an 
address  to  them  by  one  who  claimed  to 
be  inspired  and  sent  from  God. 

2.  He  refers  to  the  consolation  which 
he  had  had  in  his  heavy  trials,  and 
praises  God  for  that  consolation,  and 
declares  that  the  reason  for  which  he 
was  comforted  was,  that  he  might  be 
qualified  to  administer  consolation  to 
others  in  the  same  or  in  similar  circum- 
stances, ver.  3 — 7. 

3.  He  informs  them  of  the  heavy 
trials  which  he  was  called  to  experience 
when  he  was  in  Ephesus,  and  of  his 
merciful  deliverance  from  those  trials, 
ver.  8 — 12.  He  had  been  exposed  to 
death,  and  had  despaired  of  life,  (ver.  8, 
9);  yet  he  had  been  delivered  (ver.  10); 
he  desired  them  to  unite  with  him  in 
thanksgiving  on  account  of  it  (ver.  11); 
and  in  all  this  he  had  endeavoured  to 
keep  a  good  conscience,  and  had  that 
testimony  that  he  had  endeavoured  to 
maintain  such  a  conscience  toward  all, 
and  especially  toward  them.  ver.  12. 

4.  He  refers  to  the  design  which  he 
had  in  writing  the  former  letter  to  them, 
ver.  13.  14.  He  had  written  to  them 
only  such  things  as  they  admitted  to  be 
true  and  proper ;  and  such  as  he  was 
persuaded  they  would  always  admit. 
They  had  always  received  his  instruc- 


and  Timothy  our  brother,  unto 
the   church  of  God  which   is  at 


al&2Ti.l.  1. 


tions  favourably  and  kindly ;  and  he  had 
always  sought  their  welfare. 

5.  In  this  state  of  mind,  Paul  had 
designed  to  have  paid  them  a  second 
visit,  ver.  15, 16.  But  he  had  not  done 
it  yet,  and  it  appears  that  his  enemies 
had  taken  occasion  from  this  to  say  that 
he  was  inconstant  and  fickle-minded. 
He,  therefore,  takes  occasion  to  vindi- 
cate himself,  and  to  convince  them  that  he 
was  not  faithless  to  his  word  and  pur- 
poses, and  to  show  them  the  true  reason 
why  he  had  not  visited  them.  ver.  17 — 
24.  He  states,  therefore,  that  his  real 
intentions  had  been  to  visit  them  (ver. 
15,  16);  that  his  failure  to  do  so  had  not 
proceeded  from  either  levity  or  false- 
hood (ver.  17)  ;  as  they  might  have 
known  from  the  uniform  doctrine  which 
he  had  taught  them,  in  which  he  had 
inculcated  the  necessity  of  a  strict  ad- 
herence to  promises,  from  the  veracity 
of  Jesus  Christ  his  great  example  (ver. 
1 8—20);  and  from  the  fact  that  God  had 
given  to  him  the  Holy  Spirit,  and 
anointed  him  (ver.  21,22);  and  he  states, 
therefore,  that  the  true  reason  why  he 
had  not  come  to  them  was,  that  he 
wished  to  spare  them  (ver.  23,  24)  ;  he 
was  willing  to  remain  away  from  them 
until  they  should  have  time  to  correct 
the  evils  which  existed  in  their  church, 
and  prevent  the  necessity  of  severe  dis- 
cipline when  he  should  come. 

1.  Paul  an  apostle,  &c.  See  Notes 
on  Rom.  i.  1,  and  1  Cor.  i.  1.  ^  By 
the  will  of  God.  Through,  or  agreea- 
bly to  the  will  of  God.  Note,  1  Cor.  i.  1. 
•f  And  Timothy  our  brother.  Paul  was 
accustomed  to  associate  some  other  per- 
son or  persons  with  him  in  writing  his 
7 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


Corinth,    with    all    the   saints a 
which  are  in  all  Achaia : 

2  Grace  *  be  to  you,  and 
peace,  from  God  our  Father,  and 
from  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 


epistles.  Thus  in  the  first  epistle  to  the 
Corinthians,  Sosthenes  was  associated 
with  him.  For  the  reasons  of  this,  see 
Note  on  1  Cor.  i.  1.  The  name  of 
Timothy  is  associated  with  his  in  the 
epistles  to  the  Philippians  and  Colos- 
sians.  From  the  former  epistle  to  the 
Corinthians  (ch.  xvi.  10),  we  learn  that 
Paul  had  sent  Timothy  to  the  church  at 
Corinth,  or  that  he  expected  that  he 
would  visit  them.  Paul  had  sent  him 
into  Macedonia  in  company  with  Eras- 
tus  (Acts  xix.  21,  22),  intending  him- 
self to  follow  them,  and  expecting  that 
they  would  visit  Achaia.  From  the 
passage  before  us,  it  appears  that  Timo- 
thy had  returned  from  this  expedition, 
and  was  now  with  Paul.  The  reason  why 
Paul  joined  Timothy  with  him  in  writ- 
ing this  epistle  may  have  been  the  fol- 
lowing: (1.)  Timothy  had  been  re- 
cently with  them,  and  they  had  become 
acquainted  with  him,  and  it  was  not 
only  natural  that  he  should  express  his 
friendly  salutations,  but  his  name  and 
influence  among  them  might  serve  in 
some  degree  to  confirm  what  Paul 
wished  to  say  to  them.  Comp.  Note,  1 
Cor.  i.  1.  (2.)  Paul  may  have  wished 
to  give  as  much  influence  as  possible  to 
Timothy.  He  designed  that  he  should 
be  his  fellow-labourer  ;  and  as  Timothy 
was  much  younger  than  himself,  he 
doubtless  expected  that  he  would  sur- 
vive him,  and  that  he  would  in  some 
sense  succeed  him  in  the  care  of  the 
churches.  He  was  desirous,  therefore, 
of  securing  for  him  all  the  authority 
which  he  could,  and  of  letting  it  be 
known  that  he  regarded  him  as  abun- 
dantly qualified  for  the  great  work  with 
which  he  was  intrusted.  (3.)  The  in- 
fluence and  name  of  Timothy  might  be 
supposed  to  have  weight  with  the  party 
In  the  church  that  had  slandered  Paul, 
by  accusing  him  of  insincerity  or  in- 
stability in  regard  to  his  purposed  visit 


3  Blessed0  be  God,  even  the 
Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
the  Father  of  mercies,  and  the 
God  of  all  comfort ; 

a  Ph.  1.1.         6Ro.  1.7.        cEp.  1.  3. 


to  them.  Paul  had  designed  to  go  to 
them  directly  from  Ephesus,  but  he  had 
changed  his  mind,  and  the  testimony  of 
Timothy  might  be  important  to  prove 
that  it  was  done  from  motives  purely 
conscientious.  Timothy  was  doubtless 
acquainted  with  the  reasons ;  and  his 
testimony  might  meet  and  rebut  a 
part  of  the  charges  against  him.  See 
ch.  i.  ver.  13 — 16.  Tf  Unto  the  church 
of  God,  &c.  See  Note  1  Cor.  i.  2. 
f  With  all  the  saints  which  are  in  all 
Achaia.  Achaia,  in  the  largest  sense, 
included  the  whole  of  Greece.  Achaia 
proper,  however,  was  the  district  or  pro- 
vince of  which  Corinth  was  the  capital. 
It  comprehended  the  part  of  Greece 
lying  between  Thessaly  and  the  south- 
ern part  of  the  Peloponnesus,  embrac- 
ing the  whole  western  part  of  the  Pelo 
ponnesus.  It  is  probable  that  there  were 
not  a  few  Christians  scattered  in  Achaia, 
and  not  improbably  some  small  churches 
that  had  been  established  by  the  labours 
of  Paul  or  of  others.  From  Rom.  xvi. 
1,  we  know  that  there  was  a  church  at 
Cenchrea,  the  eastern  port  of  Corinth, 
and  it  is  by  no  means  improbable  that 
there  were  other  churches  in  that  region. 
Paul  doubtless  designed  that  copies  of 
this  epistle  should  be  circulated  among 
them. 

2.  Grace  be  to  you,  &c.  This  is  the 
usual  Christian  salutation.  See  Note 
Rom.  i.  7.    1  Cor.  i.  3. 

3.  Blessed  be  God.  This  is  the  com- 
mencement properly  of  the  epistle,  and 
it  is  the  language  of  a  heart  that  is  full 
of  joy,  and  that  bursts  forth  with  grati- 
tude in  view  of  mercy.  It  may  have 
been  excited  by  the  recollection  that  he 
had  formerly  written  to  them,  and  that 
during  the  interval  which  had  elapsed 
between  the  time  when  the  former 
epistle  was  written  and  when  this  was 
penned,  he  had  been  called  to  a  most 
severe  trial,  and  that  from  that  trial  he 


K.D.  60.  J 


CHAPTER  I. 


4  Who   comforteth  us   in   all 
our  tribulation,  that  we  may  be 

had  been  mercifully  delivered.  With 
a  heart  full  of  gratitude  and  joy  for 
this  merciful  interposition,  he  com- 
mences this  epistle.  It  is  remarked  by 
Doddridge,  that  eleven  out  cf  the  thir- 
teen epistles  of  Paul,  begin  with  excla- 
mations of  praise,  joy,  and  thanksgiv- 
ing. Paul  had  been  afflicted,  but  he 
had  also  been  favoured  with  remarkable 
consolations,  and  it  was  not  unnatural 
that  he  should  allow  himself  to  give 
expression  to  his  joy  and  praise  in  view 
of  all  the  mercies  which  God  had  con- 
ferred on  him.  This  entire  passage  is 
one  that  is  exceedingly  valuable,  as 
showing  that  there  may  be  elevated  joy 
in  the  midst  of  deep  affliction,  and  as 
showing  what  is  the  reason  why  God 
visits  his  servants  with  trials.  The 
phrase  "  blessed  be  God,"  is  equivalent 
to  '  praised  be  God,'  or  is  an  expres- 
sion of  thanksgiving.  It  is  the  usual 
formula  of  praise  (comp.  Eph.  i.  3)  ; 
and  shows  his  entire  confidence  in  God, 
and  his  joy  in  him,  and  his  gratitude  for 
his  mercies.  It  is  one  of  innumerable 
instances  which  show  that  it  is  possible 
and  proper  to  bless  God  in  view  of  the 
trials  with  which  he  visits  his  people, 
and  of  the  consolations  which  he  causes 
to  abound,  f  The  Father  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  God  is  mentioned  here 
in  the  relation  of  the  "  Father  of  the 
Lord  Jesus,"  doubtless  because  it  was 
through  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  him  alone, 
that  He  had  imparted  the  consolation 
which  he  had  experienced,  ver.  5.  Paul 
knew  no  other  God  than  the  '  Father  of 
the  Lord  Jesus;'  he  knew  no  other 
source  of  consolation  than  the  gospel ; 
he  knew  of  no  way  in  which  God  im- 
parted comfort  except  through  his 
Son.  That  is  genuine  Christian  con- 
solation which  acknowledges  the  Lord 
Jesus  as  the  medium  by  whom  it  is  im- 
parted ;  that  is  proper  thanksgiving  to 
God  which  is  offered  through  the  Re- 
deemer ;  that  only  is  the  proper  acknow- 
ledgment of  God  which  recognises 
him  as  the  '  Father  of  the  Lord  Jesus.' 
1  The  Father  of  mercies.     This  is  a 


able  to  comfort  them  which  are 
in    any  trouble,  by  the    comfort 

Hebrew  mode  of  expression,  where  a 
noun  performs  the  place  of  an  adjective, 
and  the  phrase  is  synonymous  nearly 
with  '  merciful  Father.'  The  expression 
has  however  somewhat  more  energy  and 
spirit  than  the  simple  phrase  «  merciful 
Father.'  The  Hebrews  used  the  word 
fa/her  often  to  denote  the  author,  or 
source  of  any  thing ;  and  the  idea  in 
phraseology  like  this  is,  that  mercy  pro- 
ceeds from  God,  that  he  is  the  source 
of  it,  and  that  it  is  his  nature  to  impart 
mercy  and  compassion,  as  if  he  origi- 
nated it ;  or  was  the  source  and  foun- 
tain of  it — sustaining  a  relation  to  all 
true  consolation  analogous  to  that  which 
a  father  sustains  to  his  offspring.  God 
has  the  paternity  of  all  true  joy. 
It  is  one  of  his  peculiar  and  glorious 
attributes  that  he  thus  produces  conso- 
lation and  mercy.  <{And  the  God  of  all 
comfort.  The  source  of  all  consolation. 
Paul  delighted,  as  all  should  do,  to  trace 
all  his  comforts  to  God  ;  and  Paul,  as  all 
Christians  have,  had  sufficient  reason  to 
regard  God  as  the  source  of  true  conso- 
lation. There  is  no  other  real  source 
of  happiness  but  God ;  and  he  is  able 
abundantly,  and  willing  to  impart  con 
solation  to  his  people. 

4.  Who  comforteth  us.  Paul  here 
doubtless  refers  primarily  to  himself 
and  his  fellow  apostles  as  having  been 
filled  with  comfort  in  their  trials ;  to  the 
support  which  the  promises  of  God 
gave ;  to  the  influences  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  the  Comforter ;  and  to  the  hopes 
of  eternal  life  through  the  gospel  of  the 
Redeemer.  «[  That-  we  may  be  able  to 
comfort,  &c.  Paul  does  not  say  that 
this  was  the  only  design  which  God  had 
in  comforting  them  that  they  might  be 
able  to  impart  comfort  to  others  ;  but 
he  does  say  that  this  is  an  important 
and  main  purpose.  It  is  an  object 
which  he  seeks,  that  his  people  in  their 
afflictions  should  be  supported  and  com- 
forted ;  and  for  this  purpose  he  fills  the 
hearts  of  his  ministers  with  consolation ; 
gives  them  personal  experience  of  the 
sustaining  power  of  grace  in  their  trials; 


10 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60 


wherewith  we  ourselves  are  com- 
forted of  God 

5  For  as  the  sufferings a  of 
Christ  ahound  in  us,  so  our 
consolation  also  aboundeth  by 
Christ. 

a  Col.  1.  24. 


and  enables  them  to  speak  of  what  fhey 
have  felt  in  regard  to  the  consolations  of 
the  gospel  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  f  By  the 
comfort,  &c.  By  the  same  topics  of 
consolation  ;  by  the  same  sources  of  joy 
which  have  sustained  us.  They  would 
have  experience;  and  by  that  expe- 
rience they  would  be  able  to  minister 
consolation  to  those  who  were  in  any 
manner  afflicted.  It  is  only  by  personal 
experience  that  we  are  able  to  impart 
consolation  to  others.  Paul  refers  here 
undoubtedly  to  the  consolations  which 
are  produced  by  the  evidence  of  the 
pardon  of  sin,  and  of  acceptance  with 
God,  and  the  hope  of  eternal  life.  These 
consolations  abounded  in  him  and  his 
fellow  apostles  richly  ;  and  sustained  by 
them  he  was  able  also  to  impart  like 
consolation  to  others  who  were  in  simi- 
lar circumstances  of  trial. 

5.  For  as  the  sufferings  of  Christ 
abound  in  us.  As  we  are  called  to  expe- 
rience the  same  sufferings  which  Christ 
endured ;  as  we  are  called  to  suffer  in 
his  cause,  and  in  the  promotion  of  the 
same  object.  The  sufferings  which 
they  endured  were  in  the  cause  of  Christ 
and  his  gospel ;  were  endured  in  endea- 
vouring to  advance  the  same  object 
which  Christ  sought  to  promote ;  and 
were  substantially  of  the  same  nature. 
They  arose  from  opposition,  contempt, 
persecution,  trial,  and  want,  and  were 
the  same  as  the  Lord  Jesus  was  him- 
self subjected  to  during  the  whole  of  his 
public  life.  Comp.  Col.  i.  24.  Thus 
Peter  says  (1  Pet.  iv.  13)  of  Christians, 
that  they  were  "  partakers  of  Christ's 
sufferings."  %  So  our  consolation  also 
aboundeth  by  Christ.  By  means  of 
Christ,  or  through  Christ,  consolation  is 
abundantly  imparted  to  us.  Paul  re- 
garded the  Lord  Jesus  as  the  source  of 
consolation,  and  felt  that  the   comfort 


6  And  whether  we  be  afflicted, 
it  is  for  a  your  consolation  and 
salvation,  which  is  x  effectual  in 
the  enduring  of  the  same  suffer- 
ings, which  we  also  suffer :  or 
whether  we   be  comforted,  it  is 

a  c.  4.  15.  *  or  wrought. 


which  he  imparted,  or  which  was  im- 
parted through  him,  was  more  than 
sufficient  to  overbalance  all  the  trials 
which  he  endured  in  his  cause.  The 
comforts  which  he  derived  from  Christ 
were  those,  doubtless,  which  arose  from 
his  presence,  his  supporting  grace,  from 
his  love  shed  abroad  in  the  heart ;  from 
the  success  which  he  gave  to  his  gos- 
pel, and  from  the  hope  of  reward  which 
was  held  out  to  him  by  the  Redeemer, 
as  the  result  of  all  his  sufferings.  And 
it  may  be  observed  as  an  universal  truth, 
that  if  we  suffer  in  the  cause  of  Christ, 
if  we  are  persecuted,  oppressed,  and 
calumniated  on  his  account,  he  will  take 
care  that  our  hearts  shall  be  filled  with 
consolation. 

6.  And  whether  we  be  afflicted.  If 
we  are  afflicted ;  or,  our  affliction  is  for 
this  purpose.  This  verse  is  designed 
to  show  one  of  the  reasons  of  the  suf- 
ferings which  the  apostles  had  endured  ; 
and  it  is  a  happy  specimen  of  Paul's 
skill  in  his  epistles.  He  shows  that  all 
his  trials  were  for  their  welfare  and 
would  turn  to  their  benefit.  He  suf- 
fered that  they  might  be  comforted  ;  he 
was  afflicted  for  their  advantage.  This 
assurance  would  tend  to  conciliate  their 
favour,  and  strengthen  their  affection  for 
him,  as  it  would  show  them  that  he  was 
disinterested.  We  are  under  the  deepest 
obligations  of  gratitude  to  one  who  suf- 
fers for  us;  and  there  is  nothing  that 
will  bind  us  more  tenderly  to  any  one 
than  the  fact  that  ne  has  been  subjected  to 
great  calamity  and  trial  on  our  account. 
This  is  one  of  the  reasons  why  the 
Christian  feels  so  tenderly  his  obligation 
to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  f  It  is  for 
your  consolation  and  salvation.  It  will 
be  useful  for  your  consolation ;  or  it  is 
endured  in  order  to  secure  your  com- 
fort, and  promote  your  salvation.    Paul 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  I. 


11 


for  your  consolation  and  salva- 
tion. 

7    And  our   hope  of  you   is 
steadfast,   knowing   that  as a  ye 


alto.  8.  17. 


had  suffered  in  Ephesus,  and  it  is  to  this 
that  he  here  particularly  refers.  He 
does  not  mean  to  say  that  his  sufferings 
there  were  particularly  for  the  comfort 
oi  the  Corinthians ;  but  that  they  had 
been  endured  in  the  general  purpose  of 
promoting  the  salvation  of  men,  and 
that  they,  together  with  others,  would 
reap  the  benefit  of  his  trials.  He  en- 
dured them  in  order  to  spread  the  true 
religion,  and  they  would  be  benefited 
by  that,  and  besides,  he  would  be  the 
better  able  by  his  trials  to  administer  to 
them  the  true  consolations  of  the  gospel 
in  their  sufferings ;  and  his  example, 
and  experience,  and  counsel,  would  ena- 
ble them  to  bear  up  under  their  own 
trials  in  a  proper  manner,  f  Which  is 
effectual,  <&c.  Margin,  wrought.  The 
Greek  word  hi^youfAm;  denotes  here 
efficacious,  operating  to,  producing; 
and  the  phrase  denotes  that  their  salva- 
tion would  be  effected,  wrought  out,  or 
secured  by  the  patient  endurance  of 
such  sufferings.  Those  sufferings  were 
necessary ;  and  a  patient  endurance 
of  them  would  tend  to  promote  their 
salvation.  The  doctrine  that  the  pa- 
tient endurance  of  affliction  tends  to  pro- 
mote salvation,  is  everywhere  taught  in 
the  Bible.  See  Notes  on  Rom.  v.  3 — 5. 
Tf  In  the  enduring.  By  your  endur- 
ing ;  or  by  your  patience  in  such  suf- 
ferings. You  are  called  to  endure  the 
same  kind  of  sufferings ;  and  patience 
in  such  trials  will  tend  to  promote  your 
salvation,  t  Or  whether  we  be  com- 
forted, &c.  One  design  of  our  being 
comforted  is,  that  we  may  be  able  to 
impart  consolation  to  you  in  the  times 
of  similar  trial  and  calamity.  See  ver.  4. 
The  sentiment  of  the  whole  passage  is, 
that  their  eternal  welfare  would  be  pro- 
moted by  the  example  of  the  apostles 
in  their  trials,  and  by  the  consolations 
which  they  would  be  able  to  impart  as 
the  result  of  their  afflictions. 

7.  And  our  hope  of  you  is  steadfast. 


are  partakers  of  the  sufferings  so 
shallye  be  also  of  the  consolation. 
8    For   we  would   not,    bre- 
thren, have  you  ignorant  of  our 

We  have  a  firm  and  unshaken  hepe  in 
regard"  to  you  ;  we  have  a  confident  ex- 
pectation that  you  will  be  saved.  We 
believe  that  you  will  be  enabled  so  to  bear 
trial  as  to  show  that  you  are  sustained 
by  the  Christian  hope  ;  and  so  as  to  ad- 
vance your  own  piety,  and  confirm  your 
prospect  of  heaven.  ^  As  ye  are  par- 
takers of  the  sufferings.  It  is  evident 
from  this,  that  the  Corinthians  had  been 
subjected  to  trials  similar  to  those  which 
the  apostle  had  endured.  It  is  not 
known  to  what  afflictions  they  were 
then  subjected  ;  but  it  is  not  improbable 
that  they  were  exposed  to  some  kind  of 
persecution  and  opposition.  Such  trials 
were  common  in  all  the  early  churches; 
and  they  served  to  unite  all  the  friends  of 
the  Redeemer  in  common  bonds,  and  to 
make  them  feel  that  they  were  one. 
They  had  united  sorrows  ;  and  they  had 
united  joys ;  and  they  felt  they  were 
tending  to  the  same  heaven  of  glory. 
United  sorrows  and  united  consolations 
tend  more  than  any  thing  else  to  bind 
people  together.  We  always  have  a 
brotherly  feeling  for  one  who  suffers  as 
we  do ;  or  who  has  the  same  kind  of 
joy  which  we  have. 

8.  For  we  would  not  have  you  igno- 
rant. We  wish  you  to  be  fully  in- 
formed. See  Note,  1  Cor.  x.  1 ;  xii.  1. 
The  object  of  Paul  here  is,  to  give  a 
full  explanation  of  the  nature  of  his 
trials,  to  which  he  had  referred  in  ver.  4. 
He  presumed  that  the  Corinthians  would 
feel  a  deep  interest  in  him  and  in  his 
trials ;  that  they  would  sympathize  with 
him,  and  would  pray  that  those  suffer- 
ings, and  that  this  deliverance  might  be 
attended  with  a  blessing  (ver.  11);  and 
perhaps  he  wished  also  to  conciliate 
their  kindness  towards  himself  by  men- 
tioning more  at  length  the  nature  of  the 
trials  which  he  had  been  called  to  en- 
dure on  account  of  the  Christian  reli- 
gion, of  which  they  were  reaping  so 
material   benefits.      \  Of  our  trouble 


12 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60 


trouble*   which  came   to  us  in 
Asia,  that  we  were  pressed  out 

a  Ac.  19.  23. 


which  came  to  us  in  Asia.  The  term 
Asia  is  often  used  to  denote  that  part  of 
Asia  Minor  of  which  Ephesus  was  the 
capital.  See  Note,  Acts  ii.  9.  There  has 
been  considerable  diversity  of  opinion  as 
to  the  "  troubles"  to  which  Paul  here 
refers.  Some  have  supposed  that  he 
refers  to  the  persecutions  at  Lystra 
(Acts  xiv.  6.  19.  20),  from  which  he 
had  been  recovered  as  it  were  by  mira- 
cle ;  but  as  that  happened  so  long  before 
this,  it  seems  improbable  that  he  should 
here  refer  to  it.  There  is  every  mark 
of  freshness  and  reccniness  about  this 
event ;  and  Paul  evidently  referred  to 
some  danger  from  which  he  had  been 
lately  delivered,  and  which  made  a  deep 
impression  on  his  mind  when  he  wrote 
this  epistle.  Semler  supposes  that  he 
refers  to  the  lying  in  wait  of  the  Jews 
for  him  when  he  was  about  to  go  to 
Macedonia,  mentioned  in  Acts  xx.  3. 
Most  commentators  have  supposed  that 
he  refers  to  the  disturbances  which  were 
made  at  Ephesus  by  Demetrius  and  his 
friends,  mentioned  in  Acts  xix.,  and  by 
reason  of  which  he  was  compelled  to 
leave  the  city.  The  only  objection  to 
this  is,  that  which  is  mentioned  by 
Whitby  and  Macknight,  that  as  Paul 
did  not  go  into  the  theatre  there  (Acts 
xix.  31),  he  incurred  no  such  risk  of  his 
life  as  to  justify  the  strong  expressions 
mentioned  in  ver.  9  and  10.  They 
suppose,  therefore,  that  he  refers  to  the 
danger  to  which  he  was  exposed  in 
Ephesus  on  another  occasion,  when  he 
was  compelled  to  fight  there  with  wild 
beasts.  See  1  Cor.  xv.  32.  But  nearly 
all  these  opinions  may  be  reconciled,  per- 
haps, by  supposing  that  he  refers  to  the 
group  of  calamities  to  which  he  had 
been  exposed  in  Asia,  and  from  which 
he  had  just  escaped  by  going  to  Mace- 
donia— referring  perhaps  more  particu- 
larly to  the  conflict  which  he  had  been 
compelled  to  have  with  the  wild  beasts 
there.     There  was  the  riot  excited  by 


of  measure,  above  strength,  in- 
somuch that  we  despaired  even 
of  life : 


Demetrius  (Acts  xix.),  in  which  his  life 
had  been  endangered,  and  from  which 
he  had  just  escaped;  and  there  had  been 
the  conflict  with  the  wild  beasts  at 
Ephesus  (see  Note  1  Cor.  xv.  32), 
which  perhaps  had  occurred  but  just  be- 
fore ;  and  there  were  the  plots  of  the 
Jews  against  him  (Acts  xx.  3),  from 
which,  also,  he  had  just  been  delivered. 
By  these  trials,  his  life  had  been  endan- 
gered, perhaps,  more  than  once,  and  he 
had  been  called  to  look  death  calmly  in 
the  face,  and  to  anticipate  the  proba- 
bility that  he  might  soon  die.  Of  these 
trials ;  of  all  these  trials,  he  would  not 
have  the  Corinthians  ignorant;  but  de- 
sired that  they  should  be  fully  apprized 
of  them,  that  they  might  sympathize 
with  him,  and  that  through  their  prayers 
they  might  be  turned  to  his  benefit. 
^j  That  we  were  pressed  out  of  measure. 
See  Acts  xix.  We  were  borne  down, 
or  weighed  down  by  calamity  (f/S^S-e- 
ju;v)  exceedingly  (x.a.&  Mng/3cx>r),  super- 
eminently. The  expression  denotes 
excess,  eminence,  or  intensity.  It  is 
one  of  Paul's  common  and  very  strong 
expressions  to  denote  any  thing  that  is 
intensive  or  great.  See  Rom.  vii.  13. 
Gal.  i.  13.  2  Cor.  iv.  17.  1  Above 
strength.  Beyond  our  strength.  More 
than  in  ourselves  we  were  able  to  bear. 
1  Insomuch  that  we  despaired  even  (fife. 
Either  expecting  to  be  destroyed  by  the 
wild  beasts  with  which  he  had  to  con- 
tend, or  to  be  destroyed  by  the  people. 
This  was  one  of  the  instances  undoubt- 
edly to  which  he  refers  in  ch.  xi.  23, 
where  he  says  he  had  been  "  in  death 
oft."  And  this  was  one  of  the  many 
cases  in  which  Paul  was  called  on  to 
contemplate  death  as  near.  It  was 
doubtless  one  cause  of  his  fidelity,  and 
of  his  great  success  in  his  work,  that 
he  was  thus  called  to  regard  death  as 
near  at  hand,  and  that  to  use  the  some- 
what unpoetical,  but  deeply  affecting 
1  lines  of  Baxter,  expressing  a  sentiment 


A.  D    60.] 


CHAPTER  1. 


13 


9  But  we  had  the  *  sentence 
of  death  in  ourselves,  that  we 
should   not  trust  a  in   ourselves, 

»  Or  answer.  a  Je.  17.  5,7. 


which  guided  all  his  ministry,  and  which 
was  one  source  of  his  eminent  success, 

He  preachM  as  though  he  ne'er  would  preach 

asain, 
As  a  dying  man  to  dying  men. 

9.  But  we  had  the  sentence  of  death 
in  ourselves.  Marg.  "  answer."  The 
word  rendered  "  sentence"  (a.7roKgi/ux) 
means  properly  an  answer,  judicial  re- 
sponse, or  sentence  ;  and  is  here  syno- 
nymous with  verdict.  It  means  that 
Paul  felt  that  he  was  condemned  to  die ; 
that  he  felt  as  if  he  were  under  sentence 
of  death  and  with  no  hope  of  acquittal ; 
he  was  called  to  contemplate  the  hour 
of  death  as  just  before  him.  The  words 
"  in  ourselves,"  mean,  against  ourselves ; 
or,  we  expected  certainly  to  die.  This 
seems  as  if  he  had  been  condemned  to 
die,  and  may  either  refer  to  some  in- 
stance when  the  popular  fury  was  so 
great  that  he  felt  it  was  determined  he 
should  die  ;  or  more  probably  to  a  judi- 
cial sentence  that  he  should  be  cast  to 
the  wild  beasts,  with  the  certain  ex- 
pectation that  he  would  be  destroyed,  as 
was  always  the  case  with  those  who 
were  subjected  to  the  execution  of  such 
a  sentence,  t  That  we  should  not 
trust  in  ourselves.  This  is  an  exceed- 
ingly beautiful  and  important  sentiment. 
It  teaches  that  in  the  time  to  which  Paul 
refers,  he  was  in  so  great  danger,  and 
had  so  certain  a  prospect  of  death,  that 
he  could  put  no  reliance  on  himself. 
He  felt  that  he  must  die ;  and  that  hu- 
man aid  was  vain.  According  to  every 
probability  he  would  die ;  and  all  that 
he  could  do  was  to  cast  himself  on  the 
protection  of  that  God  who  had  power 
to  save  him  even  then,  if  he  chose,  and 
who,  if  he  did  it,  would  exert  power 
similar  to  that  which  is  put  forth  when 
the  dead  are  raised.  The  effect,  there- 
fore, of  the  near  prospect  of  death  was 
to  lead  him  to  put  increased  confidence 
in  God.     He  felt  that  God  only  could 


but  in    God    which   raiseth  the 
dead : 

10  Who   delivered  a  us   from 

a2Pe.2.  9. 


save  him ;  or  that  God  only  could  sua 
tain  him  if  he  should  die.  Perhaps  also 
he  means  to  say  that  the  effect  of  this 
was  to  lead  him  to  put  increased  con- 
fidence in  God  after  his  deliverance ;  not 
to  trust  in  his  own  plans,  or  to  confide 
in  his  own  strength ;  but  to  feel  that  all 
that  he  had  was  entirely  in  the  hands  of 
God.  This  is  a  common,  and  a  happy 
effect  of  the  near  prospect  of  death  to  a 
Christian  ;  and  it  is  well  to  contemplate 
the  effect  on  such  a  mind  as  that  of  Paul 
in  the  near  prospect  of  dying,  and  to 
see  how  instinctively  then  it  clings  to 
God.  A  true  Christian  in  such  cir- 
cumstances will  rush  to  His  arms  and 
feel  that  there  he  is  safe.  T  But  in  God 
which  raiseth  the  dead.  Intimating 
that  a  rescue  in  such  circumstances 
would  be  like  raising  the  dead.  It  is 
probable  that  on  this  occasion  Paul  was 
near  dying;  that  he  had  given  up  all 
hope  of  life — perhaps,  as  at  Lystra 
(Acts  xiv.  19),  he  was  supposed  to  be 
dead.  He  felt,  therefore,  that  he  was 
raised  up  by  the  immediate  power  of 
God,  and  regarded  it  as  an  exertion  of 
the  same  power  by  which  the  dead  are 
raised.  Paul  means  to  intimate  that  so 
far  as  depended  on  any  power  of  his 
own,  he  was  dead.  He  had  no  power 
to  recover  himself,  and  but  for  the  gra- 
cious interposition  of  God  he  would  have 
died. 

10.  WJio  delivered  us  from  so  great 
a  death.  From  a  death  so  terrible,  and 
from  a  prospect  so  alarming.  It  is  in- 
timated here  by  the  word  which  Paul 
uses,  that  the  death  which  he  appre- 
hended was  one  of  a  character  peculiarly 
terrific — probably  a  death  by  wild 
beasts.  Note,  ver.  8.  He  was  near  to 
death  ;  he  had  no  hope  of  rescue  ;  and 
the  manner  of  the  death  which  was 
threatened  was  peculiarly  frightful. 
Paul  regarded  rescue  from  such  a  death 
as  a  kind  of  resurrection ,-  and  felt  that 


14 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


so  great  a  death,  and  doth  de- 
liver :  m  whom  we  trust  that  he 
will  yet  deliver  us  $ 


he  owed  his  life  to  God  as  if  he  had 
raised  him  from  the  dead.     All  deliver- 
ance from    imminent  peril,  and  from 
dangerous  sickness,  whether  of  ourselves 
or  our  friends,  should  be  regarded  as  a 
kind   of  resurrection    from    the  dead. 
God  could  with  infinite  ease  have  taken 
away  our  breath,  and  it  is  only  by  his 
merciful    interposition    that    we    live. 
1  And  doth  deliver.     Continues  yet  to 
deliver  us  ;  or  preserve  us — intimating 
perhaps  that  danger  had  continued  to 
follow  him  after  the  signal  deliverance 
to  which  he  particularly  refers,  and  that 
he  had  continued  to  be  in  similar  peril 
of  his  life.     Paul  was  daily   exposed  to 
danger ;  and  was  constantly  preserved 
by  the   good  providence  of  God.     In 
what  manner  he  was  rescued  from  the 
peril  to  which  he  was  exposed  he  has  no- 
where  intimated.     It  is  implied,  how- 
ever, that  it  was  by  a  remarkable  divine 
interposition  ;  but  whether  by  miracle, 
or  by  the  ordinary  course  of  providence, 
he  nowhere  intimates.     Whatever  was 
the  mode,  however,  Paul  regarded  God 
as  the  source  of  the  deliverance,  and 
felt  that  his  obligations  were  due  to  him 
as  his  kind  Preserver.     Tf  In  whom  we 
trust  that  he  will  yet  deliver  us.     That 
he  will  continue  to  preserve  us.     We 
hope  ;  we  are  accustomed  to  cherish  the 
expectation  that  he  will  continue  to  de- 
fend us  in  the  perils  which  we  shall  yet 
encounter.     Paul  felt  that  he  was  still 
exposed     to    danger.     Everywhere  he 
was  liable  to  be  persecuted  (comp.  Note, 
Acts  xx.  23),  and   everywhere  he   felt 
that  his  life  was  in  peril.     Yet  he  had 
been  thus  far  preserved  in  a  most  re- 
markable manner ;  and  he  felt  assured 
that  God  would  continue  to  interpose 
in  his  behalf,  until  his  great  purpose  in 
regard  to  him  should  be  fully  accom- 
plished, so  that  at  the  close  of  life  he 
could  look  to  God  as  his  Deliverer,  and 
feel  that  all  along  his  perilous  journey 
he  had  been  his  great  Protector. 


1 1  Ye  also  helping-  a  together 
by  prayer  for  us,  that  for  the 
gift  bestowed  upon  us   by   the 

alto.  15  30.    Ph.  1. 19.  Ja.  5. 16— 18. 


11.   Ye  also    helping    together    by 
prayer  for  us.     Tindal  renders  this  in 
connexion  with  the  close  of  the  previous 
verse  ;  "  we  trust  that  yet  hereafter  he 
will   deliver  us,  by   the  help  of  your 
prayer  for   us."     The   word  rendered 
'  helping  together,'  means  co-operating, 
aiding,  assisting ;  and  the  idea  is,  that 
Paul  felt  that  his  trials  might  be  turned 
to  good  account,  and  give  occasion  for 
thanksgiving ;  and  that  this  was  to   be 
accomplished  by  the  aid  of  the  prayers 
of  his  fellow  Christians.     He  felt  that 
the  church  was  one,  and  that  Christians 
should  sympathize  with  one   another. 
He  evinced  deep  humility  and  tender  re- 
gard for  the  Corinthians  when  he  called 
on   them  to  aid  him  by  their  prayers. 
Nothing    would     be  better    calculated 
to  excite  their  tender  affection  and  re- 
gard than  thus  to  call  on  them  to  sym- 
pathize with  him  in  his  trials,  and  to 
pray  that   those  trials  might  result  in 
thanksgiving  throughout  the  churches. 
1  That  for  the  gift  bestowed  upon  us. 
The  sentence  which  occurs  here  is  very 
perplexing  in  the  original,  and  the  con- 
struction is  difficult.     But  the  main  idea 
is  not  difficult  to  be  seen.     The  "  gift" 
here    referred  to   (to  ^agta-jua)   means 
doubtless  the  favour  shown  to  him  in  Iris 
rescue  from  so  imminent  a  peril ;  and  he 
felt  that  this   was  owing  to  the  prayers 
of  many    persons  on  his  behalf.     He 
believed  that  he  had  been  remembered 
in  the    petitions   of  his    friends    and 
fellow  Christians,  and  that  his  deliver- 
ance was  owing  to  their  supplications. 
f  By   the  means  of  many  persons. 
Probably  meaning  that  the  favour  refer- 
red to  had  been  imparted  by  means  of  the 
prayers  of  many   individuals  who  had 
taken  a  deep  interest  in  his  welfare. 
But  it  may  also  imply  perhaps  that  he 
had   been   directly   assisted,   and   had 
been  rescued  from  the  impending  danger 
by   the  interposition  of  many   friends 
who  had  come  to  his  relief.     The  usual 


A.D.60.] 


CHAPTER  I. 


15 


means  of  many  persons,  thanks 
may  be  given  by  many  on  our 
behalf. 


interpretation  is,  however,  that  it  was 
by  the  prayers  of  many  in  his  behalf. 
^f  Thanks  may  be  given  by  many  on 
our  behalf.  Many  may  be  induced  also 
to  render  thanks  for  my  deliverance. 
The  idea  is,  that  as  he  had  been  deli- 
vered from  great  peril  by  the  prayers  of 
many  persons,  it  was  proper  also  that 
thanksgiving  should  be  offered  by  as 
many  in  his  behalf,  or  on  account  of 
his  deliverance.  "  Mercies  that  have 
been  obtained  by  prayer  should  be 
acknowledged  by  praise." — Doddridge. 
God  had  mercifully  interposed  in  answer 
to  the  prayers  of  his  people ;  and  it  was 
proper  that  his  mercy  should  be  as  ex- 
tensively acknowledged.  Paul  was  de- 
sirous that  God  should  not  be  forgotten ; 
and  that  those  who  had  sought  his  de- 
liverance should  render  praise  to  God  : 
perhaps  intimating  here  that  those  who 
had  obtained  mercies  by  prayer  are 
prone  to  forget  their  obligation  to  return 
thanks  to  God  for  his  gracious  and  mer- 
ciful interposition. 

12.  For  our  rejoicing  is  this.  The 
source  or  cause  of-  our  rejoicing.  '  I 
have  a  just  cause  of  rejoicing,  and  it  is, 
that  I  have  endeavoured  to  live  a  life  of 
simplicity  and  godly  sincerity,  and  have 
not  been  actuated  by  the  principles  of 
worldly  wisdom.'  The  connexion  here 
is  not  very  obvious,  and  it  is  not  quite 
easy  to  trace  it.  Most  expositors,  as 
Doddridge,  Locke,  Macknight,  Bloom- 
field,  «fcc,  suppose  that  he  mentions  the 
purity  of  his  life  as  a  reason  why  he 
had  a  right  to  expect  their  prayers,  as 
he  had  requested  in  ver.  11.  They 
would  not  doubt,  it  is  supposed,  that 
his  life  had  been  characterized  by  great 
simplicity  and  sincerity,  and  would  feel, 
therefore,  a  deep  interest  in  his  welfare, 
and  be  disposed  to  render  thanks  that 
he  had  been  preserved  in  the  day  of 
peril.  But  the  whole  context  and  the 
scope  of  the  passage  is  rather  to  be 
taken  into  view.  Paul  had  been  ex- 
posed to  death.    He  had  no  hope  of  life 


12  For  our  rejoicing  is  this, 
the  testimony  of  our  conscience, 
that  in  simplicity  and  godly  sin- 

Then  the  ground  of  his  rejoicing,  and 
of  his  confidence,  was  that  he  had  lived 
a  holy  life.  He  had  not  been  actuated 
by  "  fleshly  wisdom,"  but  he  had  been 
animated  and  guided  by  "  the  grace  of 
God."  His  aim  had  been  simple,  his 
purpose  holy,  and  he  had  the  testimony 
of  his  conscience  that  his  motives  had 
been  right,  and  he  had,  therefore,  no 
concern  about  the  result.  A  good  con- 
science, a  holy  life  through  Jesus  Christ, 
will  enable  a  man  always  to  look  calm- 
ly on  death.  What  has  a  Christian  to 
fear  in  death  ]  Paul  had  kept  a  good 
conscience  towards  all ;  but  he  says  that 
he  had  special  and  peculiar  joy  that  he  had 
done  it  towards  the  Corinthians.  This 
he  says,  because  many  there  had  accused 
him  of  fickleness,  and  of  disregard  for 
their  interests.  He  declares,  therefore,  that 
even  in  the  prospect  of  death  he  had  a 
consciousness  of  rectitude  towards  them, 
and  proceeds  to  show  (v.  13 — 23)  that 
the  charge  against  him  was  not  well 
founded.  I  regard  this  passage,  there- 
fore, as  designed  to  express  the  fact  that 
Paul,  in  view  of  sudden  death,  had  a 
consciousness  of  a  life  of  piety,  and  was 
comforted  with  the  reflection  that  he 
had  not  been  actuated  by  the  "  fleshly 
wisdom"  of  the  world,  t  The  testimo- 
ny of  our  conscience.  An  approving 
conscience.  It  does  not  condemn  me 
on  the  subject.  Though  others  might 
accuse  him,  though  his  name  might  be 
calumniated,  yet  he  had  comfort  in  the 
approval  which  his  own  conscience  gave 
to  his  course.  Paul's  conscience  was 
enlightened,  and  its  decisions  were  cor- 
rect. Whatever  others  might  charge 
him  with,  he  knew  what  had  been  the 
aim  and  purpose  of  his  life  ;  and  the 
consciousness  of  upright  aims,  and  of 
such  plans  as  the  '  grace  of  God'  would 
prompt  to,  sustained  him.  An  approv- 
ing conscience  is  of  inestimable  value 
when  we  are  calumniated ; — and,  when 
we  draw  near  to  death,  t  That  in 
simplicity  (iv  d;rA0T»T/).  Tindal  renders 


16 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60 


cerity,   not  "with   fleshly   wis- 
dom, but  by  the  grace  of  b  God, 

a  1  Co.  2. 4, 13.        b  1  Co.  15,  10. 


we  have  had  our  conversation 
in  the  world,  and  more  abun- 
dantly to  you-ward. 


this    forcibly    "without     doubleness." 
The  word  means  sincerity,  candour,  pro- 
bity, plain-heartedness,  Christian  sim- 
plicity, frankness,  integrity.  See  2  Cor. 
xi.  3.      It  stands  opposed    to  double- 
dealings  and  purposes  ;  to  deceitful  ap- 
pearances, and  crafty    plans ;  to  mere 
policy,  and  craftiness  in  accomplishing 
an  object.     A  man  under  the  influence 
of  this,  is  straight-forward,  candid,  open, 
frank ;  and  he  expects  to   accomplish 
his  purpose  by  integrity  and  fair-deal- 
ing, and  not  by  stratagem  and  cunning. 
Policy,  craft,  artful  plans,  and  deep-laid 
schemes  of  deceit  belong  to  the  world  ; 
simplicity  of  aim  and  purpose  are  the 
true  characteristics  of  a  real  Christian. 
If  And  godly  sincerity.    Gr.  "  sincerity 
of    God."      This   may   be   a   Hebrew 
idiom,  by  which  the  superlative  degree 
is  indicated,  when,  in  order  to  express 
the  highest  degree,  they  added  the  name 
of  God,  as  in  the  phrases  ■  mountains 
of  God,'  signifying  the  highest   moun- 
tains,'  or  'cedars    of   God,'   denoting 
lofty   cedars.     Or   it  may  mean  such 
sincerity  as  God  manifests  and  approves ; 
such  as  he,  by  his  grace,  would  produce 
in  the  heart ;  such  as  the  religion  of  the 
gospelis  fitted  to  produce.  The  word  used 
here,  nms£W<^  and  rendered  sincerity, 
denotes,  properly,  clearness,  such  as  is 
judged  of  or  discerned  in  sunshine  (from 
iiKu  and  Kgiva),  and  thence  pureness,  in- 
tegrity.    It  is   most  probable  that  the 
phrase  here  denotes  that  sincerity  which 
God  produces  and  approves;  and  the 
sentiment  is,  that  pure  religion,  the  re- 
ligion of  God,  produces  entire  sincerity 
in  the  heart.    Its  purposes  and  aims  are 
open  and  manifest,  as  if  seen  in  the 
wnshine.     The  plans  of  the  world  are 
obscure,    deceitful,    and    dark,   as    if 
M  the  night.     1  Not  with  fleshly  wis- 
uom.     Not  with  the  wisdom  which  is 
manifested  by  the  men  of  this  world ; 
not  by  the   principles  of  cunning,  and 
mere  policy,   and    expediency,   which 
often  characterize   them.     The  phrase 


here  stands  opposed  to  simplicity  and 
sincerity,  to  openness  and  straight-for- 
wardness. And  Paul  means  to  disclaim 
for  himself,  and  for  his  fellow-labourers, 
all  that  carnal  policy  which  distinguishes 
the  mere  men  of  the  world.  And  if 
Paul  deemed  such  policy  improper  for 
him,  we  should  deem  it  improper  for 
us  ;  if  he  had  no  plans  which  he  wished 
to  advance  by  it,  we  should  have  none ; 
if  he  would  not  employ  it  in  the  pro- 
motion of  good  plans,  neither  should 
we.  It  has  been  the  curse  of  the  church 
and  the  bane  of  religion  ;  and  it  is  to 
this  day  exerting  a  withering  and  blight- 
ing influence  on  the  church.  The  mo- 
ment that  such  plans  are  resorted  to,  it 
is  proof  that  the  vitality  of  religion  is 
gone,  and  any  man  who  feels  that  his 
purposes  cannot  be  accomplished  but 
by  such  carnal  policy,  should  set  it 
down  as  full  demonstration  that  his 
plans  are  wrong,  and  that  his  purpose 
should  be  abandoned.  Tf  But  by  the 
grace  of  God.  This  phrase  stands  op- 
posed, evidently,  to  "  fleshly  wisdom." 
It  means  that  Paul  had  been  influenced 
by  such  sentiments  and  principles  as 
would  be  suggested  or  prompted  by  the 
influence  of  his  grace.  Locke  renders 
it,  "  by  the  favour  of  God  directing  me." 
God  had  shown  him  favour;  God 
had  directed  him  ;  and  he  had  kept  him 
from  the  crooked  and  devious  ways  of 
mere  worldly  policy.  The  idea  seems 
to  be  not  merely  that  he  had  pursued  a 
correct  and  upright  course  of  life,  but 
that  he  was  indebted  for  this  to  the 
mere  grace  and  favour  of  God,  an  idea 
which  Paul  omitted  no  opportunity  of 
acknowledging.  ^  We  have  had  our 
conversation.  We  have  conducted  our 
selves  (uV5t(TTga'p»//sv).  The  word  here 
used  means  literally,  to  turn  up,  to  over- 
turn ;  then  to  turn  back,  to  return,  and 
in  the  middle  voice,  to  turn  one's  self 
around,  to  turn  one's  self  to  any  thing, 
and,  also,  to  move  about  in,  to  live  in, 
to  be  conversant  with,  to  conduct  one's 


A.  D.  60.  J 


CHAPTER  I. 


17 


13  For  we  write   none  other 
things  unto  you  than  what  ye 


self.  In  this  sense  it  seems  to  be  used 
here.  Gomp.  Heb.  x.  33  ;  xiii.  18.  1 
Tim  iii.  15.  1  Pet.  i.  17.  The  word 
conversation,  we  usually  apply  to  oral 
discourse,  but  in  the  Scriptures,  it  means 
conduct,  and  the  sense  of  the  passage 
is,  that  Paul  had  conducted  himself  in 
accordance  with  the  principles  of  the 
grace  of  God,  and  had  been  influenced 
by  that,  f  In  the  world.  Everywhere  ; 
wherever  I  have  been.  This  does  not 
mean  in  the  world  as  contradistinguish- 
ed from  the  church,  but  in  the  world  at 
large,  or  wherever  he  had  been,  as  con- 
tradistinguished from  the  church  at  Co- 
rinth. It  had  been  his  common  and 
universal  practice.  ^  And  more  abun- 
dantly to  you-ward.  Especially  towards 
you.  This  was  added  doubtless  because 
there  had  been  charges  against  him  in 
Corinth,  that  he  had  been  crafty,  cun- 
ning, deceitful,  and  especially  that  he 
had  deceived  them  (see  ver.  17),  in  not 
visiting  them  as  he  had  promised.  He 
affirms,  therefore,  that  in  all  things  he 
had  acted  in  the  manner  to  which  the 
grace  of  God  prompted,  and  that  his 
conduct,  in  all  respects,  had  been  that  of 
entire  simplicity  and  sincerity. 

13.  For  we  write  none  otlur  things, 
Sec.  There  has  been  much  variety  in 
the  interpretation  of  this  passage;  and 
much  difficulty  felt  in  determining  what 
it  means.  The  sense  seems  to  me  to  be 
this.  Paul  had  just  declared  that  he 
had  been  actuated  by  pure  intentions 
and  by  entire  sincerity,  and  had  in  all 
things  been  influenced  by  the  grace  of 
God.  This  he  had  shown  everywhere, 
out  more  particularly  among  them'  at 
Corinth.  That  they  fully  knew.  In 
making  this  affirmation  they  had  full 
evidence  from  what  they  had  known  of 
him  in  former  times  that  such  had  been 
his  course  of  life ;  and  he  trusted  that 
they  would  be  able  to  acknowledge  the 
same  thing  to  the  end,  and  that  they 
would  never  have  any  occasion  to  form 
2* 


read  or  acknowledge ;  and  I 
trust  ye  shall  acknowledge  even 
to  the  end  ; 


a  different  opinion  of  him.  It  will  be 
recollected  that  it  is  probable  that  some 
at  Corinth  had  charged  him  with  insin- 
cerity ;  and  some  had  accused  him  of 
fickleness  in  having  promised  to  come 
to  Corinth  and  then  changing  his  mind, 
or  had  charged  him  with  never  having 
intended  to  come  to  them.  His  object 
in  this  verse  is  to  refute  such  slanders, 
and  he  says,  therefore,  that  all  that  he 
affirmed  in  his  writings  about  the  sin- 
cerity and  simplicity  of  his  aims,  were 
such  as  they  knew  from  their  past  ac- 
quaintance with  him  to  be  true ;  and 
that  they  knew  that  he  was  a  man  who 
would  keep  his  promises.  It  is  an  in- 
stance of  a  minister  who  was  able  to 
appeal  to  the  people  among  whom  he 
had  lived  and  laboured  in  regard  to  the 
general  sincerity  and  uprightness  of  his 
character — such  an  appeal  as  every  mi- 
nister oug ht  to  be  able  to  make  to  refute 
all  slanders  ;  and  such  as  he  will  be 
able  to  make  successfully,  if  his  life, 
like  that  of  Paul,  is  such  as  to  warrant 
it.  Such  seems  to  me  to  be  the  sense 
of  the  passage.  Beza,  however,  renders 
it,  "I  write  no  other  things  than  what 
ye  read,  or  may  understand,"  and  so 
Rosenmuller,  Wetstein,  Macknight,  and 
some  others  interpret  it  and  they  ex- 
plain it  as  meaning,  '1  write  nothing 
secretly,  nothing  ambiguously,  but  I 
express  myself  clearly,  openly,  plainly, 
so  that  I  may  be  read  and  understood  by 
all.'  Macknight  supposes  that  they 
had  charged  him  witli  using  ambiguous 
language,  that  he  might  afterwards  in« 
terpret  it  to  suit  his  own  purpose.  The 
objection  to  this  is,  that  Paul  never  ad- 
verts to  the  obscurity  or  perspicuity  of 
his  own  language.  It  was  his  conduct 
that  was  the  main  subject  on  which  ho 
was  writing,  and  the  connexion  seems 
to  demand  that  we  understand  nirn  as 
affirming  that  they  had  abund  tfit  evi- 
dence that  what  he  affirmec  oi  his 
simplicity  of  aim,  and  integrit)   of  life. 


18 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60 


14  As  also  ye  have  acknow- 
ledged us  in  part,  that  a  we 
are  your  rejoicing,   even  as  ye 

a  Ph.  4.  1. 


was  true.  t  Than  what  ye  read  (dv*- 
yivS><niiTi).  This  word  properly  means 
to  know  accurately ,-  to  distinguish ; 
and  in  the  New  Testament  usually  to 
know  by  reading.  Doddridge  remarks, 
that  the  word  is  ambiguous,  and  may 
signify  either  to  acknowledge,  to  know, 
or  to  read.  He  regards  it  as  here  used 
in  the  sense  of  knowing.  It  is  probably 
used  here  in  the  sense  of  knowing  ac- 
curately, or  surely  ;  of  recognising  from 
their  former  acquaintance  with  him. 
They  would  see  that  the  sentiments 
which  he  now  expressed  were  such  as 
accorded  with  his  character  and  uni- 
form course  of  life.  ^  Or  acknowledge 
QmyivSjo-KirTt).  The  proposition  vri  in 
composition  here  is  intensive,  and  the 
word  denotes  to  know  fully ;  to  receive 
full  knowledge  of;  to  know  well ;  or  to 
recognise.  It  here  means  that  they 
would  fully  recognise,  or  know  entirely 
to  their  satisfaction,  that  the  sentiments 
which  he  here  expressed  were  such  as 
accorded  with  his  general  manner  of 
life.  From  what  they  knew  of  him, 
they  could  not  but  admit  that  he  had 
been  influenced  by  the  principles  stated. 
1f  And  I  trust  ye  shall  acknow- 
ledge. I  trust  that  my  conduct  will  be 
such  as  to  convince  you  always  that  I 
am  actuated  by  such  principles.  I 
trust  you  will  never  witness  any  de- 
parture from  them — the  language  of  a 
man  of  settled  principle,  and  of  fixed 
aims  and  honesty  of  life.  An  honest 
man  can  always  use  such  language  re- 
specting himself.  \  Even  to  the  end. 
To  the  end  of  life ;  always.  "  We 
trust  that  you  will  never  have  occasion 
to  think  dishonourably  of  us;  or  to  re- 
flect on  any  inconsistency  in  our  be- 
haviour."— Doddridge. 

14.  As  also  ye  have  acknowledged  us. 
You  have  had  occasion  to  admit  my 
singleness  of  aim,  and  purity  of  inten- 
tion and  of  life  by  your  former  acquaint- 


also  are  ours  in  the  day  of  the 
Lord  Jesus. 

15  And  in  this  confidence   I 


ance  with  me  ;  and  you  have  cheerfully 
done  it.  f  Inpart(a.7ro/u^cvq).  Tindal 
renders  this,  "  as  ye  have  found  us  part- 
ly." The  sense  seems  to  be,  '  as  part 
of  you  acknowledge ;'  meaning  that  a 
portion  of  the  church  was  ready  to  con- 
cede to  him  the  praise  of  consistency 
and  uprightness,  though  there  was  a 
faction,  or  a  part  that  denied  it.  %  That 
we  are  your  rejoicing.  That  we  are 
your  joy,  and  your  boasting.  That  is, 
you  admit  me  to  be  an  apostle.  You 
regard  me  as  your  teacher,  and  guide. 
You  recognise  my  authority,  and  ac- 
knowledge the  benefits  which  you  have 
received  through  me.  If  Even  as  ye  also 
are  ours.  Or,  as  you  will  be  our  re- 
joicing in  the  day  when  the  Lord  Jesus 
shall  come  to  gather  his  people  to  him- 
self. Then  it  will  be  seen  that  you 
were  saved  by  our  ministry ;  and  then 
it  will  be  an  occasion  of  abundant  and 
eternal  thanksgiving  to  God  that  you 
were  converted  by  our  labours.  And  as 
you  now  regard  it  as  a  matter  of  con- 
gratulation and  thanksgiving  that  you 
have  such  teachers  as  we  are,  so  shall 
we  regard  it  as  a  matter  of  congratula- 
tion and  thanksgiving — as  our  chief 
joy — that  we  were  the  instruments  of 
saving  such  a  people.  The  expression 
implies  that  there  was  mutual  confi- 
dence, mutual  love,  and  mutual  cause  of 
rejoicing.  It  is  well  when  ministers 
and  people  have  such  confidence  in  each 
other,  and  have  occasion  to  regard  their 
connexion  as  a  mutual  cause  of  rejoic* 
ing  and  of  Knxi^ii^a.  or  boasting. 

15.  And  in  this  confidence.  In  this 
confidence  of  my  integrity,  and  that  you 
had  this  favourable  opinion  of  me,  and 
appreciated  the  principles  of  my  con- 
duct. I  did  not  doubt  that  you  would 
receive  me  kindly,  and  would  give  me 
again  the  tokens  of  your  affection  and 
regard.  In  this  Paul  shows  that  how 
ever  some  of  them  might  regard  him 


A.  D.  60  J 


CHAPTER  I. 


19 


was  minded  to  come  unto  you 
before,  that  ye  might  have  a 
second  *  benefit ; 

16  And  to  pass  by  .you   into 

*  Or,  grace. 


yet  that  he  had  no  doubt  that  the  ma- 
jority of  the  church  there  would  receive 
him  kindly,  t  I  was  minded.  I 
willed  (ificuMpuiv)  ;  it  was  my  intention. 
^  To  come  unto  you  before.  Tindal 
renders  this,  "the  other  time."  Paul 
refers  doubtless  to  the  time  when  he 
wrote  his  former  epistle,  and  when  it 
was  his  serious  purpose,  as  it  was  his 
earnest  wish,  to  visit  them  again.  See 
1  Cor.  xvi.  5.  In  this  purpose  he  had 
been  disappointed,  and  he  now  proceeds 
to  state  the  reasons  why  he  had  not 
visited  them  as  he  had  purposed,  and  to 
show  that  it  did  not  arise  from  any 
fickleness  of  mind.  His  purpose  had 
been  at  first  to  pass  through  Corinth  on 
his  way  to  Macedonia,  and  to  remain 
some  time  with  them.  See  ver.  16. 
Comp.  1  Cor.  xvi.  5,  6.  This  purpose 
he  had  now  changed  ;  and  instead  of 
passing  through  Corinth  on  his  way  to 
Macedonia,  he  had  gone  to  Macedonia  by 
the  way  of  Troas  (ch.  11,  12)  ;  and 
the  Corinthians  having,  as  it  would 
seem,  become  acquainted  with  this  fact, 
had  charged  him  with  insincerity  in 
the  promise,  or  fickleness  in  regard  to 
his  plans.  Probably  it  had  , been  said 
by  some  of  his  enemies  that  he  had 
never  intended  to  visit  them.  ^  That 
ye  might  have  a  second  benefit.  Marg. 
grace.  The  word  here  used  (;£<*§«)  *s 
that  which  is  commonly  rendered  grace, 
and  means  probably  favour,  kindness, 
good-will,  beneficence  ;  and  especially 
favour  to  the  undeserving.  Here,  it  is 
evidently  used  in  the  sense  of  gratifica- 
tion, or  pleasure.  And  the  idea  is,  that 
they  had  been  formerly  gratified  and 
benefited  by  his  residence  among  them ; 
he  had  been  the  means  of  conferring 
important  favours  on  them,  and  he  was 
desirous  of  being  again  with  them,  in 
order  to  gratify  them  by  his  presence,  and 
that  he  might  b«  the  means  of  imparting 


Macedonia,  and  to  come  again 
out  of  Macedonia  unto  you,  and 
of  you  to  be  brought  on  my  a  way 
toward  Judea. 


a  Ac.  21.  5. 


to  them  other  favours.  Paul  presumed 
that  his  presence  with  them  would  be 
to  them  a  source  of  pleasure,  and  that 
his  coming  would  do  them  good.  It  is 
the  language  of  a  man  who  felt  assured 
that  he  enjoyed,  after  all,  the  confidence 
of  the  mass  of  the  church  there,  and  that 
they  would  regard  his  being  with  them 
as  a  favour.  He  had  been  with  them 
formerly  almost  two  years.  His  resi- 
dence there  had  been  pleasant  to  them 
and  to  him ;  and  had  been  the  occasion 
of  important  benefits  to  them.  He  did 
not  doubt  that  it  would  be  so  again. 
Tindal  renders  this,  "that  ye  might 
have  had  a  double  pleasure."  It  may 
be  remarked  here  that  several  MSS. 
instead  of  xdyv,  grace,  read  X*£<iv,joy. 

16.  And  to  pass  by  you.  Through 
(JV)  you ;  that  is,  through  your  city,  or 
province ;  or  to  take  them,  as  we  say, 
in  his  way.  His  design  was  to  pass 
through  Corinth  and  Achaia  on  his 
journey.  This  was  not  the  direct  way 
from  Ephesus  to  Macedonia.  An  in- 
spection of  a  map  (see  the  map  of  Asia 
Minor  prefixed  to  the  Notes  on  the 
Acts  of  the  Apostles)  will  show  at  one 
view  that  the  direct  way  was  that  which 
he  concluded  finally  to  take — that  by 
Troas.  Yet  he  had  designed  to  go  out 
of  his  way  in  order  to  make  them  a 
visit;  and  intended  also,  perhaps,  to 
make  them  also  a  longer  visit  on  his 
return.  The  former  part  of  the  plan 
he  had  been  induced  to  abandon. 
%  Into  Macedonia.  A  part  of  Greece 
having  Thrace  on  the  north,  Thessaly 
south,  Epirus  west,  and  the  -.-Egean  Sea 
east.  See  Note,  Acts  xvi.  9.  t  And 
of  you  to  be  brought  on  my  way.  By 
you.  See  Note,  1  Cor.  xvi.  6. 
t  Toward  Judea.  His  object  in  going 
to  Judea  was  to  convey  the  collection 
for  the  poor  saints  which  he  had  been  at 
so  much  pains  to  collect  throughout  the 


20 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


17  When  I  therefore  was  thus  j  purpose  according  a  to  the  flesh, 


minded,  did  I  use   lightness  ?  or 
the  things  that  I   purpose,  do   I 

dc.  10.  2. 


churches  of  the  Gentiles.  See  Notes, 
Rom.  xv.  25,  26.  Comp.  1  Cor.  xvi.  3,  4. 
17.  When  I  therefore  was  thus 
minded.  When  I  formed  this  purpose ; 
when  I  willed  this,  and  expressed  this 
intention,  f  Did  I  use  lightness? 
The  word  tKaxpyu.  (from  ja*o§o?)  means 
properly  lightness  in  weight.  Here  it 
is  used  in  reference  to  the  mind ;  and 
in  a  sense  similar  to  our  word  levity,  as 
denoting  lightness  of  temper  or  conduct ; 
inconstancy,  changeableness,  or  fickle- 
ness. This  charge  had  been  probably 
made  that  he  had  made  the  promise 
without  any  due  consideration,  or 
without  any  real  purpose  of  performing 
it ;  or  that  he  had  made  it  in  a  trifling 
and  thoughtless  manner.  By  the  inter- 
rogative form  here,  he  sharply  denies 
that  it  was  a  purpose  formed  in  a  light 
and  trifling  manner.  *|f  Do  I  purpose 
according  to  the  flesh.  In  such  a  man- 
ner as  may  suit  my  own  convenience 
and  carnal  interest.  Do  I  form  plans 
adapted  only  to  promote  my  own  ease 
and  gratification,  and  to  be  abandoned 
when  they  are  attended  with  incon- 
venience 1  The  phrase  "  according  to 
the  flesh"  here  seems  to  mean  '  in  such 
a  \v;iy  as  to  promote  my  own  ease  and 
gratification  ;  in  a  manner  such  as  the 
men  of  the  world  form ;  such  as  would 
he  formed  under  the  influence  of  earthly 
passions  and  desires,  and  to  be  forsaken 
when  those  plans  would  interfere  with 
such  gratifications.'  Paul  denies  in  a 
positive  manner  that  he  formed  such 
plans ;  and  they  should  have  known 
enough  of  his  manner  of  life  to  be  as- 
sured that  that  was  not  the  nature  of 
the  schemes  which  he  had  devised? 
Probably  no  man  ever  lived  who  formed 
his  plans  of  life  less  for  the  gratification 
of  the  flesh  than  Paul.  1  That  with 
me  there  should  be  yea,  yea,  and  nay, 
nay  ?  There  has  been  a  great  variety 
in   the  interpretation   of  this   passage. 


that  with   me   there    should    be 
yea,  yea,  and  nay,  nay? 

18   But  as   God  is  true,   our 


See  Bloomfield,  Grit.  Dig.  m  loco.  The 
meaning  seems  to  be,  '  that  there  should 
be  such  inconstancy  and  uncertainty  in 
my  counsels  and  actions,  that  no  one 
could  depend  on  me,  or  know  what 
they  had  to  expect  from  me.'  Bloom- 
field  supposes  that  the  phrase  is  a  pro- 
verbial one,  and  denotes  a  headstrong, 
self-willed  spirit  which  will  either  do 
things,  or  not  do  them  as  pleases, 
without  giving  any  reasons.  He  sup- 
poses that  the  repetition  of  the  words 
yea  and  nay  is  designed  to  denote 
positiveness  of  assertion — such  posi- 
tiveness  as  is  commonly  shown  by 
such  persons,  as  in  the  phrases,  'what 
I  have  written  I  have  written,'  '  what  I 
have  done  I  have  done.'  It  seems  more 
probable,  however,  that  the  phrase  is 
designed  to  denote  the  ready  compliance 
which  an  inconstant  and  unsettled  man 
is  accustomed  to  make  with  the  wishes 
of  others ;  his  expressing  a  ready  assent 
to  what  they  propose ;  falling  in  with 
their  views  ;  readily  making  promises  ; 
and  instantly,  through  some  whim,  or 
caprice,  or  wish  of  others,  saying  '  yea, 
nay,'  to  the  same  thing ;  that  is,  chang- 
ing his  mind,  and  altering  his  purpose 
without  stay  good  reason,  or  in  accord- 
ance with  any  fixed  principle  or  settled 
rule  of  action.  Paul  says  that  this  was 
not  his  character.  He  did  not  affirm  a 
thing  at  one  time  and  deny  it  at  another  ; 
he  did  not  promise  to  do  a  thing  ono 
moment  and  refuse  to  do  it  the  next. 

18.  But  as  God  is  true.  Tindal 
renders  this,  in  accordance  more  literally 
with  the  Greek,  "  God  is  faithful ;  for 
our  preaching  unto  you  was  not  yea 
and  nay."  The  phrase  seems  to  Lave 
the  form  of  an  oath,  or  to  be  a  solemn 
appeal  to  God  as  a  witness,  and  to  be 
equivalent  to  the  expression  '  the  Lord 
liveth,'  or  'as  the  Lord  liveth.'  The 
idea  is,  '  God  is  faithful  and  true.  He 
never   deceives;    never   promises   thai 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  I. 


21 


1   word    toward   you    was    not 
yea  a  and  nay. 

»  Or,  preaching.       a  Mat.  5.  37. 


which  he  does  not  perform.  So  true 
is  it  that  I  am  not  fickle  and  changing 
in  my  purposes/  This  idea  of  the 
faithfulness  of  God  is  the  argument 
which  Paul  urges  why  he  felt  himself 
bound  to  be  faithful  also.  That  faithful 
God  he  regarded  as  a  witness,  and  to 
that  God  he  could  appeal  on  the  occa- 
sion, t  Our  word.  Marg.  preaching 
(o  xoya).  This  may  refer  either  to  his 
preaching,  to  his  promises  of  visiting 
them,  or  his  declarations  to  them  in  ge- 
neral on  any  subject.  The  particular 
subject  under  discussion  was  the  promise 
which  he  had  made  to  visit  them.  But 
he  here  seems  to  make  his  affirmation 
general,  and  to  say  universally  of  his 
promises,  and  his  teaching,  and  of  all 
his  communications  to  them,  whether 
orally  or  in  writing,  that  they  were  not 
characterized  by  inconstancy  and 
changeableness.  It  was  not  his  cha- 
racter to  be  fickle,  unsettled,  and  vacil- 
lating. 

19.  For  the  Son  of  God.  In  this 
verse,  and  the  following,  Paul  states  j 
that  he  felt  himself  bound  to  maintain  j 
the  strictest  veracity  for  two  reasons ;  I 
the  one,  that  Jesus  Christ  always  j 
evinced  the  strictest  veracity  (ver.  19)  ; 
the  other,  God  was  always  true  to  all  the  ; 
promises  that  he  made  (ver.  20)  ;  and 
as  he  felt  himself  to  be  the  servant  of 
the  Saviour  and  of  God,  he  was  bound  j 
by  the  most  sacred  obligations  also  to  j 
maintain  a  character  irreproachable  in  i 
regard  to  veracity.  On  the  meaning 
of  the  phrase  "  Son  of  God,"  see  Note,  \ 
Rom.  i.  4.  1[  Jesus  Christ.  It  is  j 
agreed,  says  Bloomfield,  by  the  best  | 
commentators,  ancient  and  modern,  that 
by  Jesus  Christ  is  here  meant  his  doc- 
trine. The  sense  is,  that  the  preaching 
respecting  Jesus  Christ,  did  not  repre- 
sent him  as  fickle,  and  changeable ;  as 
unsettled,  and  as  unfaithful ;  but  as 
true,  consistent,  and  faithful.  As  that 
had  been  the  regular  and  constant  re- 


19  For  the  Son  a  of  God, 
Jesus  Christ  who  was  preached 
among  you   by  us,  even  by  me 

a  Mar.  1.  1. 

presentation  of  Paul  and  his  fellow- 
labourers  in  regard  to  the  Master  whom 
they  served,  it  was  to  be  inferred  that 
they  felt  themselves  bound  sacredly  to 
observe  the  strictest  constancy  and  ve- 
racity. 1  By  us,  &c.  Silvanus,  here 
mentioned,  is  the  same  person  who  in 
the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  is  called  Silas. 
He  was  with  Paul  at  Philippi,  and  was 
imprisoned  there  with  him  (Acts  xvi), 
and  was  afterwards  with  Paul  and 
Timothy  at  Corinth  when  he  first  vi- 
sited that  city.  Acts  xviii.  5.  -  Paul 
was  so  much  attached  to  him,  and  had 
so  much  confidence  in  him,  that  he 
joined  his  name  with  his  own  in  several 
of  his  epistles.  1  Thess.  i.  I.  2  Thess. 
i.  1.  1  Was  not  yea  and  nay.  Our 
representation  of  him  was  not  that  he 
was  fickle  and  changeable,  f  But  in 
him  was  yea.  Was  not  one  thing  at 
one  time,  and  another  at  another.  He 
is  the  same,  yesterday,  to-day,  and  for- 
ever. All  that  he  says  is  true ;  all  the 
promises  that  he  makes  are  firm ;  all  his 
declarations  are  faithful.  Paul  may 
refer  to  the  fact  that  the  Lord  Jesus 
when  on  earth  was  eminently  charac- 
terized by  truth.  Nothing  was  more 
striking  than  his  veracity.  He  called 
himself  "  the  truth,"  as  being  eminently 
true  in  all  his  declarations.  "  I  am  the 
way,  and  the  truth,  and  the  life." 
John  xiv.  6.  Comp.  Rev.  iii.  7.  And 
thus  (Rev.  iii.  14)  he  is  called  "the 
faithful  and  true  witness."  In  all  his 
life  he  was  eminently  distinguished 
for  that.  His  declarations  were  simple 
truth ;  his  narratives  were  simple,  un- 
varnished, uncoloured,  unexaggerated 
statements  of  what  actually  occurred. 
He  never  disguised  the  truth ;  never 
prevaricated  ;  never  ;iad  any  mental  re- 
servation ;  never  dveived ;  never  used 
any  word,  or  threw  in  any  circumstance, 
that  was  fitted  to  lead  the  mind  astray. 
He  himself  said  that  this  was  the  great 
object  which  he  had  in  view  in  coming 


n.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


and  Silvanus  and  Timotheus, 
was  not  yea  and  nay,  but  in  him 
was  yea. 

20  For   all  the   promises   of 


into  the  world.  "  To  this  end  was  I 
born  and  for  this  cause  came  I  into  the 
world,  that  I  should  bear  witness  unto 
the  truth."  John  xviii.  37.  As  Jesus 
Christ  was  thus  distinguished  for  simple 
truth,  Paul  felt  that  he  was  under  sa- 
cred obligations  to  imitate  him,  and 
always  to  evince  the  same  inviolable 
fidelity.  The  most  deeply  felt  obliga- 
tion on  earth  is  that  which  the  Christian 
feels  to  imitate  the  Redeemer. 

20.  For  all  the  promises  of  God  in 
him.  All  the  promises  which  God  has 
made  through  him.  This  is  another 
reason  why  Paul  felt  himself  bound  to 
maintain  a  character  of  the  strictest 
veracity.  The  reason  was,  that  God 
always  evinced  that ;  and  that  as  none 
of  his  promises  failed,  he  felt  himself 
sacredly  bound  to  imitate  him,  and  to 
adhere  to  all  his.  The  promises  of 
God  which  are  made  through  Christ, 
relate  to  the  pardon  of  sin  to  the  peni- 
tent ;  the  sanctification  of  his  people ; 
support  in  temptation  and  trial ;  guid- 
ance in  perplexity  ;  peace  in  death,  and 
eternal  glory  beyond  the  grave.  All  of 
these  are  made  through  a  Redeemer, 
and  none  of  these  shall  fail.  *|  Are 
yea.  Shall  all  be  certainly  fulfilled. 
There  shall  be  no  vacillation  on  the 
part  of  God  ;  no  fickleness ;  no  aban- 
doning of  his  gracious  intention. 
1  And  in  him  amen.  In  Rev.  iii.  14, 
the  Lord  Jesus  is  called  the  "  Amen." 
The  word  means  true,  faithful,  certain. 
And  the  expression  here  means  that  all 
the  promises  which  are  made  to  men 
through  a  Redeemer  shall  be  certainly 
fulfilled.  They  are  promises  which  are 
confirmed  and  established,  and  which 
shall  by  no  means  fail.  ^  Unto  the 
glory  of  God  by  us.  Either  by  us  mi- 
nisters and  apostles  ;  or  by  us  who  are 
Christians.  The  latter,  I  think,  is  the 
meaning  ;  and  Paul  means  to  say,  that 
the  fulfilment  of  all  the  promises  which 


God  in  °  him  are  yea,  and  in  him 
amen,  unto  the  glory  of  God  by 
us. 

21  Now  he  which  stablisheth 

oRo.  15.  8,9.  He.  13.  8. 


God  has  made  to  his  people  shall  result 
in  his  glory  and  praise  as  a  God  of  con- 
descension and  veracity.  The  fact  that 
he  has  made  such  promises  is  an  act 
that  tends  to  his  own  glory — since  it 
was  of  his  mere  grace  that  they  were 
made  ;  and  the  fulfilment  of  these  pro- 
mises in  and  through  the  church,  shall 
also  tend  to  produce  elevated  views  of 
his  fidelity  and  goodness. 

21.  Now  he  which  stablisheth  us. 
He  who  makes  us  firm  (o  @i%-JuZv  »/uas)  ; 
that  is,  he  who  has  confirmed  us  in 
the  hopes  of  the  gospel,  and  who  gives 
us  grace  to  be  faithful,  and  firm  in  our 
promises.  The  object  of  this  is  to  trace 
all  to  God,  and  to  prevent  the  appear- 
ance of  self-confidence,  or  of  boasting. 
Paul  had  dwelt  at  length  on  his  own 
fidelity  and  veracity.  He  had  taken 
pains  to  prove  that  he  was  not  incon- 
stant and  fickle-minded.  He  here  says, 
that  this  was  not  to  be  traced  to  himself, 
or  to  any  native  goodness,  but  was  all 
to  be  traced  to  God.  It  was  God  who 
had  given  them  all  confident  hope  in 
Christ ;  and  it  was  God  who  had  given 
him  grace  to  adhere  to  his  promises,  and 
to  maintain  a  character  for  veracity. 
The  first  •  us,'  in  this  verse  refers  pro- 
bably to  Paul  himself;  the  second  in- 
cludes also  the  Corinthians,  as  being 
also  anointed  and  sealed.  1  And  hath 
anointed  us.  Us  who  are  Christians. 
It  was  customary  to  anoint  kings, 
prophets,  and  priests  on  their  entering 
on  their  office  as  a  part  of  the  ceremony 
of  inauguration.  The  word  anoint  is 
applied  to  a  priest,  Ex.  xxviii.  41  ;  xl. 
15;  to  a  prophet,  1  Kings  xix.  16.  Isa. 
lxi.  1  ;  to  a  king,  1  Sam.  x.  1 ;  xv.  1. 
2  Sam.  ii.  4.  1  Kings  i.  34.  It  is  ap- 
plied often  to  the  Messiah  as  being  set 
apart,  or  consecrated  to  his  office  as 
prophet,  priest,  and  king — i.  e.  as  ap- 
pointed by  God  to  the  highest  office  ever 
held  in  the  world.     It  is  applied  also  to 


A.  D.  60.] 


•  us  with  you  in  Christ,  and  hath 
anointed  b  us,  is  God  ; 

o2Th 


CHAPTER  ..  23 

22  Who  hath  also  sealed  c  us, 


8.   1  Pe.  5.  10. 


Christians  as  being  consecrated,  or  set 
apart  to  the  service  of  God  by  the  Holy 
Spirit — a  use  of  the  word  which  is  de- 
rived from  the  sense  of  consecrating,  or 
setting  apart  to  the  service  of  God. 
Thus  in  1  John  ii.  20,  it  is  said,  "  But 
ye  have  an  unction  from  the  Holy  One 
and  know  all  things."  So  in  ver.  27, 
"  But  the  anointing  which  ye  have  re- 
ceived abideth  in  you,"  &c.  The 
anointing  which  was  used  in  the  con- 
secration of  prophets,  priests,  and  kings, 
seems  to  have  been  designed  to  be  em- 
blematic of  the  influences  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  who  is  often  represented  as 
poured  upon  those  who  are  under  his 
influence  (Prov.  i.  23.  Isa.  xliii.  4.  Joel 
ii.  28,  29.  Zech.  xii.  10.  Acts  x.  45), 
in  the  same  way  as  water  or  oil  is 
poured  out.  And  as  Christians  are 
everywhere  represented  as  being  under 
the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  being 
those  on  whom  the  Holy  Spirit  is 
poured,  they  are  represented  as  u  anoint- 
ed." They  are  in  this  manner  solemn- 
ly set  apart,  and  consecrated  to  the 
service  of  God.  1  Is  God.  God  has 
done  it.  All  is  to  be  traced  to  him.  It 
is  not  by  any  native  goodness  which  we 
have,  or  any  inclination  which  we  have 
by  nature  to  his  service.  This  is  one 
of  the  instances  which  abound  so  much 
in  the  writings  of  Paul,  where  he  de- 
lights to  trace  all  good  influences  to 
God. 

22.  Who  hath  also  sealed  us.  The 
word  used  here  (from  o-p£*yi£a>)  means 
to  seal  up ;  to  close  and  make  fast  with 
a  seal,  or  signet ;  as,  e.g.,  books,  letters, 
&c.  that  they  may  not  be  read.  It  is 
also  used  in  the  sense  of  setting  a  mark 
on  any  thing,  or  a  seal,  to  denote  that  it 
is  genuine,  authentic,  confirmed,  or 
approved,  as  when  a  deed,  compact,  or 
agreement  is  sealed.  It  is  thus  made 
sure;  and  is  confirmed  or  established. 
Hence  it  is  applied  to  persons,  as  de- 
noting that  they  are  approved,  as  in 
Rev.   vii.    3:     "Hurt  not    the  earth, 


b  1  Jno.2.20,27.  Re.  3. 18. 

c  Ep.l.  13,  14;  4.30.  2  Ti.  2.  19 


neither  the  sea,  nor  the  trees,  till  wc 
have  sealed  the  servants  of  our  God  in 
their  foreheads."  Comp.  Ezek.  ix.  4. 
See  Note,  John  vi.  27,  where  it  is 
said  of  the  Saviour,  "  for  him  hath  God 
the  Father  sealed.,,  Comp.  John  iii.  33. 
In  a  similar  manner  Christians  are  said 
to  be  sealed  ;  to  be  sealed  by  the  Holy 
Spirit  (Eph.  i.  13 ;  iv.  30)  ;  that  is,  the 
Holy  Spirit  is  given  to  them  to  confirm 
them  as  belonging  to  God.  He  grants 
them  his  Spirit.  He  renews  and  sancti- 
fies them.  He  produces  in  their  hearts 
those  feelings,  hopes,  and  desires  which 
are  an  evidence  that  they  are  approved 
by  God ;  that  they  are  regarded  as  his 
adopted  children;  that  their  hope  is 
genuine,  and  that  their  redemption  and 
salvation  are  sure — in  the  same  way  as 
a  seal  makes  a  will  or  an  agreement 
sure.  God  grants  to  them  his  Holy 
Spirit  as  the  certain  pledge  that  they 
are  his,  and  shall  be  approved  and  saved 
in  the  last  day.  In  this  there  is  nothing 
miraculous,  or  in  the  nature  of  direct 
revelation.  It  consists  of  the  ordinary 
operations  of  the  Spirit  on  the  heart, 
producing  repentance,  faith,  hope,  joy, 
conformity  to  God,  the  love  of  prayer 
and  praise,  and  the  Christian  virtues 
generally ;  and  these  things  are  the 
evidences  that  the  Holy  Spirit  has  re- 
newed the  heart,  and  that  the  Christian 
is  sealed  for  the  day  of  redemption. 
1  And  given  the  earnest  of  the  Spirit. 
The  word  here  used  («$a#j#  from  the 
Heb.  pan]?)  means  properly  a  pledge 
given  to  ratify  a  contract ;  a  part  of  the 
price,  or  purchase  money  ;  a  first  pay- 
ment ;  that  which  confirms  the  bargain, 
and  which  is  regarded  as  a  pledge  that 
all  the  price  will  be  paid.  The  word 
occurs  in  the  Septuagint  and  Hebrew, 
in  Gen.  xxxviii.  17,  18  ;  xxxviii.  20. 
In  the  New  Testament  it  occurs  only 
in  this  place,  and  in  ch.  v.  5,  and  Eph. 
i.  14,  in  each  place  in  the  same  con- 
nexion as  applied  to  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  his  influences  on  the  heart.     It  re- 


24 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60 


and   given   the    earnest    of  the 
Spirit  a  in  our  hearts. 

a  Ro.  8.  0, 14—16. 


fers  to  those  influences  as  a  pledge  of 
the  future  glories  which  await  Christians 
in  heaven.  In  regard  to  the  "  earnest," 
or  the  part  of  a  price  which  was  paid 
in  a  contract,  it  may  he  remarked,  (1.) 
That  it  was  of  the  same  nature  as  the  full 
price,  being  regarded  as  a  part  of  it ; 
(2.)  It  was  regarded  as  a  pledge  or 
assurance  that  the  full  price  would  be 
paid.  So  the  '  earnest  of  the  Spirit,'  de- 
notes that  God  gives  to  his  people  the 
influences  of  his  Spirit;  his  operation  on 
the  heart  as  a  part  or  pledge  that  all  the 
blessings  of  the  covenant  of  redemption 
shall  be  given  to  them.  And  it  implies, 
(1.)  That  the  comforts  of  the  Christian 
here  are  of  the  same  nature  as  they 
will  be  in  heaven.  Heaven  will  consist 
of  like  comforts ;  of  love,  and  peace, 
and  joy,  and  purity  begun  here,  and 
simply  expanded  there  to  complete  and 
eternal  perfection.  The  joys  of  heaven 
differ  only  in  degree,  not  in  kind,  from 
those  of  the  Christian  on  earth.  That 
which  is  begun  here  is  perfected  there ; 
and  the  feelings  and  views  which  the 
Christian  has  here,  if  expanded  and 
carried  out,  would  constitute  heaven. 
(2.)  These  comforts,  these  influences 
of  the  Spirit,  are  a  pledge  of  heaven. 
They  are  the  security  which  God  gives 
us  that  we  shall  be  saved.  If  we  are 
brought  under  the  renewing  influences 
of  the  Spirit  here  ;  if  we  are  made 
meek,  and  humble,  and  prayerful  by 
his  agency  ;  if  we  are  made  to  partake 
of  the  joys  which  result  from  pardoned 
sin;  if  we  are  filled  with  the  hope  of 
heaven,  it  is  all  produced  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  is  a  pledge,  or  earnest  of  our 
future  inheritance ; — as  the  first  sheaves 
of  a  harvest  are  a  pledge  of  a  harvest; 
or  the  first  payment  under  a  contract  a 
pledge  that  all  will  be  payed.  God  thus 
gives  to  his  people  the  assurance  that 
they  shall  be  saved  ;  and  by  this  '  pledge' 
makes  their  title  to  eternal  life  sure. 

23.    Moreover,  I  call  God  for  a  re- 
cord upon  my  soul.  It  is  well  remarked 


23  Moreover  I  call  God  for  a 
record    upon  my  soul,  that,  to 


by  Rosenmiiller,  that  the  second  chapter 
should  have  commenced  here,  since 
there  is  here  a  transition  in  the  subject 
more  distinct  than  where  the  second 
chapter  is  actually  made  to  begin. 
Here  Tindal  commences  the  second 
chapter.  This  verse,  with  the  subse- 
quent statements,  is  designed  to  show 
them  the  true  reason  why  he  had 
changed  his  purpose,  and  had  not  vi- 
sited them  according  to  his  first  propo- 
sal. And  that  reason  was  not  that  he 
was  fickle  and  inconstant ;  but  it  was 
that  he  apprehended  that  if  he  should 
go  to  them  in  their  irregular  and  disor- 
derly state,  he  would  be  under  a  neces- 
sity of  resorting  to  harsh  measures,  and 
to  a  severity  of  discipline  that  would  be 
alike  painful  to  then,  and  to  him.  Dr. 
Paley  has  shown  with  great  plausibili:y, 
if  not  with  moral  certainty,  that  Paul's 
change  of  purpose  about  visiting  them 
was  made  before  he  wrote  his  first  epis- 
tle ;  that  he  had  at  first  resolved  to  visit 
them,  but  that  on  subsequent  reflection, 
he  thought  it  would  be  better  to  try  the 
effect  of  a  faithful  letter  to  them,  admo- 
nishing them  of  their  errors,  and  en- 
treating them  to  exercise  proper  disci- 
pline themselves  on  the  principal 
offender  ;  that  with  this  feeling  he  wrote 
his  first  epistle,  in  which  he  does  not 
state  to  them  as  yet  his  change  of  pur- 
pose, or  the  reason  of  it ;  but  that  now 
after  he  had  written  that  letter,  and  after 
it  had  had  all  the  effect  which  he  desired, 
he  states  the  true  reason  why  he  had 
not  visited  them.  It  was  now  proper 
to  do  it ;  and  that  reason  was,  that  he 
desired  to  spare  them  the  severity  of 
discipline,  and  had  resorted  to  the  more 
mild  and  affectionate  measure  of  sending 
them  a  letter,  and  thus  not  making  it 
necessary  personally  to  administer  disci- 
pline. See  Paley 's  Horae  Paulinse,  on 
2  Cor.  Nos.  iv.  and  v.  The  phrase, 
"  I  call  God  for  a  record  upon  my  soul," 
is  in  the  Greek,  "I  call  God  for  a  wit- 
ness against  my  soul."     It  is  a  solemn 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  I. 


25 


spare  you,  I  came  not  as  yet  un- 
to Corinth. 

24  Not  for  that  we  have  a  do- 

a  1  Co.  3.  5.     I  Pe.  5.  3. 


oath,  or  appeal  to  God ;  and  implies, 
that  if  he  did  not  in  that  case  declare 
the  truth,  he  desired  that  God  would  be 
a  witness  against  him,  and  would  pu- 
nish him  accordingly.  The  reason  why 
he  made  this  solemn  appeal  to  God  was, 
the  importance  of  his  vindicating  his 
own  character  before  the  church,  from 
the  charges  which  had  been  brought 
against  him.  1  That  to  spare  you. 
To  avoid  the  necessity  of  inflicting  pu- 
nishment on  you ;  of  exercis-ing  severe 
and  painful  discipline.  If  he  went 
among  them  in  the  state  of  irregularity 
and  disorder  which  prevailed  there,  he 
would  feel  it  to  be  necessary  to  exert 
his  authority  as  an  apostle,  and  remove 
at  once  the  offending  members  from  the 
church.  He  expected  to  avoid  the  ne- 
cessity of  these  painful  acts  of  disci- 
pline, by  sending  to  them  a  faithful  and 
affectionate  epistle,  and  thus  inducing 
them  to  reform,  and  to  avoid  the  neces- 
sity of  a  resort  to  that  which  would 
have  been  so  trying  to  him  and  to  them. 
It  was  not,  then,  a  disregard  for  them, 
or  a  want  of  attachment  to  them,  which 
had  led  him  to  change  his  purpose,  but 
it  was  the  result  of  tender  affection. 
This  cause  of  the  change  of  his  purpose, 
of  course,  he  would  not  make  known 
to  them  in  his  first  epistle,  but  now 
that  that  letter  had  accomplished  all  he 
had  desired,  it  was  proper  that  they 
should  be  apprized  of  the  reason  why 
he  had  resorted  to  this  instead  of  visit- 
ing them  personalty. 

24.  Not  for  that  we  have  dominion, 
&c.  The  sense  of  this  passage  I  take 
to  be  this :  '  The  course  which  we 
have  pursued  has  been  chosen  not  be- 
cause we  wish  to  lord  it  over  your  faith, 
to  control  your  belief,  but  because  we 
desired  to  promote  your  happiness.  Had 
the  former  been  our  object,  had  we 
wished  to  set  up  a  lordship  or  dominion 
over  you,  we  should  have  come  to  you 
with  our  apostolical  authority,  and  in 
3 


minion  over  your  faith,  but  are 
helpers  of  your  joy:  for  by  b  faith 
ye  stand. 

b  Ro.  11.  20.     1  Co.  15.  l. 


the  severity  of  apostolic  discipline.  We 
had  power  to  command  obedience,  and 
to  control  your  faith.  But  we  chose  not 
to  do  it.  Our  object  was  to  promote 
your  highest  happiness.  We,  there- 
fore, chose  the  mildest  and  gentlest 
manner  possible ;  we  did  not  exercise 
authority  in  discipline,  we  sent  an  af- 
fectionate and  tender  letter.'  While 
the  apostles  had  the  right  to  prescribe 
the  articles  of  belief,  and  to  propound 
the  doctrines  of  God,  yet  they  would 
not  do  even  that  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
seem  to  "  lord  it  over  God's  heritage" 
(obx.  K'j^tivc/u(v)  ;  they  did  not  set  up  ab- 
solute authority,  or  prescribe  the  things 
to  be  believed  in  a  lordly  and  impe- 
rative manner;  nor  would  they  make 
use  of  the  severity  of  power  to  enforce 
what  they  taught.  They  appealed  to 
reason ;  they  employed  persuasion ; 
they  made  use  of  light  and  love  to  ac- 
complish their  desires,  %  Are  helpers 
of  your  joy.  This  is  our  main  object, 
to  promote  your  joy.  This  object  we 
have  pursued  in  our  plans,  and  in  order 
to  secure  this,  we  forbore  to  come  to 
you,  when,  if  we  did  come  at  that  time, 
we  should  have  given  occasion  perhaps 
to  the  charge  that  we  sought  to  lord  it 
over  your  faith.  •}  For  by  faith  ye 
stand.  See  Note,  1  Cor.  xv.  1.  This 
seems  to  be  a  kind  of  proverbial  expres- 
sion, stating  a  general  truth,  that  it  was 
by  faith  that  Christians  were  to  be  es- 
tablished or  confirmed.  The  connexion 
here  requires  us  to  understand  this  as  a 
reason  why  he  would  not  attempt  to 
lord  it  over  their  faith ;  or  to  exercise 
dominion  over  them.  That  reason  was, 
that  thus  far  they  had  stood  firm,  in  the 
main,  in  the  faith  (1  Cor.  xv.  1)  ;  they 
had  adhered  to  the  truths  of  the  gospel, 
and  in  a  special  manner  now,  in  yield- 
ing  obedience  to  the  commands  and  en- 
treaties of  Paul  in  the  first  epistle,  they 
had  showed  that  they  were  in  the  faith, 
and  firm  in  the  faith.    It  was  not  no» 


96 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  CO. 


cessary  or  proper,  therefore,  for  him  to 
attempt  to  exercise  lordship  over  their 
belief,  but  all  that  was  needful  was  to 
help  forward  their  joy,  for  they  were 
firm  in  the  faith.  We  may  observe,  (1.) 
That  it  is  a  part  of  the  duty  of  minis- 
ters to  help  forward  the  joy  of  Chris- 
tians. (2.)  This  should  be  the  object 
even  in  administering  discipline  and  re- 
proof. (3.)  If  even  Paul  would  not 
attempt  to  lord  it  over  the  faith  of  Chris- 
tians, to  establish  a  domination  over 
their  belief,  how  absurd  and  wicked  is  it 
for  uninspired  ministers  now,  for  indi- 
vidual ministers,  for  conferences,  conven- 
tions, presbyteries,  synods,  councils,  or 
for  the  pope,  to  attempt  to  establish  a  spi- 
ritual dominion  in  controlli?ig  the  faith 
of  men.  The  great  evils  in  the  church 
have  arisen  from  their  attempting  to  do 
what  Paul  would  not  do  ;  from  attempt- 
ing to  establish  a  dominion  which  Paul 
never  sought,  and  which  Paul  would 
have  abhorred.  Faith  must  be  free,  and 
religion  must  be  free,  or  they  cannot 
exist  at  all. 

nEMAllKS. 

In  view  of  this  chapter  we  may  re- 
mark, 

1st.  God  is  the  only  true  and  real 
source  of  comfort  in  times  of  trial,  ver. 
3.  It  is  from  him  that  all  real  consola- 
tion must  come,  and  he  only  can  meet 
and  sustain  the  soul  when  it  is  borne 
down  with  calamity.  All  persons  are 
subjected  to  trial,  and  at  some  periods 
of  their  lives,  to  severe  trial.  Sickness 
is  a  trial ;  the  death  of  a  friend  is  a  trial ; 
the  loss  of  property  or  health,  disap- 
pointment, and  reproach,  and  slander, 
and  poverty,  and  want,  are  trials  to 
which  we  are  all  more  or  less  exposed. 
In  these  trials,  it  is  natural  to  look  to  some 
source  of  consolation ;  some  way  in 
which  they  may  be  borne.  Some  seek 
consolation  in  philosophy,  and  endea- 
vour to  blunt  their  feelings  and  destroy 
their  sensibilities,  as  the  ancient  stoics 
did.  But  "  to  destroy  sensibility  is  not 
to  produce  comfort." — Dr.  Mason.  Some 
plunge  deep  into  pleasures,  and  endea- 
vour to  drown  their  soirows  in  the  in- 
toxicating draught ;  but  this  is  not  to 


produce  comfort  to  the  soul,  even  were 
it  possible  in  such  pleasures  to  forget 
their  sorrows.  Such  were  the  ancient 
epicureans.  Some  seek  consolation  in 
their  surviving  friends,  and  look  to  them 
to  comfort  and  sustain  the  sinking  heart. 
But  the  arm  of  an  earthly  friend  is  fee- 
ble, when  God  lays  his  hand  upon  us 
It  is  only  the  hand  that  smites  that  car, 
heal ;  only  the  God  that  sends  the  af 
fliction,  that  can  bind  up  the  broken 
spirit.  He  is  the  "  Father  of  mercies," 
and  he  "  the  God  of  all  consolation  ;" 
and  in  affliction  there  is  no  true  comfort 
but  in  him. 

(2.)  This  consolation  in  God  is  de- 
rived from  many  sources,  (a)  He  is 
the  "  Father  of  mercies,"  and  we  may 
be  assured,  therefore,  that  he  does  no- 
thing inconsistent  with  mehct.  (b) 
We  may  be  assured  that  he  is  right — 
always  right,  and  that  he  does  nothing 
but  right.  We  may  not  be  able  to  see 
the  reason  of  his  doings,  but  we  may 
have  the  assurance  that  it  is  all  right  and 
will  yet  be  seen  to  be  right,  (c)  There 
is  comfort  in  the  fact,  that  our  afflictions 
are  ordered  by  an  intelligent  Being,  by 
one  who  is  all-wise,  and  all-knowing. 
They  are  not  the  result  of  blind  chance ; 
but  they  are  ordered  by  one  who  is  wise 
to  know  what  ought  to  be  done  ;  and 
who  is  so  just  that  he  will  do  nothing 
wrong.  There  could  be  no  consolation 
in  the  feeling  that  mere  chance  directed 
our  trials  ;  nor  can  there  be  consolation 
except  in  the  feeling  that  a  being  of  in- 
telligence and  goodness  directs  and  or- 
ders all.  The  true  comfort,  therefore,  is 
to  be  found  in  religion,  not  in  atheism 
and  philosophy. 

(3.)  It  is  possible  to  bless  God  in  the 
midst  of  trials,  and  as  the  result  of  trial. 
It  is  possible  so  clearly  to  see  his  hand, 
and  to  be  so  fully  satisfied  with  the  wis- 
dom and  goodness  of  his  dealingu,  even 
when  we  are  severely  afflicted,  as  to  see 
that  he  is  worthy  of  our  highest  confi- 
dence and  most  exalted  praise,  ver.  3. 
God  may  be  seen,  then,  to  be  the  "  Fa- 
ther of  mercies ;"  and  he  may  impart, 
even  then,  a  consolation  which  we  never 
experience  in  the  days  of  prosperity. 
Some  of  the  purest  and  most  elevated 


A..  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  I. 


joys  known  upon  earth,  are  experienced 
in  the  very  midst  of  outward  calamities, 
and  the  most  sincere  and  elevated  thanks- 
givings which  are  offered  to  God,  are 
often  those  which  are  the  result  of  sanc- 
tified afflictions.  It  is  when  we  are 
Drought  out  from  such  trials,  where  we 
have  experienced  the  rich  consolations 
and  the  sustaining  power  of  the  gospel, 
that  we  are  most  disposed  to  say  with 
Paul,  "  Blessed  be  God  ;"  and  can  most 
clearly  see  that  he  is  the  "  Father  of 
mercies."  No  Christian  will  ever  have 
occasion  to  regret  the  trials  through 
which  God  has  brought  him.  I  never 
knew  a  sincere  Christian  who  was  not 
finally  benefited  by  trials. 

(4.)  Christian  joy  is  not  apathy,  it 
is  comfort,  ver.  4,  5.  It  is  not  insensi- 
bility to  suffering ;  it  is  not  stoical  indif- 
ference. The  Christianyeds  his  suffer- 
ings as  keenly  as  others.  The  Lord 
Jesus  was  as  sensitive  to  suffering  as 
any  one  of  the  human  family  ever  was ; 
he  was  as  susceptible  of  emotion  from 
reproach,  contempt,  and  scorn,  and  he  as 
keenly  felt  the  pain  of  the  scourge,  the 
nails,  and  the  cross,  as  any  one  could. 
But  there  is  positive  joy,  there  is  true 
and  solid  comfort.  There  is  substantial, 
pure,  and  elevated  happiness.  Religion 
does  not  blunt  the  feelings,  or  de- 
stroy the  sensibility,  but  it  brings  in 
consolations  which  enable  us  to  bear 
our  pains,  and  to  endure  persecution 
without  murmuring.  In  this,  religion 
differs  from  all  systems  of  philosophy. 
The  one  attempts  to  blunt  and  destroy 
our  sensibilities  to  suffering ;  the  other, 
while  it  makes  us  more  delicate  and 
tender  in  our  feelings,  gives  consolation 
adapted  to  that  delicate  sensibility,  and 
fitted  to  sustain  the  soul,  notwithstand- 
ing the  acuteness  of  its  sufferings. 

(5.)  Ministers  of  the  gospel  may  ex- 
pect to  be  peculiarly  tried  and  afflicted, 
ver.  5.  So  it  was  with  Paul  and  his 
fellow-apostles;  and  so  it  has  been  since. 
They  are  the  special  objects  of  the 
hatred  of  sinners,  as  they  stand  in  the 
way  cf  he  sinful  pursuits  and  plea- 
sures of  the  world  ;  and  they  are,  like 
their  Master,  especially  hated  by  the 
enemy  of  souls.     Besides,  they  are  by 


their  office,  required  to  minister  conso- 
lation to  others  who  are  afflicted  ;  and 
it  is  so  ordered  in  the  providence  of 
God,  that  they  are  subjected  to  peculiar 
trials  often,  in  order  that  they  may  be 
able  to  impart  peculiar  consolations. 
They  are  to  be  the  examples  and  the 
guides  of  the  church  of  God  ;  and  God 
takes  care  that  they  shall  be  permitted 
to  show  by  their  example,  as  well  as  by 
their  preaching,  the  supporting  power 
of  the  gospel  in  times  of  trial. 

(6.)  If  we  suffer  much  in  the  cause  of 
the  Redeemer,  we  may  also  expect  much 
consolation,  ver.  5.  Christ  will  take 
care  that  our  hearts  shall  be  filled  with 
joy  and  peace.  As  our  trials  in  his 
cause  are,  so  shall  our  consolations  be. 
If  we  suffer  much,  we  shall  enjoy  much; 
if  we  are  persecuted  much,  we  shall 
have  much  support ;  if  our  names  are 
cast  out  among  men  for  his  sake,  we 
shall  have  increasing  evidence  that  they 
are  written  in  his  book  of  life.  There 
are  things  in  the  Christian  religion 
which  can  be  learned  only  in  the  fur- 
nace of  affliction  ;  and  he  who  has  ne- 
ver been  afflicted  on  account  of  his  at- 
tachment to  Christ,  is  a  stranger  yet  to 
much,  very  much  of  the  fulness  and 
beauty  of  that  system  of  religion  which 
has  been  appointed  by  the  Redeemer, 
and  to  much,  very  much,  of  the  beauty 
and  power  of  the  promises  of  the  Bible. 
No  man  will  ever  understand  all  the 
Bible  wh.>  is  not  favoured  with  much 
persecution  and  many  trials. 

(7.)  We  should  be  willing  to  suffer, 
ver.  3 — 5.  If  we  are  willing  to  be 
happy,  we  should  also  be  willing  to 
suffer.  If  we  desire  to  be  happy  in  re- 
ligion, we  should  be  willing  to  suffer. 
If  we  expect  to  be  happy,  we  should  also 
he  willing  to  endure  much.  Trials  fit 
us  for  enjoyment  here,  as  well  as  for 
heaven  hereafter. 

(8.)  One  great  design  of  the  conso- 
lation which  is  imparted  to  Christiana 
in  the  time  of  affliction  is,  that  they  may 
be  able  to  impart  consolation  also  to 
others,  ver.  4,  6,  7.  God  designs  that 
we  should  thus  be  mutual  aids.  And 
he  comforts  a  pastor  in  his  trials,  that 
he  may,  by  his  own  experience,  be  able 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  GO. 


to  minister  consolation  to  the  people  of 
his  eharge ;  he  comforts  a  parent,  that 
he  may  administer  consolation  to  his 
children  ;  a  friend,  that  he  may  comfort 
a  friend.  He  who  attempts  to  adminis- 
ter consolation  should  be  able  to  speak 
fiom  experience;  and  God,  therefore, 
afflicts  and  comforts  all  his  people,  that 
they  may  know  how  to  administer  con- 
solation to  those  with  whom  they  are 
connected. 

(9.)  If  we  have  experienced  peculiar 
consolations  ourselves  in  times  of  trial, 
we  are  under  obligations  to  seek  out 
and  comfort  others  who  are  afflicted. 
So  Paul  felt.  We  should  feel  that  God 
has  qualified  us  fortius  work;  and  having 
qualified  us  for  it,  that  he  calls  on  us 
to  do  it.  The  consolation  which  God 
gives  in  affliction  is  a  rich  treasure 
which  we  are  bound  to  impart  to  others ; 
the  experience  which  we  have  of  the 
true  sources  of  consolation  is  an  inesti- 
mable talent  which  we  are  to  use  for  the 
promotion  of  his  glory.  No  man  has  a 
talent  for  doing  more  direct  good  than 
he  who  can  go  to  the  afflicted,  and  bear 
testimony,  from  his  own  experience,  to 
the  goodness  of  God.  And  every  man 
who  can  testify  that  God  is  good,  and 
is  able  to  support  the  soul  in  times  of 
trial, — and  what  Christian  cannot  do  it 
who  has  ever  been  afflicted? — should 
regard  himself  as  favoured  with  a  pecu- 
liar talent  for  doing  good,  and  should 
rejoice  in  the  privilege  of  using  it  to 
the  glory  of  God.  For  there  is  no  ta- 
lent more  honourable  than  that  of  being 
able  to  promote  the  divine  glory,  to 
comfort  the  afflicted,  or  to  be  able,  from 
personal  experience,  to  testify  that  God 
is  good — always  good.  *  The  power 
of  doing  good,  always  implies  an  obli- 
gation to  do  it." — Cotton  Mather. 

(10.)  In  this  chapter,  we  have  a  case 
of  a  near  contemplation  of  death,  ver. 
8,  9.  Paul  expected  soon  to  die.  He 
nad  the  sentence  of  death  in  himself. 
He  saw  no  human  probability  of  escape. 
He  was  called,  therefore,  calmly  to  look 
death  in  the  face,  and  to  contemplate  it 
as  an  event  certain  and  near.  Such  a 
condition  is  deeply  interesting,  it  is  the 
important  crisis  of  life.     And  yet  it  is 


an  event  which  all  must  soon  contem- 
plate. We  all,  in  a  short  period,  each 
one  for  himself,  must  look  upon  death 
as  certain,  and  as  near  to  us ;  as  an 
event  in  which  we  are  personally  inter- 
ested, and  from  which  we  cannot  es- 
cape. Much  as  we  may  turn  away 
from  it  in  health,  and  unanxious  as  we 
may  be  then  in  regard  to  it,  yet  by  no 
possibility  can  we  long  avert  our  minds 
from  the  subject.  It  is  interesting,  then, 
to  inquire  how  Paul  felt  when  he  looked 
at  death ;  how  we  should  feel ;  and  how 
we  actually  shall  feel  when  we  come  to 
die. 

(11.)  A  contemplation  of  death  as 
near  and  certain,  is  fitted  to  lead  us  to 
trust  in  God.  This  was  the  effect  in 
the  case  of  Paul.  ver.  9.  He  had  learn- 
ed in  health  to  put  his  trust  in  him,  and 
now,  when  the  trial  was  apparently 
near,  he  had  nowhere  else  to  go,  and 
he  confided  in  him  alone.  He  felt  that 
if  he  was  rescued,  it  could  be  only  by 
the  interposition  of  God  ;  and  that  there 
was  none  but  God  who  could  sustain 
him  if  he  should  die.  And  what  event 
can  there  be  that  is  so  well  fitted  to  lead 
us  to  trust  in  God  as  death!  And 
where  else  can  we  go  in  view  of  that 
dark,  hour  1  For,  (a)  We  know  not  what 
death  is.  We  have  not  tried  it ;  nor  do 
we  know  what  grace  may  be  necessary 
for  us  in  those  unknown  pangs  and  suf- 
ferings ;  in  that  deep  darkness,  and  that 
sad  gloom,  (b)  Our  friends  cannot  aid 
us  then.  They  will,  they  must,  then, 
give  us  the  parting  hand  ;  and  as  we  en- 
ter the  shades  of  the  dark  valley,  they 
must  bid  us  farewell.  The  skill  of  the 
physician  then  will  fail.  Our  worldly 
friends  will  forsake  us  when  we  come  to 
die.  They  do  not  love  to  be  in  the 
room  of  death,  and  they  can  give  us  no 
consolation  if  they  are  there.  Our  pious 
friends  cannot  attend  us  far  in  the  dark 
valley.  They  may  pray,  and  commend 
us  to  God,  but  even  they  must  leave  us 
to  die  alone.  Who  but  G»d  can  attenJ 
usl  Who  but  he  can  Support  us  then  : 
(c)  God  only  knows  what  is  beyond 
death.  How  do  we  know  the  way  to 
his  bar,  to  his  presence,  to  his  heaven  ? 
How  can  we  direct  our  own  steps  in 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  I. 


29 


that  dark  and  unknown  world  1  None 
but  God  our  Saviour  can  guide  us 
there  ;  none  else  can  conduct  us  to  his 
abode,  (d)  None  but  God  can  sustain 
us  in  the  pain,  the  anguish,  the  fee- 
bleness, the  sinking  of  the  powers  of 
body  and  of  mind  in  that  distressing 
hour.  He  can  uphold  us  then;  and  it 
is  an  unspeakable  privilege  to  be  per- 
mitted then,  "  when  heart  and  flesh 
faint,"  to  say  of  him,  "  God  is  the 
strength  of"  our  "heart,  and"  our 
"  portion  forever."  Ps.  lxxiii.  26. 

(12.)  We  should  regard  a  restoration 
from  dangerous  sickness,  and  from  im- 
minent peril  of  death  as  a  kind  of  resur- 
rection. So  Paul  regarded  it.  ver.  9. 
We  should  remember  how  easy  it 
would  have  been  for  God  to  have  re- 
moved us  ;  how  rapidly  we  were  tending 
to  the  grave  ;  how  certainly  we  should 
have  descended  there  but  for  his  inter- 
position. We  should  feel,  therefore, 
that  we  owe  our  lives  to  him  as  really 
and  entirely  as  though  we  had  been 
raised  up  from  the  dead  ;  and  that  the 
same  kind  of  power  and  goodness  have 
been  evinced  as  would  have  been  had 
God  given  us  life  anew.  Life  is  God's 
gift;  and  every  instance  of  recovery 
from  peril,  or  from  dangerous  illness,  is 
as  really  an  interposition  of  his  mercy 
as  though  we  had  been  raised  up  from 
the  dead. 

(13.)  We  should,  in  like  manner, 
regard  a  restoration  of  our  friends  from 
dangerous  sickness,  or  peril  of  any  kind, 
as  a  species  of  resurrection  from  the 
dead.  When  a  parent,  a  husband,  a 
wife  or  a  child  has  been  dangerously  ill, 
or  exposed  to  some  imminent  danger, 
and  has  been  recovered,  we  cannot  but 
feel  that  the  recovery  is  entirely  owing 
to  the  interposition  of  God.  With  in- 
finite ease  he  could  have  consigned 
them  to  the  grave;  and  had  he  not 
mercifully  interposed,  they  would  have 
died.  As  they  were  originally  his  gift 
to  us,  so  we  should  regard  each  interpo- 
sition of  that  kind  as  a  new  gift,  and 
receive  the  recovered  and  restored  friend 
as  a  fresh  gift  from  his  hand. 

(14.)  We  should  feel  that  lives  thus 
preserved  and  thus  recovered  from  dan- 
3* 


I  ger,  belong  to  God.  He  has  preserved 
I  them.  In  the  most  absolute  sense  they 
belong  to  him,  and  to  him  they  should 
be  consecrated.  So  Paul  felt ;  and  his 
whole  life  shows  how  entirely  he  re- 
garded himself  as  bound  to  devote  a  life 
often  preserved  in  the  midst  of  peril,  to 
the  service  of  his  kind  Benefactor. 
There  is  no  claim  more  absolute  than 
that  which  God  has  on  those  whom  ho 
has  preserved  from  dangerous  situations, 
or  whom  he  has  raised  up  from  the 
borders  of  the  grave.  All  the  strength 
which  he  has  imparted,  all  the  talent, 
learning,  skill,  which  he  has  thus  pre- 
served, should  be  regarded  in  the  most 
absolute  sense  as  his,  and  should  be 
honestly  and  entirely  consecrated  to 
him.  But  for  him  we  should  have  died ; 
and  he  has  a  right  to  our  services  and 
obedience  which  is  entire,  and  which 
should  be  felt  to  be  perpetual.  And  it 
may  be  added,  that  the  right  is  not  less 
clear  and  strong  to  the  service  of  those 
whom  he  keeps  without  their  being  ex- 
posed to  such  peril,  or  raised  up  from 
such  beds  of  sickness.  A  very  few  only 
of  the  interpositions  of  God  in  our  be- 
half are  seen  by  us.  A  small  part  of 
the  perils  to  which  we  may  be  really 
exposed  are  seen.  And  it  is  no  less 
owing  to  his  preserving  care  that  we 
are  kept  in  health,  and  strength,  and  in 
the  enjoyment  of  reason,  than  it  is  that 
we  are  raised  up  from  dangerous  sick- 
ness. Man  is  as  much  bound  to  devote 
himself  to  God  for  preserving  him  from 
sickness  and  danger,  as  he  is  for  raising 
him  up  when  he  has  been  sick,  and  de- 
fending him  in  danger. 

(15.)  We  have  here  an  instance  of  the 
principle  on  which  Paul  acted,  ver.  12. 
In  his  aims,  and  in  the  manner  of  ac- 
complishing his  aims  he  was  guided 
only  by  the  principles  of  simplicity  and 
sincerity,  and  by  the  grace  of  God.  He 
had  no  sinister  and  worldly  purpose ; 
he  had  no  crooked  and  subtle  policy  by 
which  to  accomplish  his  purposes.  He 
sought  simply  the  glory  of  God  and  tho 
salvation  of  man ;  and  he  sought  this 
in  a  manner  plain,  direct,  honest,  and 
straight-forward.  He  admitted  none  of 
the  principles  of  worldly  policy  which 


so 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


have  been  so  often  acted  on  since  in  the 
church;  he  knew  nothing  of  "pious 
frauds,"  which  have  so  often  disgraced 
the  professed  friends  of  the  Redeemer  ; 
he  admitted  no  form  of  deception  and 
delusion,  even  for  the  promotion  of 
objects  which  were  great,  and  good,  and 
desirable.  He  knew  that  all  that  ought 
to  be  done  could  be  accomplished  by 
straight-forward  and  simple-hearted 
purposes ;  and  that  a  cause  which  de- 
pended on  the  carnal  and  crooked  policy 
of  the  world  was  a  bad  cause ;  and  that 
such  policy  would  ultimately  ruin  the 
best  of  causes.  How  happy  would  it 
have  been  if  these  views  had  always 
prevailed  in  the  church  ! 

(16.)  We  see  the  value  of  a  good  con- 
science, ver.  12.  Paul  had  the  testi- 
mony of  an  enlightened  conscience  to 
the  correctness  and  uprightness  of  his 
course  of  life  everywhere.  He  felt 
assured  that  his  aims  had  been  right ; 
and  that  he  had  endeavoured  in  all  sim- 
plicity and  sincerity  to  pursue  a  course 
of  life  which  such  a  conscience  would 
approve.  Such  a  testimony,  such  an 
approving  conscience  is  of  inestimable 
value.  It  is  worth  more  than  gold,  and 
crowns,  and  all  that  the  earth  can  give. 
When  like  Paul  we  are  exposed  to 
peril,  or  trial,  or  calamity,  it  matters 
little,  if  we  have  an  approving  con- 
science. When  like  him  we  are  per- 
secuted, it  matters  little  if  we  have  the 
testimony  of  our  own  minds  that  we 
have  pursued  an  upright  and  an  honest 
course  of  life.  When  like  him  we  look 
death  in  the  face,  and  feel  that  we 
"have  the  sentence  of  death  in  our- 
selves," of  what  inestimable  value  then 
will  be  an  approving  conscience !  How 
unspeakable  the  consolation  if  we 
can  look  back  then  on  a  life  spent 
in  conscious  integrity;  a  life  spent 
in  endeavouring  to  promote  the 
glory  of  God  and  the  salvation  of  the 
world ! 

(17.)  Every  Christian  should  feel 
himself  sacredly  bound  to  maintain  a 
character  of  veracity,  ver.  19,  20.  Christ 
was  always  true  to  his  word ;  and  all 
that  God  has  promised  shall  be  certainly 
fulfilled.     And  as  a  Christian  is  a  pro- 


fessed follower  of  him  who  was  "  the 
Amen  and  the  true  witness,"  he  should 
feel  himself  bound  by  the  most  sacred 
obligations  to  adhere  to  all  his  promises, 
and  to  fulfil  al)  his  word.  No  man  can 
do  any  good  who  is  not  a  man  of  truth ; 
and  in  no  way  can  Christians  more 
dishonour  their  profession,  and  injure 
the  cause  of  the  Redeemer,  than  by  a 
want  of  character  for  unimpeachable 
veracity.  If  they  make  promises  which 
are  never  fulfilled  ;  if  they  state  that  as 
true  which  is  not  true ;  if  they  overload 
their  narratives  with  circumstances 
which  had  no  existence  ;  if  they  de- 
ceive, and  defraud  others  ;  and  if  they 
are  so  loose  in  their  statements  that  no 
one  believes  them,  it  is  impossible  for 
them  to  do  good  in  their  Christian 
profession.  Every  Christian  should 
have — as  he  easily  may  have — such  a 
character  for  veracity  that  every  man 
shall  put  implicit  confidence  in  all  his 
promises  and  statements ;  so  implicit 
that  they  shall  deem  his  word  as  good 
as  an  oath  ;  and  his  promise  as  certain 
as  though  it  were  secured  by  notes  and 
bonds  in  the  most  solemn  manner. 
The  word  of  a  Christian  should  need  no 
strengthening  by  oaths  and  bonds;  it 
should  be  such  that  it  could  really  not 
be  strengthened  by  any  thing  that  notes 
and  bonds  could  add  to  it. 

(18.)  All  Christians  should  regard 
themselves  as  consecrated  to  God.  ver. 
21.  They  have  been  anointed,  or  set 
apart  to  his  service.  They  should  feel 
that  they  are  as  really  set  apart  to  his 
service  as  the  ancient  prophets,  priests, 
and  kings  were  to  their  appropriate 
offices  by  the  ceremony  of  anointing. 
They  belong  to  God,  and  are  under 
every  sacred  and  solemn  obligation  to 
live  to  him,  and  him  alone. 

(19.)  It  is  an  inestimable  privilege  to 
be  a  Christian,  ver.  21,  22.  It  is  re- 
garded as  a  privilege  to  be  an  heir  to  an 
estate,  and  to  have  an  assurance  that  it 
will  be  ours.  But  the  Christian  has 
an  "  earnest,"  a  pledge  that  heaven  ie 
his.  He  is  anointed  of  God;  he  is 
sealed  for  heaven.  Heaven  is  his 
home;  and  God  is  giving  to  him  daily 
evidence  in  his  own  experience  that  he 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


31 


CHAPTER  II. 
OUT   I  determined  this  with 
-^myself,    that    I    would    not 

vrill  soon  be  admitted  to  its  pure  and 
blissful  abodes. 

(20.)  The  joys  of  the  Christian  on 
earth  are  of  the  same  nature  as  the 
joys  of  heaven.  These  comforts  are  an 
"  earnest"  of  the  future  inheritance ;  a 
part  of  that  which  the  Christian  is  to 
enjoy  forever.  His  joys  on  earth  are 
"  heaven  begun ;"  and  all  that  is  needful 
to  constitute  heaven  is  that  these  joys 
should  be  expanded  and  perpetuated. 
There  will  be  no  other  heaven  than 
that  which  would  be  constituted  by  the 
expanded  joys  of  a  Christian. 

(21.)  No  one  is  a  Christian,  no  one 
is  fitted  for  heaven,  who  has  not  such 
principles  and  joys  as  being  fully  ex- 
panded and  developed  would  constitute 
heaven.  The  joys  of  heaven  are  not 
to  be  created  for  us  as  some  new  thing ; 
they  are  not  to  be  such  as  we  have  had 
no  foretaste,  no  conception  of;  but 
they  are  to  be  such  as  will  be  produced 
of  necessity  by  removing  imperfection 
from  the  joys  and  feelings  of  the  be- 
liever, and  carrying  them  out  without 
alloy,  and  without  interruption,  and 
without  end.  The  man,  therefore,  who 
has  such  a  character,  that  if  fairly  de- 
veloped would  not  constitute  the  joys  of 
heaven,  is  not  a  Christian.  He  has  no  evi- 
dence that  he  has  been  born  again ;  and 
all  his  joys  are  fancied  and  delusive. 

(22.)  Christians  should  be  careful 
not  to  grieve  the  Holy  Spirit.  Comp. 
Eph.  iv.  30.  It  is  by  that  Spirit  that 
they  are  "  anointed"  and  "sealed,"  and 
it  is  by  his  influences  that  they  have 
the  earnest  of  their  future  inheritance. 
All  good  influences  on  their  minds  pro- 
ceed from  that  Spirit ;  and  it  should  be 
their  high  and  constant  aim  not  to 
grieve  him.  By  no  course  of  conduct, 
by  no  conversation,  by  no  impure 
thought,  should  they  drive  that  Spirit 
from  their  minds.  All  their  peace  and 
joy  is  dependent  on  their  cherishing  his 
sacred  influences;  and  by  all  the  means 
in  their  power  they  should  strive  to 
secure  his  constant  agency  on  their  souls. 


come    again   to   you   in  heavi- 
ness. a 

a  c.  1.23. 12.20,21.  13.10. 


CHAPTER  II. 

In  this  chapter  Paul  continues  the 
discussion  of  the  subject  which  had 
been  introduced  in  the  previous  chapter. 
At  the  close  of  that  chapter,  he  had 
stated  the  reasons  why  he  had  not  vis- 
ited the  church  at  Corinth.  See  Notes 
on  ch.  i.  23,  24.  The  main  reason 
was,  that  instead  of  coming  to  them  in 
that  disordered,  and  irregular  state,  he 
had  preferred  to  send  them  an  affec- 
tionate letter.  Had  he  come  to  them 
personally  he  would  have  felt  himself 
called  on  to  exercise  the  severity  of  dis- 
cipline. He  chose,  therefore,  to  try 
what  the  effect  would  be  of  a  faithful 
and  kind  epistle.  In  this  chapter,  he 
prosecutes  the  same  subject.  He  states, 
therefore,  more  at  length,  the  reason 
why  he  had  not  come  to  them.  ver.  1 — 5. 
The  reason  was,  that  he  resolved  not  to 
come  to  them,  if  he  could  avoid  it,  with 
severity ;  that  his  heart  was  pained 
even  with  the  necessity  of  sending  such 
a  letter;  that  he  wrote  it  with  much 
anguish  of  spirit ;  yet  that  he  cherished 
towards  them  the  most  tender  love. 
In  his  former  epistle  (ch.  v.)  he  had  di- 
rected them  to  exercise  discipline  on  the 
offending  person  in  the  church.  This 
had  been  done  according  to  his  direc- 
tion ;  and  the  offender  had  been  suita- 
bly punished  for  his  offence.  He  had 
been  excommunicated ;  and  it  would 
seem  that  the  effect  on  him  had  been  to 
induce  him  to  forsake  his  sin,  and  pro- 
bably to  put  away  his  father's  wife,  and 
he  had  become  a  sincere  penitent.  Paul, 
therefore,  in  the  next  place  (ver.  6 — 1 1 ), 
exhorts  them  to  receive  him  again  into 
fellowship  with  the  church.  The  pun 
ishment  he  says  had  been  sufficient 
(ver.  6) ;  they  ought  now  to  be  kind 
and  forgiving  to  him  lest  he  should  be 
overwhelmed  with  his  sorrow  (ver.  7)  ; 
he  says,  that  he  had  forgiven  him,  so 
far  as  he  was  concerned,  and  he  entreat- 
ed them  to  do  the  same  (ver.  10)  ;  and 
says  that  they  ou^ht,  by  all  means,  to 


32 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


2  For  if  I  make 
who  is  he  then  that 


you    sorry, 
maketh  me 


pursue  such  a  course  that  Satan  could 
get  no  advantage  of  them.  ver.  11. 
Paul  then  states  the  disappointment 
which  he  had  had  at  Troas  in  not  seeing 
Titus,  from  whom  he  had  expected  to 
learn  what  was  the  state  of  the  church 
at  Corinth,  and  what  was  the  reception 
of  kS  letter  there ;  but  that  not  seeing 
him  there,  he  had  gone  on  to  Macedonia, 
ver.  12,  13.  There,  it  would  seem,  he 
met  Titus,  and  learned  that  his  letter 
had  had  all  the  success  which  he  could 
have  desired.  It  had  been  kindly  re- 
ceived ;  and  all  that  he  had  wished  in 
regard  to  discipline  had  been  performed, 
ver.  14.  The  hearing  of  this  success 
gives  him  occasion  to  thank  God  for  it, 
as  one  among  many  instances  in  which 
his  efforts  to  advance  his  cause  had  been 
crowned  with  success.  God  had  made 
him  everywhere  successful;  and  had 
made  him  triumph  in  Christ  in  every 
place.  This  fact  gives  him  occasion 
(ver.  15,  16)  to  state  the  general  effect 
of  his  preaching  and  his  labours.  His 
efforts,  he  says,  were  always  acceptable 
to  God — though  he  could  not  be  igno- 
rant that  in  some  cases  the  gospel 
which  he  preached  was  the  occasion  of 
the  aggravated  condemnation  of  those 
who  heard  and  rejected  it.  Yet  he  had 
the  consolation  of  reflecting  that  it  was 
by  no  fault  of  his.  ver.  17.  It  was  not 
because  he  had  corrupted  the  word  of 
God ;  it  was  not  because  he  was  un- 
faithful ;  it  was  not  because  he  was  not 
sincere.  He  had  a  good  conscience — a 
conscience  which  assured  him  that  he 
spoke  in  sincerity,  and  as  in  the  sight 
of  God — though  the  unhappy  effect 
might  be  that  many  would  perish  from 
under  his  ministry. 

1.  But  I  determined  this  with  my- 
self. I  made  up  my  mind  on  this 
point ;  I  formed  this  resolution  in  re- 
gard to  my  course.  ^  That  I  would 
not  come  again  to  you  with  heaviness. 
In  grief  (iv\v?rti).  'I  would  not  come,  if 
I  could  avoid  it,  in  circumstances  which 
must  have   grieved   both  me  and  you. 


glad,  but   the   same    which 
made  sorry  by  me  ? 


13 


I  would  not  come  while  there  existed 
among  you  such  irregularities  as  must 
have  pained  my  heart,  and  as  must  have 
compelled  me  to  resort  to  such  acts  of 
discipline  as  would  be  painful  to  you. 
I  resolved,  therefore,  to  endeavour  to 
remove  these  evils  before  I  came,  that 
when  I  did  come,  my  visit  might  be 
mutually  agreeable  to  us  both.  For 
that  reason  I  changed  my  purpose 
about  visiting  you,  when  I  heard  of 
those  disorders,  and  resolved  to  send  an 
epistle.  If  that  should  be  successful, 
then  the  way  would  be  open  for  an 
agreeable  visit  to  you.'  This  verse, 
therefore,  contains  the  statement  of  the 
principal  reason  why  he  had  not  come 
to  them  as  he  had  at  first  proposed.  It 
was  really  from  no  fickleness,  but  it 
was  from  love  to  them,  and  a  de- 
sire that  his  visit  should  be  mutually 
agreeable.  Comp.  Notes,  ch.  i.  23. 

2.  For  if  I  made  you  sorry.  •  If 
when  I  should  come  among  you,  I 
should  be  called  on  to  inflict  sorrow  by 
punishing  your  offending  brethren  by 
an  act  of  severe  discipline  as  soon  as  I 
came,  who  would  there  be  to  give  me 
comfort  but  those  very  persons  whom 
I  had  affected  with  grief  1  How  little 
prepared  would  they  be  to  make  me 
happy,  and  to  comfort  me,  amidst  the 
deep  sorrow  which  I  should  have  caused 
by  an  act  of  severe  discipline.  After 
such  an  act — an  act  that  would  spread 
sorrow  through  the  whole  church,  how 
could  I  expect  that  comfort  which  I 
should  desire  to  find  among  you.  The 
whole  church  would  be  affected  with 
grief;  and  though  I  might  be  sustained 
by  the  sound  part  of  the  church,  yet  my 
visit  would  be  attended  with  painful 
circumstances.  I  resolved,  therefore,  to 
remove  all  cause  of  difficulty,  if  possible, 
before  I  came,  that  my  visit  might  be 
pleasant  to  us  all.'  The  idea  is,  that 
there  was  such  a  sympathy  between 
him  and  them  ;  that  he  was  so  attached 
to  them,  that  he  could  not  expect  to  be 
happy   unless   they  were  happy ;  that 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


3  And  I  wrote  this  same  un- 
to you,  lest,  when  I  came,  I 
fhould  have  sorrow  from  them 
of  whom   I   ought   to   rejoice  ; 


though  he  might  be  conscious  he  was 
only  discharging  a  duty,  and  that  God 
would  sustain  him  in  it,  yet  that  it 
would  mar  the  pleasure  of  his  visit,  and 
destroy  all  his  anticipated  happiness  by 
the  general  grief. 

3.  And  I  wrote  this  same  unto  you. 
The  words  "this  same"  (tow-to  ttbro)  refer 
to  what  he  had  written  to  them  in  the 
former  epistle,  particularly  to  what  he 
had  written  in  regard  to  the  incestuous 
person,  requiring  them  to  excommuni- 
cate him.  Probably  the  expression 
also  includes  the  commands  in  his  for- 
mer epistle  to  reform  their  conduct  in 
general,  and  to  put  away  the  abuses  and 
evil  practices  which  prevailed  in  the 
church  there.  If  Lest  when  I  come,  &c. 
Lest  I  should  be  obliged  if  I  came  per- 
sonally to  exercise  the  severity  of  disci- 
pline, and  thus  to  diffuse  sorrow 
throughout  the  entire  church.  %  I 
should  have  sorrow  from  them  of  whom 
I  ought  to  rejoice.  Lest  I  should  have 
grief  in  the  church.  Lest  the  conduct 
of  the  church,  and  the  abuses  which 
prevail  in  it  should  give  me  sorrow.  I 
should  be  grieved  with  the  existence  of 
these  evils ;  and  I  should  be  obliged  to 
resort  to  measures  which  would  be 
painful  to  me,  and  to  the  whole  church. 
Paul  sought  to  avoid  this  by  persuading 
them  before  he  came  to  exercise  the 
discipline  themselves,  and  to  put  away 
the  evil  practices  which  prevailed  among 
them.  1  Having  confidence  in  you  all. 
Having  confidence  that  this  is  your 
general  character,  that  whatever  adds  to 
my  joy,  or  promotes  my  happiness, 
would  give  joy  to  you  all.  Paul  had 
enemies  in  Corinth ;  he  knew  that  there 
were  some  there  whose  minds  were 
alieniated  from  him,  and  who  were  en- 
deavouring to  do  him  injury.  Yet  he 
did  not  doubt  that  it  was  the  general 
character  of  the  church  that  they  wished 
him  well,  and  would  desire  to  make 
_im  happy ;  that  what  would   tend  to 


having   confidence   in    you    all, 

that  my  joy  is  the  joy  of  you  all. 

4  For  out  of  much  affliction 

and  anguish  of  heart  I  wrote  un- 


promote  his  happiness  would  also  pro- 
mote theirs ;  and  therefore,  that  they 
would  be  willing  to  do  any  thing  that 
would  make  his  visit  agreeable  to  him 
when  he  came  among  them.  He  was, 
therefore,  persuaded  that  if  he  wrote 
them  an  affectionate  letter,  they  would 
listen  to  his  injunctions,  that  thus  all 
that  was  painful  might  be  avoided  when 
he  came  among  them. 

4.  For  out  of  much  affliction.  Pos- 
sibly Paul's  enemies  had  charged  him 
with  being  harsh  and  overbearing.  They 
may  have  said  that  there  was  much 
needless  severity  in  his  letter.  He  here 
meets  that,  and  says,  that  it  was  with 
much  pain  and  many  tears  that  he  was 
constrained  to  write  as  he  did.  He  was 
pained  at  their  conduct,  and  at  the  ne- 
cessity which  existed  for  such  an  epis- 
tle. This  is  an  eminently  beautiful  in- 
stance of  Paul's  kindness  of  heart,  and 
his  susceptibility  to  tender  impressions. 
The  evil  conduct  of  others  gives  pain  to 
a  good  man  ;  and  the  necessity  of  admi- 
nistering reproof  and  discipline  is  often 
as  painful  to  him  who  does  it,  as  it  is  to 
those  who  are  the  subjects  of  it.  |  And 
anguish  of  heart.  The  word  rendered 
"  anguish"  (<rwv^«)  means,  properly,  a 
holding  together  or  shutting  up;  and 
then,  pressure,  distress,  anguish — an  af- 
fliction of  the  heart  by  which  one  feels 
tightened  or  constrained ;  such  a  pres- 
sure as  great  grief  causes  at  the  heart. 
t  /  wrote  unto  you  with  many  tears. 
With  much  weeping  and  grief  that  I 
was  constrained  to  write  such  a  letter. 
This  was  an  instance  of  Paul's  great 
tenderness  of  heart — a  trait  of  charac- 
ter which  he  uniformly  evinced.  With 
all  his  strength  of  mind,  and  all  his 
courage  and  readiness  to  face  danger, 
Paul  was  not  ashamsd  to  weep;  and 
I  especially  if  he  had  any  occasion  of 
;  censuring  his  Christian  brethren,  or  ad- 
ministering discipline.  Comp.  Phil.  iiL 
I  88.  Acts  xx.  31.     This  is  also  a  speci- 


34 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60 


to  you  with  many  tears  ;  not  that 
ye  should  be  grieved,  but  that 
ye  might  know  the  love  a  which 
I  have  more  abundantly  unto 
you. 


(tell.  2. 


men  of  the  manner  in  which  Paul  met 
the  faults  of  his  Christian  brethren.  It 
was  not  with  bitter  denunciation.  It 
was  not  with  sarcasm  and  ridicule.  It 
was  not  Ly  blazoning  those  faults  abroad 
to  others.  It  was  not  with  the  spirit  of 
rejoicing  that  they  had  committed  errors, 
and  had  been  guilty  of  sin.  It  was  not 
as  if  he  was  glad  of  the  opportunity  of 
administering  rebuke,  and  took  pleasure 
in  denunciation  and  in  the  language  of 
reproof.  All  this  is  often  done  by 
others ;  but  Paul  pursued  a  different 
course.  He  sent  an  affectionate  letter 
to  the  offenders  themselves  ;  and  he  did 
it  with  many  tears.  It  was  done 
weeping.  Admonition  would  always 
be  done  right  if  it  was  done  with  tears. 
Discipline  would  always  be  right,  and 
would  be  effectual,  if  it  were  adminis- 
tered with  tears.  Any  man  will  receive 
an  admonition  kindly,  if  he  who  admi- 
nisters it  does  it  weeping  ;  and  the  heart 
of  an  offender  will  be  melted,  if  he  who 
attempts  to  reprove  him  comes  to  him 
with  tears.  How  happy  would  it  be  if 
all  who  attempt  to  reprove  should  do  it 
with  Paul's  spirit.  How  happy,  if  all 
discipline  should  be  administered  in  the 
church  in  his  manner.  But,  we  may 
add,  how  seldom  is  this  done !  How 
few  are  there  who  feel  themselves  called 
on  to  reprove  an  offending  brother,  or  to 
charge  a  brother  with  heresy  or  crime, 
that  do  it  with  tears  !  J  Not  tlmt  ye 
should  be  grieved.  It  was  not  my  ob- 
ject to  give  you  pain,  f  But  that  ye 
might  know  the  love,  &c.  This  was 
one  of  the  best  evidences  of  his  great 
love  to  them  which  he  could  possibly 
give.  It  is  proof  of  genuine  friendship 
for  another,  when  we  faithfully  and  af- 
fectionately admonish  him  of  the  error 
of  his  course  ;  it  is  the  highest  proof  of 
affection  when  we  do  it  with  tears.  It 
«  cruelty  to  suffer  a  brother  to  remain 


5  But  if  *  any  have  caused 
grief,  he  hath  not  grieved  me, 
cbut  in  part:  that  I  may  not 
overcharge  you  all. 

6  Sufficient  to  such  a  man  it 

5Ga.  5.  10.    cGa.  4.  12. 

in  sin  un  admonished  ;  it  is  cruel  to  ad- 
monish him  of  it  in  a  harsh,  severe,  and 
authoritative  tone;  but  it  is  proof  of 
tender  attachment  when  we  go  to 
him  with  tears,  and  entreat  him  to  re- 
pent and  reform.  No  man  gives  higher 
proof  of  attachment  to  another  than  he 
who  affectionately  admonishes  him  of 
his  sin  and  danger. 

5.  If  any  have  caused  grief.  There 
is  doubtless  here  an  allusion  to  the  in- 
cestuous person.  But  it  is  very  deli- 
cately done.  He  does  not  mention  him 
by  name.  There  is  not  anywhere  an 
allusion  to  his  name;  nor  is  it  possible 
now  to  know  it.  Is  this  not  a  proof  that 
the  names  of  the  offending  brethren  in 
a  church  should  not  be  put  on  the  re- 
cords of  sessions,  and  churches,  and 
presbyteries,  to  be  handed  down  to  pos- 
terity 1  Paul  does  not  here  either  ex- 
pressly refer  to  such  a  person.  He 
makes  his  remark  general,  that  it  might 
be  as  tender  and  kind  to  the  offending 
brother  as  possible.  They  would  know 
whom  he  meant,  but  they  had  already 
punished  him,  as  Paul  supposed,enough, 
and  now  all  that  he  said  in  regard  to 
him  was  as  tender  as  possible,  and  fitted, 
as  much  as  possible,  to  conciliate  his 
feelings  and  allay  his  grief.  He  did  not 
harshly  charge  him  with  sin ;  he  did 
not  use  any  abusive  or  severe  epithets  ; 
but  he  gently  insinuates  that  he  "  had 
caused  grief;"  he  had  pained  the  hearts 
of  his  brethren.  ^  He  hath  not  grieved 
me,  but  in  part.  He  has  not  particu- 
larly offended  or  grieved  me.  He  has 
grieved  me  only  in  common  with  others, 
and  as  a  part  of  the  church  of  Christ. 
All  have  common  cause  of  grief;  and  I 
have  no  interest  in  it  which  is  not  com- 
mon to  you  all.  I  am  but  one  of  a 
great  number  who  have  felt  the  deepest 
concern  on  account  of  his  conduct. 
1  That  I  may  not  overcharge  you  all. 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


35 


this  *  punishment,  which  was  in- 
flicted °of  many. 


That  I  may  not  bear  hard  (imBu^Z)  on 
you  all ;  that  I  may  not  accuse  you  all 
of  having  caused  me  grief.  The  sense 
is,  '  Grief  has  been  produced.  I,  in 
common  with  the  church,  have  been 
pained,  and  deeply  pained,  with  the 
conduct  of  the  individual  referred  to ; 
and  with  that  of  his  abettors  and  friends. 
But  I  would  not  charge  the  whole 
church  with  it ;  or  seem  to  bear  hard  on 
them,  or  overcharge  them  with  want  of 
zeal  for  their  purity,  or  unwillingness  to 
remove  the  evil.'  They  had  shown  their 
willingness  to  correct  the  evil  by  prompt- 
ly removing  the  offender  when  he  had 
directed  it.  The  sense  of  this  verse 
should  be  connected  with  the  verse  that 
follows ;  and  the  idea  is,  that  they  had 
promptly  administered  sufficient  disci- 
pline, and  that  they  were  not  now  to 
be  charged  severely  with  having  neglect- 
ed it.  Even  while  Paul  said  he  had 
been  pained  and  grieved,  he  had  seen 
occasion  not  to  bear  hard  on  the  whole 
church,  but  to  be  ready  to  commend 
them  for  their  promptness  in  removing 
the  cause  of  the  offence. 

6.  Sufficient  to  such  a  man.  The 
incestuous  person  that  had  been  by 
Paul's  direction  removed  from  the 
church.  The  object  of  Paul  here  is  to 
have  him  again  restored.  For  that  pur- 
pose he  says  that  the  punishment  which 
they  had  inflicted  on  him  was  "  suffi- 
cient." It  was,  (1.)  A  sufficient  expres- 
sion of  the  evil  of  the  offence,  and  of 
the  readiness  of  the  church  to  preserve 
itself  pure  ;  and,  (2.)  It  was  a  sufficient 
punishment  to  the  offender.  It  had  ac- 
complished all  that  he  had  desired.  It 
had  humbled  him,  and  brought  him  to 
repentance;  and  doubtless  led  him  to 
put  away  his  wife.  Comp.  Note,  1  Cor. 
v.  1.  As  that  had  been  done,  it  was  pro- 
per now  that  he  should  be  again  restored 
to  the  privileges  of  the  church.  No 
evil  would  result  from  such  a  restora- 
tion, and  their  duty  to  their  penitent 
brother  demanded  it.  Mr.  Locke  has 
remarked  that  Paul  conducts  this  sub- 


7   So   '  that   contrariwise   ye 

»  or.  censure.        a  1  Co.  5.  4,  5.     1  Ti.  5.  20. 
bGa.  «5.  1. 

ject  here  with  very  great  tenderness 
and  delicacy.  The  entire  passage  from 
ver.  5  to  ver.  10  relates  solely  to  this 
offending  brother,  yet  he  never  once 
mentions  his  name,  nor  does  he  men- 
tion his  crime.  He  speaks  of  him  only 
in  the  soft  terms  of  "  such  a  one"  and 
"  any  one :"  nor  does  he  use  an  epithet 
which  would  be  calculated  to  wound 
his  feelings,  or  to  transmit  his  name 
to  posterity,  or  to  communicate  it  to 
other  churches.  So  that  though  this 
epistle  should  be  read,  as  Paul  doubt- 
less intended,  by  other  churches,  and  be 
transmitted  to  future  times,  yet  no  one 
would  ever  be  acquainted  with  the  name 
of  the  individual.  How  different  this 
from  the  temper  of  those  who  would 
blazon  abroad  the  names  of  offenders, 
or  make  a  permanent  record  to  car- 
ry them  down  with  dishonour  to  poste- 
rity !  ^  Which  was  inflicted  of  many. 
By  the  church  in  its  collective  capacity. 
See  Note  on  1  Cor.  v.  4.  Paul  had  re- 
quired the  church  to  administer  this  act 
of  discipline,  and  they  had  promptly- 
done  it.  It  is  evident  that  the  whole 
church  was  concerned  in  the  adminis- 
tration of  the  act  of  discipline ;  as 
the  words  "  of  many"  (can  rZv  vhtiawv) 
are  not  applicable  either  to  a  single 
"  bishop,"  or  a  single  minister,  or  a 
presbytery,  or  a  bench  of  elders;  nor 
can  they  be  so  regarded,  except  by  a 
forced  and  unnatural  construction.  Paul 
had  directed  it  to  be  done  by  the  assem- 
bled church  (1  Cor.  v.  4),  and  this 
phrase  shows  that  they  had  followed  his 
instructions.  Locke  supposes  that  the 
phrase  means,  "  by  the  majority ;" 
Macknight  renders  it,  "  by  the  greater 
number;"  Bloomfield  supposes  that  it 
means  that  the  "  punishment  was  car- 
ried into  effect  by  all."  Doddridge  para- 
phrases it,  "  by  the  whole  body  of  your 
society."  The  expression  proves  be- 
yond a  doubt  that  the  whole  body 
of  the  society  was  concerned  in  the 
act  of  the  excommunication,  and  that 
that  is  a  proper  way  of  administering 


36 


H.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


ought  rather  to  forgive  him,  and 
comfort  him,  lest  perhaps   such 

discipline.  Whether  it  proves,  how- 
ever, that  that  is  the  mode  which  is  to 
be  observed  in  all  instances,  may  admit 
of  a  d)ubt,  as  the  example  of  the  early 
churches,  in  a  particular  case,  does  not 
prove  that  that  mode  has  the  force  of  a 
binding  rule  on  all. 

7.  So  that  contrariwise.  On  the 
other  hand  :  on  the  contrary.  That  is, 
instead  of  continuing  the  punishment. 
Since  the  punishment  was  sufficient, 
and  has  answered  all  the  purpose  of 
bearing  your  testimony  against  the  of- 
fence, and  of  bringing  him  to  repentance, 
you  ought  again  to  admit  him  to  your 
communion.  1  Ye  ought  rather  to  for- 
give him.  Rather  than  continue  the 
pain  and  disgrace  of  excommunication. 
It  follows  from  this,  (1.)  That  the  pro- 
per time  for  restoring  an  offender  is  only 
when  the  punishment  has  answered  the 
purpose  for  which  it  was  designed ; 
i.  e.  has  shown  the  just  abhorrence  of 
the  church  against  the  sin,  and  has 
reformed  the  offender  ;  and,  (2.)  That 
when  that  is  done  the  church  ought  to 
forgive  the  offending  brother,  and  ad- 
mit him  again  to  their  fellowsbip.  When 
it  can  be  ascertained  that  the  punish- 
ment has  been  effectual  in  reforming 
him,  may  depend  somewhat  on  the  na- 
ture of  the  offence.  In  this  case,  it 
was  sufficiently  shown  by  his  putting 
away  his  wife,  and  by  the  manifestations 
of  sorrow.  So  in  other  cases,  it  may  be 
shown  by  a  man's  abandoning  a  course 
of  sin,  and  reforming  his  life.  If  he  has 
been  unjust,  by  his  repairing  the  evil ; 
if  he  has  been  pursuing  an  unlawful  bu- 
siness, by  abandoning  it ;  if  he  has  pur- 
sued a  course  of  vice,  by  his  forsaking  it, 
and  by  giving  satisfactory  evidences  of 
sorrow  and  of  reformation,  for  a  period 
sufficiently  long  to  show  his  sincerity. 
The  time  which  will  be  required  in  each 
case,  must  depend,  of  course,  somewhat 
on  the  nature  of  the  offence,  the  pre- 
vious character  of  the  individual,  the 
temptations  to  which  he  may  be  ex- 
posed, and  the  disgrace  which  he  may 
have  brought  on  his  Christian  calling. 


a  one  should  be  swallowed  up 
with  overmuch  sorrow. 


It  is  to  be  observed,  also,  that  then  his 
restoration  is  to  be  regarded  as  an  act 
of  forgiveness,  a  favour  (%*,>i<rA<rd-*tt 
i.  e.  x^Z^i  favour,  grace)  on  the  part  of 
the  church.  It  is  not  a  matter  of  jus- 
tice, or  of  claim  on  his  part,  for  having 
once  dishonoured  his  calling,  he  has  for- 
feited his  right  to  a  good  standing 
among  Christians  ;  but  it  is  a  matter  of 
favour,  and  he  should  be  willing  to 
humble  himself  before  the  church,  and 
make  suitable  acknowledgment  for  his 
offences,  ^  And  comfort  him.  There 
is  every  reason  to  think  that  this  man 
became  a  sincere  penitent.  If  so,  he 
must  have  been  deeply  pained  at  the  re- 
membrance of  his  sin,  and  the  disho- 
nour which  he  had  brought  on  his  pro- 
fession, as  well  as  at  the  consequences 
in  which  he  had  been  involved.  In  this 
deep  distress,  Paul  tells  them  that  they 
ought  to  comfort  him.  They  should 
receive  him  kindly,  as  God  receives  to 
his  favour  a  penitent  sinner.  They 
should  not  cast  out  his  name  as  evil ; 
they  should  not  reproach  him  for  his 
sins;  they  should  not  harrow  up  his  re- 
collection of  the  offence  by  often  refer- 
ring to  it ;  they  should  be  willing  to 
bury  it  in  lasting  forgetfulnesss,  and 
treat  him  now  as  a  brother.  It  is  a 
duty  of  a  church  to  treat  with  kindness 
a  true  penitent,  and  receive  him  to  their 
affectionate  embrace.  The  offence  should 
be  forgiven  and  forgotten.  The  conso- 
lations of  the  gospel,  adapted  to  the 
condition  of  penitents,  should  be  freely 
administered  ;  and  all  should  be  done 
that  can  be,  to  make  the  offender,  when 
penitent,  happy  and  useful  in  the  com- 
munity. *|[  Lest  perhaps  such  a  one. 
Still  forbearing  to  mention  his  name ; 
still  showing  towards  him  the  utmost 
tenderness  and  delicacy.  <{  Should  be 
swallowed  up,  &c.  Should  be  over- 
come with  grief;  and  should  be  render- 
ed incapable  of  usefulness  by  his  ex- 
cessive sorrow.  This  is  a  strong  expres- 
sion, denoting  intensity  of  grief.  We 
speak  of  a  man's  being  drowned  in 
sorrow  ;  or  overwhelmed  with  grief ,  of 


4.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


37 


8  Wherefore  I  beseech  you 
that  ye  would  confirm  your  love 
toward  him. 

9  For  to  this  end  also  did  I 


grief  preying  upon  him.  The  figure 
here  is  probably  taken  from  deep  waters, 
or  from  a  whirlpool  which  seems  to 
swallow  up  any  thing  that  comes  within 
reach.  Excessive  grief  or  calamity,  in 
the  Scriptures,  is  often  compared  to 
such  waters.  See  Ps.  cxxiv.  2 — 5. 
u  If  it  had  not  been  the  Lord  who  was 
on  our  side  when  men  rose  up  against 
us,  then  they  had  swallowed  us  up 
quick,  when  their  wrath  was  kindled 
against  us  ;  then  the  waters  had  over- 
whelmed us,the  stream  had  gone  over  our 
soul ;  then  the  proud  waters  had  gone 
over  our  soul."  See  Ps.  Ixix.  1.  "  Save 
me,  O  God,  for  the  waters  are  come  into 
my  soul."  Paul  apprehended  that  by 
excessive  grief,  the  offending  brother 
would  be  destroyed.  His  life  would 
waste  away  under  the  effect  of  his  ex- 
communication and  disgrace,  and  the 
remembrance  of  his  offence  would 
prey  upon  him,  and  sink  him  to  the 
grave. 

8.  Wherefore  I  beseech  you  that  ye 
would  confirm  your  love  toward  him. 
The  word  here  rendered  confirm 
(xwgwo-au)  occurs  in  the  New  Testament 
only  here  and  in  Gal.  hi.  15.  It  means 
to  give  authority,  to  establish  as  valid, 
to  confirm ;  and  here  means  that  they 
should  give  strong  expressions  and  as- 
surances of  their  love  to  him  ;  that  they 
should  pursue  such  a  course  as  would 
leave  no  room  for  doubt  in  regard  to  it. 
Tindal  has  well  rendered  it,  "Wherefore 
I  exhort  you  that  love  may  have  strength 
over  him."  Paul  referred,  doubtless, 
here  to  some  public  act  of  the  church 
by  which  the  sentence  of  excommuni- 
cation might  be  removed,  and  by  which 
the  offender  might  have  a  public  assu- 
rance of  their  favour. 

9.  For  to  this  end  did  I  write.  The 
apostle  did  not  say  that  this  was  the 
only  purpose  of  his  writing,  to  induce 
them  to  excommunicate  the  offender. 
He  does  not  say  that  he  wished  in  an 


write, that  I  might  know  the  proof 
of  you,  whether  ye  be  obedient 
0  in  all  things. 

10  To  whom  ye  forgive  any 


arbitrary  manner  to  test  their  willingness 
to  obey  him,  or  to  induce  them  to  do  a 
thing  in  itself  wrong,  in  order  to  try 
their  obedience.  But  the  meaning  is 
this  :  This  was  the  main  reason  why  he 
wrote  to  them,  rather  than  to  come  per- 
sonally among  them.  The  thing  ought 
to  have  been  done ;  the  offender  ought 
to  be  punished  ;  and  Paul  says  that  he 
adopted  the  method  of  writing  to  them, 
rather  than  of  coming  among  them  in 
person,  in  order  to  give  them  an  oppor- 
tunity to  show  whether  they  were  dis- 
posed to  be  obedient.  And  the  sense  is, 
1  You  may  now  forgive  him.  He  has 
not  only  been  sufficiently  punished,  and 
he  has  not  only  evinced  suitable  peni- 
tence, but  also  another  object  which  I 
had  in  view  has  been  accomplished.  I 
desired  to  see  whether  you  were,  as  a 
church,  disposed  to  be  obedient.  That 
object,  also,  has  been  accomplished. 
And  now,  since  every  thing  aimed  at  in 
the  case  of  discipline  has  been  secured, 
you  may  forgive  him,  and  should, 
without  hesitation,  again  receive  him  to 
the  bosom  of  the  church.' 

10.  To  whom  ye  forgive  any  thing. 
The  sense  here  is,  '  I  have  confidence 
in  you  as  a  Christian  society,  and  such 
confidence,  that  if  you  forgive  an  of- 
fence in  one  of  your  members,  I  shall 
approve  the  act,  and  shall  also  be  ready 
to  forgive.'  He  refers,  doubtless,  to  this 
particular  case ;  but  he  makes  his  re- 
mark general.  It  is  implied  here,  I  think, 
that  the  Corinthians  were  disposed  to 
forgive  the  offending  brother  ;  and  Paul 
here  assures  them  that  they  had  his 
hearty  assent  to  this,  and  that  if  they 
did  forgive  him,  he  was  ready  to  join 
them  in  the  act,  and  to  forgive  him  also. 
t  For  if  I  forgave  any  thing.  If  I 
forgive  any  thing ;  if  I  remit  any  of  the 
punishments  which  have  been  inflicted 
by  my  authority.  %  For  your  sakes. 
It  is  not  on  account  of  the  offendei 
alone ;  it  is  in  order  to  promote  the  hap- 


38 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


fA.  D.  W. 


thing,  I  forgive  also  :  for  if  I 
forgave  any  thing,  to  whom  I  for- 
gave it,  for  your  sakes  forgave 
I  it  in  the  *  person  of  Christ ; 

i  or,  sight. 


piness  and  purity  of  the  church.  \  In 
the  person  of  Christ.  Locke  para- 
phrases this,  "By  the  authority,  and  in 
the  name  of  Christ."  Doddridge,  "  As 
in  the  person  of  Christ,  and  by  the  high 
authority  with  which  he  has  been 
pleased  to  invest  me."  Tindal,  "  In  the 
room  of  Christ."  The  word  rendered 
person  (Marg.  sight,  7rgia-oe^rcv,  from 
■rreJK  and  Zj-\.~),  means  properly  the  part  to- 
wards, at,  and  around  the  eye. — Robin- 
son. Then  it  means  the  face,  visage, 
countenance ;  then  the  presence,  person, 
&c.  Here  it  probably  means,  in  the 
presence  of  Christ ;  with  his  eye  upon 
me,  and  conscious  that  I  am  acting  be- 
fore him,  and  must  give  account  to  him. 
It  implies,  undoubtedly,  that  Paul  acted 
by  his  authority,  and  felt  that  he  was 
doing  that  which  Christ  would  approve. 
11.  Lest  Satan.  The  devil.  The 
name  Satan  denotes  an  adversary,  an 
accuser,  an  enemy.  It  is  the  usual  pro- 
per name  which  is  given  to  the  devil, 
the  great  adversary  of  God  and  man. 
1  Should  get  an  advantage  of  us.  The 
literal  translation  of  the  Greek  would 
be, '  That  we  may  not  be  defrauded  by 
Satan'  (c  Iv*  /u»  irAKvsn-aS-w^usv  Ctto  tov 
<ru.ra.va.).  The  verb  here  used  denotes 
to  have  more  than  another,-  then  to 
gain,  to  take  advantage  of  one,  to  de- 
fraud. And  the  idea  is,  that  they  should 
at  once  readmit  the  penitent  offender  to 
their  communion,  lest  if  they  did  not 
do  it,  Satan  would  take  advantage  of  it 
to  do  injury  to  him  and  them.  It  is  a 
reason  given  by  Paul  why  they  should 
lose  no  time  in  restoring  him  to  the 
church.  What  the  advantage  was  which 
Satan  might  gain,  Paul  does  not  specify. 
It  might  be  this:  That  under  pretence 
of  duty,  and  seeking  the  purity  of  the 
church,  Satan  would  tempt  them  to 
harsh  measures ;  to  needless  severity  of 
discipline ;  to  an  unkind  and  unforgiving 
spirit ;  and  thus,  at  the  same  time,  in- 


11  Lest  Satan  should  get  an 
advantage  of  us  :  for  we  are  not 
ignorant  of  his  devices. 

12  Furthermore,    when    a  i 

b  Ac.  16.  8. 

jure  the  cause  of  religion,  and  ruin  him 
who  had  been  the  subject  of  discipline. 
If  For  we  are  not  ignorant  of  his  de- 
vices. We  know  his  plans,  his  thoughts, 
his  cunning,  his  skill.  We  are  not  ig- 
norant of  the  great  number  of  stratagems 
which  he  is  constantly  using  to  injure 
us,  and  to  destroy  the  souls  of  men. 
He  is  full  of  wiles ;  and  Paul  had  had 
abundant  occasion  to  be  acquainted  with 
the  means  which  he  had  used  to  defeat 
his  plans  and  to  destroy  the  church. 
The  church,  at  all  times,  has  been  sub- 
jected to  the  influence  of  those  wiles, 
as  well  as  individual  Christians.  And 
the  church,  therefore,  as  well  as  indivi- 
dual Christians,  should  be  constantly  on 
its  guard  against  those  snares.  Even 
the  best  and  purest  efforts  of  the  church 
are  often  perverted,  as  in  the  case  of  ad- 
ministering discipline,  to  the  worst  re- 
sults; and  by  the  imprudence  and  want 
of  wisdom;  by  the  rashness  or  over- 
heated zeal ;  by  the  pretensions  to  great 
purity  and  love  of  truth ;  and  by  a 
harsh,  severe,  and  censorious  spirit,  Sa- 
tan often  takes  advantage  of  the  church, 
and  advances  his  own  dark  and  mis- 
chievous designs. 

12.  Furthermore.  But  (ih).  This 
particle  is  properly  adversative ;  but 
frequently  denotes  transition,  and  serves 
to  introduce  something  else,  whether  op- 
posite to  what  precedes,  or  simply  ew- 
tinuative  or  explanatory.  Here,  it  is 
designed  to  continue  or  explain  the 
statement  before  made  of  his  deep  affec- 
tion for  the  church,  and  his  interest  in 
its  affairs.  He  therefore  tells  them  tha 
when  he  came  to  Troas,  and  was  fa- 
voured there  with  great  success,  and 
was  engaged  in  a  manner  most  likely 
of  all  others  to  interest  his  feelings  and 
to  give  him  joy,  yet  he  was  deeply  dis- 
tressed because  he  had  not  heard,  as  he 
expected,  from  them ;  but  so  deep  waa 
his  anxiety  that  he  left  Troas  and  wenJ 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


came  to  Troas  to  preach  Christ's 
gospel,  and  a  tt  door  was  opened 
unto  me  of  the  Lord, 

13  1  had  no  rest6  in  my  spirit, 

a  1  Co.  16.  9.        6  c.  7.  5,  6. 


into  Macedonia.  %  When  I  came  to 
Troas.  This  was  a  city  of  Phrygia,  or 
Mysia,  on  the  Hellespont,  between  Troy 
on  the  north,  and  Assos  on  the  south. 
See  Note  on  Acts  xvi.  8.  It  was  on 
the  regular  route  from  Ephesus  to  Ma- 
cedonia. Paul  took  that  route  because 
on  his  journey  to  Macedonia  he  had  re- 
solved, for  the  reasons  above  stated,  not 
to  go  to  Corinth,  ^  To  preach  Christ's 
gospel.  Greek.  '  For  (si?)  the  gospel 
of  Christ;'  that  is,  on  account  of  his 
gospel;  or  to  promote  it.  Why  he 
selected  Troas,  or  the  region  of  the 
Troad  (Note,  Acts  xvi.  8),  as  the  field 
of  his  labours,  he  does  not  say.  It  is 
probable  that  he  was  waiting  there  to 
hear  from  Corinth  by  Titus,  and  while 
there  he  resolved  not  to  be  idle,  but  to 
make  known  as  much  as  possible  the 
gospel,  ^  And  a  door  was  opened  unto 
me.  See  Note,  1  Cor.  xvi.  9.  There 
was  an  opportunity  of  doing  good,  and 
the  people  were  disposed  to  hear  the 
gospel.  This  was  a  work  in  which 
Paul  delighted  to  engage,  and  in  which 
he  usually  found  his  highest  comfort. 
It  was  of  all  things  the  most  adapted  to 
promote  his  happiness. 

13.  I  had  no  rest  in  my  spirit.  I 
was  disappointed,  sad,  deeply  anxious. 
Though  the  work  in  which  I  was  en- 
gaged was  that  which  usually  gives  me 
my  highest  joy,  yet  such  was  my  anxie- 
ty to  learn  the  state  of  things  in  Corinth, 
and  the  success  of  my  letter,  and  to  see 
Titus,  whom  I  was  expecting,  that  I 
had  comparatively  no  peace,  and  no 
comfort.  %  But  taking  my  leave  of 
them.  Though  so  many  considerations 
urged  me  to  stay;  though  there  was 
such  a  promising  field  of  labour,  yet 
such  was  my  anxiety  to  hear  from  you, 
that  I  left  them.  %  I  went  from  thence 
into  Macedonia.  See  Note,  Acts  xvi.  9. 
I  went  over  where  I  expected  to  find 
Titus,  and  to  learn  the   state  of  your 


because  I  found  not  Titus  my 
brother  :  but  taking  my  leave  of 
them,  I  went  from  thence  into 
Macedonia. 

14  Now  thanks  be  unto  God, 


affairs.  This  is  one  of  the  few  instances 
in  which  Paul  left  an  inviting  field  of 
labour,  and  where  there  was  a  prospect 
of  signal  success,  to  go  to  another  place. 
It  is  adduced  here  to  show  the  deep  in- 
terest which  he  had  in  the  church  at 
Corinth,  and  his  anxiety  to  learn  what 
was  their  condition.  It  shows  that 
there  may  be  cases  where  it  is  proper 
for  ministers  to  leave  a  field  of  great 
and  inviting  usefulness,  to  go  to  another 
field,  and  to  engage  in  another  part  of 
the  great  vineyard. 

14.  Now  thanks  be  unto  God,  Sec. 
There  seem  to  have  been  several  sources 
of  Paul's  joy  on  this  occasion.  The 
principal  was,  his  constant  and  uniform 
success  in  endeavouring  to  advance  the 
interests  of  the  kingdom  of  the  Re- 
deemer. But  in  particular  he  rejoiced, 
(1.)  Because  Titus  had  come  to  him 
there,  and  had  removed  his  distress. 
Comp.  ver.  13.  (2.)  Because  he 
learned  from  him  that  his  efforts  in  re- 
gard to  the  church  at  Corinth  had  been 
successful,  and  that  they  had  hearkened 
to  his  counsels  in  his  first  letter ;  and, 
(3.)  Because  he  was  favoured  with 
signal  success  in  Macedonia.  His  be- 
ing compelled,  therefore,  to  remove  from 
Troas  and  to  go  to  Macedonia  had  been 
to  him  ultimately  the  cause  of  great  joy 
and  consolation.  These  instances  of 
success  Paul  regarded  as  occasions  of 
gratitude  to  God.  f  Which  always 
causeth  us.  Whatever  may  be  our 
efforts,  and  wherever  we  are.  Whether 
it  is  in  endeavouring  to  remove  the 
errors  and  evils  existing  in  a  particular 
church,  or  whether  it  be  in  preaching 
the  gospel  in  places  where  it  has  been 
unknown,  still  success  crowns  our 
efforts,  and  we  have  the  constant  evi- 
dence of  divine  approbation.  This  waa 
Paul's  consolation  in  the  midst  of  his 
many  trials ;  and  it  proves  that,  what- 
ever may  be  the  external  circumstance* 


40 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


•  which  always  causeth  us  to  tri- 
umph  in    Christ,    and    maketh 

aRo.8.37. 

of  a  minister,  whether  poverty,  want, 
persecution,  or  distress,  he  will  have 
abundant  occasion  to  give  thanks  to 
God  if  his  efforts  as  a  minister  are 
crowned  with  success.  %  To  triumph 
in  Christ.  To  triumph  through  the 
aid  of  Christ,  or  in  promoting  the  cause 
of  Christ.  Paul  had  no  joy  which  was 
not  connected  with  Christ,  and  he  had 
/  no  success  which  he  did  not  trace  to 
him.  The  word  which  is  here  render* 
ed  triumph  (d-£u./xfiajzvrt  from  Gyctu- 
@iua>)  occurs  in  no  other  place  in  the 
New  Testament,  except  in  Col.  ii.  15. 
It  is  there  rendered  "  triumphing  over 
them  in  it."  that  is,  triumphing  over 
the  principalities  and  powers  which  he 
had  spoiled,  or  plundered  ;  and  it  there 
means  that  Christ  led  them  in  triumph 
after  the  manner  of  a  conqueror.  The 
word  is  here  used  in  a  causative  sense — 
the  sense  of  the  Hebrew  Hiphil  conju- 
gation. It  properly  refers  to  a  triumph ; 
or  a  triumphal  procession.  Originally 
the  word  B-^isL/u^zc  meant  a  hymn  which 
was  sung  in  honour  of  Bacchus;  then 
the  tumultuous  and  noisy  procession 
which  constituted  the  worship  of  the 
god  of  wine  ;  and  then  any  procession 
of  a  similar  kind. — Passow.  It  was 
particularly  applied  among  both  the 
Greeks  and  the  Romans  to  a  public  and 
solemn  honour  conferred  on  a  victorious 
general  on  a  return  from  a  successful 
war  in  which  he  was  allowed  a  mag- 
nificent entrance  into  the  capital.  In 
these  triumphs,  the  victorious  com- 
mander was  usually  preceded  or  at- 
tended by  the  spoils  of  war;  by  the  most 
valuable  and  magnificent  articles  which 
he  had  captured ;  and  by  the  princes, 
nobles,  generals,  or  people  whom  he 
had  subduedr  The  victor  was  drawn 
in  a  magnificent  chariot,  usually  by  two 
white  horses.  Other  animals  were 
sometimes  used.  "  When  Pompey  tri- 
umphed over  Africa,  his  chariot  was 
drawn  by  elephants;  that  of  Mark 
Antony  by  lions  ;  that  of  Heliogabalus 


manifest  the  savour  b  of  his 
knowledge  by  us  in  every  place. 

b  Ca.  1.  3. 

by  tigers;  and  that  of  Aurelius  by 
deer." — Clark.  The  people  of  Corinth 
were  not  unacquainted  with  the  nature 
of  a  triumph.  About  one  hundred  and 
forty-seven  years  before  Christ,  Lucius 
Mummius,  the  Roman  consul,  had 
conquered  all  Achaia,  and  had  destroy- 
ed Corinth,  Thebes,  and  Colchis,  and 
by  order  of  the  Roman  senate  was  fa- 
voured with  a  triumph,  and  was  sur- 
named  Achaious.  Tindal  renders  this 
place,  "  Thanks  be  unto  God  which 
always  giveth  us  the  victory  in  Christ." 
Paul  refers  here  to  a  victory  which  he 
had,  and  a  triumph  with  which  he  was 
favoured  by  the  Redeemer.  It  was  a 
victory  over  the  enemies  of  the  gospel ; 
it  was  success  in  advancing  the  interests 
of  the  kingdom  of  Christ ;  and  he  re- 
joiced in  that  victory,  and  in  that  suc- 
cess, with  more  solid  and  substantial 
joy  than  a  Roman  victor  ever  felt  on  re- 
turning from  his  conquests  over  nations, 
even  when  attended  with  the  richest 
spoils  of  victory,  and  by  humbled 
princes  and  kings  in  chains,  and  when 
the  assembled  thousands  shouted  Io 
triumphe!  %  And  maketh  manifest. 
Makes  known;  spreads  abroad — as  a 
pleasant  fragrance  is  diffused  through 
the  air.  ^  The  savour  (zcr/uh).  The 
smell ;  the  fragrance.  The  word  in  the 
New  Testament  is  used  to  denote  a 
pleasant  or  fragrant  odour,  as  of  incense, 
or  aromatics.  John  xii.  3.  See  Eph.  v. 
2.  Phil.  iv.  18.  There  is  an  allusion 
here  doubtless  to  the  fact  that  in  the 
triumphal  processions  fragrant  odours 
were  diffused  around;  flowers,  diffusing 
a  grateful  smell,  were  scattered  in  the 
way ;  and  on  the  altars  of  the  gods  in- 
cense was  burned  during  the  procession, 
and  sacrifices  offered,  and  the  whole  city 
was  filled  with  the  smoke  of  sacrifices, 
and  with  perfumes.  So  Paul  speaks  of 
knowledge — the  knowledge  of  Christ. 
In  his  triumphings,  the  knowledge  of 
the  Redeemer  was  diffused  abroad,  like 
the  odours  which  were  diffused  in  the 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


41 


15  For   we   are  unto   God  a  |  a  that  are  saved,  and  in  them  that 
sweet  savour  of  Christ,  in   them    perish: 

•    a  1  Co.  1.  13. 


triumphal  march  of  the  conqueror. 
And  that  odour  or  savour  was  acceptable 
to  God — as  the  fragrance  of  aromatics 
and  of  incense  was  pleasant  in  the 
triumphal  procession  of  the  returning 
victor.  The  phrase  "  makes  manifest 
the  savour  of  his  knowledge,"  therefore, 
means,  that  the  knowledge  of  Christ 
was  diffused  everywhere  by  Paul,  as 
the  grateful  smell  of  aromatics  was 
diffused  all  around  the  triumphing  war- 
rior and  victor.  The  effect  of  Paul's 
conquests  everywhere  was  to  diffuse  the 
knowledge  of  the  Saviour — and  this  was 
acceptable  and  pleasant  to  God — though 
there  might  be  many  who  would  not 
avail  themselves  of  it,  and  would  perish. 
See  ver.  15. 

15.  For  we  are  unto  God.  We  who 
are  his  ministers,  and  who  thus  triumph. 
It  is  implied  here  that  Paul  felt  that 
ministers  were  labouring  for  God,  and 
felt  assured  that  their  labours  would  be 
acceptable  to  him. — The  object  of  Paul 
in  the  statement,  in  this  and  in  the  fol- 
lowing verses,  is  undoubtedly  to  meet 
the  charges  of  his  detractors  and  ene- 
mies, lie  says,  therefore,  that  what- 
ever was  the  result  of  his  labours  in 
regard  to  the  future  salvation  of  men ; 
yet,  that  his  well-meant  endeavours,  and 
labours,  and  self-denials  in  preaching  the 
gospel,  were  acceptable  to  God.  The 
measure  of  God's  approbation  in  the 
case  was  not  his  success,  but  his  fidelity, 
his  zeal,  his  self-denial,  whatever  might 
be  the  reception  of  the  gospel  among 
those  who  heard  it.  f  A  sweet  savour. 
Like  the  smell  of  pleasant  incense,  or 
of  grateful  aromatics,  such  as  were 
burned  in  the  triumphal  processions  of 
returning  conquerors.  The  meaning 
is,  that  their  labours  were  acceptable  to 
God ;  he  was  pleased  with  them,  and 
would  bestow  on  them  the  smiles  and 
proofs  of  his  approbation.  The  word 
here  rendered  "  sweet  savour"  («W/*) 
occurs  only  in  this  place,  and  in  Eph. 
v.  2.  Phil.  iv.  18  ;  and  is  applied  to  per- 
sons or  things  well-pleasing  to  God.  It 
4* 


properly  means  good  odour,  or  fragrance, 
and  in  the  Septuagint  it  is  frequently 
applied  to  the  incense  that  was  burnt 
in  the  public  worship  of  God  and  to 
sacrifices  in  general.  Gen.  viii.  21.  Ex 
xxix.  18.  25.  41.  Lev.  i.  9.  13.  17 ;  ii 
2.  9.  12;  iii.  5.  16  ;  iv.  31,  &c.  &c. 
Here  it  means  that  the  services  of  Paul 
and  the  other  ministers  of  religion  were 
as  grateful  to  God  as  sweet  incense,  or 
acceptable  sacrifices,  f  Of  Christ. 
That  is,  we  are  Christ's  sweet  savour 
to  God  :  we  are  that  which  he  has  ap- 
pointed, and  which  he  has  devoted  and 
consecrated  to  God ;  we  are  the  offering, 
so  to  speak,  which  he  is  continually 
making  to  God.  %  In  them  that  are 
saved.  In  regard  to  them  who  believe 
the  gospel  through  our  ministry  and 
who  are  saved.  Our  labour  in  carrying 
the  gospel  to  them,  and  in  bringing 
them  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  is 
acceptable  to  God.  Their  salvation  is 
an  object  of  his  highest  desire,  and  he 
is  gratified  with  our  fidelity,  and  with 
our  success.  This  reason  why  their 
work  was  acceptable  to  God  is  more 
fully  stated  in  the  following  verse,  where 
it  is  said  that  in  reference  to  them  they 
were  the  "  savour  of  life  unto  life."  The 
word  "saved"  here  refers  to  all  who  be- 
come Christians, and  who  enter  heaven; 
and  as  the  salvation  of  men  is  an  objecf 
of  such  desire  to  God,  it  cannot  but  be 
that  all  who  bear  the  gospel  to  men  art 
engaged  in  an  acceptable  service,  and 
that  all  their  efforts  will  be  pleasing  to 
him,  and  approved  in  his  sight.  In  re- 
gard to  this  part  of  Paul's  statement 
there  can  be  no  difficulty.  1  Andin  them 
that  perish.  In  reference  to  them  who 
reject  the  gospel,  and  who  are  finally 
lost. — It  is  implied  here,  ( 1 .)  That  some 
would  reject  the  gospel  and  perish- 
with  whatever  fidelity  and  self-denial 
the  ministers  of  religion  might  labour. 
(2.)  That  though  this  would  be  the 
result,  yet  the  labours  of  the  ministers 
of  religion  would  be  acceptable  to  God. 
This  is  a  fearful  and  awful  declaration, 


42 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


and  nas  been  thought  by  many  to  be 
attended  with  difficulty.  A  few  re- 
marks may  present  the  true  sense  of  the 
passage,  and  remove  the  difficulty  from 
it.  (1.)  It  is  not  affirmed  or  implied 
here  that  the  destruction  of  those  who 
would  reject  the  gospel,  and  who  would 
perish,  was  desired  by  God  or  would 
be  pleasing  to  him.  This  is  nowhere 
affirmed  or  implied  in  the  Bible.  (2.) 
It  is  affirmed  only  that  the  labours  of 
the  ministers  of  religion  in  endeavour- 
ing to  save  them  would  be  acceptable 
and  pleasing  to  God.  Their  labours 
would  be  in  order  to  save  them,  not  to 
destroy  them.  Their  desire  was  to 
bring  all  to  heaven — and  this  was  ac- 
ceptable to  God.  Whatever  might  be 
the  result,  whether  successful  or  not, 
yet  God  would  be  pleased  with  self- 
denial,  and  toil,  and  prayer  that  was 
honestly  and  zealously  put  forth  to  save 
others  from  death.  They  would  be  ap- 
proved by  God  in  proportion  to  the 
amount  of  labour,  zeal,  and  fidelity 
which  they  evinced.  (3.)  It  would  be 
by  no  fault  of  faithful  ministers  that 
men  would  perish.  Their  efforts  would 
be  to  save  them,  and  those  efforts  would 
be  pleasing  to  God.  (4.)  It  would  be 
by  no  fault  of  the  gospel  that  men 
would  perish.  The  regular  and  proper 
tendency  of  the  gospel  is  to  save,  not  to 
destroy  men  ;  as  the  tendency  of  medi- 
cine is  to  heal  them,  of  food  to  support 
the  body,  of  air  to  give  vitality,  of  light 
to  give  pleasure  to  the  eye,  &c.  It  is 
provided  for  all,  and  is  adapted  to  all. 
There  is  a  sufficiency  in  the  gospel  for 
all  men,  and  in  its  nature  it  is  as  really 
fitted  to  save  one  as  another.  Whafr- 
ever  may  be  the  manner  in  which  it  is 
received,  it  is  always  in  itself  the  same 
pure  and  glorious  system ;  full  of  be- 
nevolence and  mercy.  The  bitterest 
enemy  of  the  gospel  cannot  point  to 
one  of  its  provisions  that  is  adapted  or 
designed  to  make  men  miserable,  and 
to  destroy  them.  All  its  provisions  are 
adapted  to  salvation;  all  its  arrange- 
ments are  those  of  benevolence ;  all  the 
powers  and  influences  which  it  origi- 
nates, are  those  which  are  fitted  to  save, 
not  to  destroy  men.  The  gospel  is  what  it 


is  in  itself — a  pure,  holy,  and  benevo- 
lent system,  and  is  answerable  only  for 
effects  which  a  pure,  holy,  and  benevo- 
lent system  is  fitted  to  produce.  To 
use  the  beautiful  language  of  Theo- 
doret,  as  quoted  by  Bloomfield,  "We 
indeed  bear  the  sweet  odour  of  Christ's 
gospel  to  all,-  but  all  who  participate  in 
it  do  not  experience  its  salutiferous  ef- 
fects. Thus  to  diseased  eyes  even  the 
light  of  heaven  is  noxious ;  yet  the  sun 
does  not  bring  the  injury.  And  to  those 
in  a  fever,  honey  is  bitter ;  yet  it  is  sweet 
nevertheless.  Vultures  too,  it  is  said, 
fly  from  sweet  odours  of  myrrh ;  yet 
myrrh  is  myrrh  though  the  vultures 
avoid  it.  Thus,  if  some  be  saved,  though 
others  perish,  the  gospel  retains  its  own 
virtue,  and  we  the  preachers  of  it  remain 
just  as  we  are ;  and  the  gospel  retains 
its  odorous  and  salutiferous  properties, 
though  some  may  disbelieve  and  abuse 
it,  and  perish."  Yet,  (5.)  It  is  implied 
that  the  gospel  would  be  the  occasion 
of  heavier  condemnation  to  some,  and 
that  they  would  sink  into  deeper  ruin 
in  consequence  of  its  being  preached 
to  them.  This  is  implied  in  the  ex- 
pression in  ver.  16.  "to  the  one  we  are 
a  savour  of  death  unto  death."  In  the 
explanation  of  this,  we  may  observe,  (a) 
That  those  who  perish  would  have  pe- 
rished at  any  rate.  All  were  under 
condemnation  whether  the  gospel  had 
come  to  them  or  not.  None  will 
perish  in  consequence  of  the  gospel's 
having  been  sent  to  them  who  would 
not  have  perished  had  it  been  unknown. 
Men  do  not  perish  because  the  gospel 
is  sent  to  them,  but  for  their  own  sins. 

(b)  It  is  in  fact  by  their  own  fault  that 
men  reject  the  gospel,  and  that  they  are 
lost  They  are  voluntary  in  this ;  and, 
whatever  is  their  final  destiny,  they 
are  not  under  compulsion.  The 
gospel  compels  no  one  against  his 
will  either  to  go  to  heaven,  or  to  hell. 

(c)  Men  under  the  gospel  sin  against 
greater  light  than  they  do  without  it 
They  have  more  to  answer  for.  It  in- 
creases their  responsibility.  If,  there- 
fore, they  reject  it,  and  go  down  to 
eternal  death,  they  go  from  higher  pri- 
vileges ;  and  they  go,  of  course,  to  meet 


A.  D.  GO.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


43 


16    To  ■  the  one  we  are  the 
savour  of  death  unto  death  ;  and 

a  Jno.  9.39.  lPe.2.  7,8. 


a  more  aggravated  condemnation.  For 
condemnation  will  always  be  in  exact 
proportion  to  guilt ;  and  guilt  is  in  pro- 
portion to  abused  light  and  privileges. 
(d)  The  preaching  of  the  gospel,  and 
the  offers  of  life,  are  often  the  occasion 
ol  the  deeper  guilt  of  the  sinner.  Often 
he  becomes  enraged.  He  gives  vent  to 
the  deep  malignity  of  his  soul.  He  op- 
poses the  gospel  with  malice  and  infu- 
riated anger.  His  eye  kindles  with  in- 
dignation, and  his  lip  curls  with  pride 
and  scorn.  He  is  profane  and  blas- 
phemous ;  and  the  offering  of  the  gospel 
to  him  is  the  occasion  of  exciting  deep 
and  malignant  passions  against  God, 
against  the  Saviour,  against  the  minis- 
ters of  religion.  Against  the  gospel, 
men  often  manifest  the  same  malignity 
and  scorn  which  they  did  against  the 
Saviour  himself.  Yet  this  is  not  the 
fault  of  the  gospel,  nor  of  the  ministers 
of  religion.  It  is  the  fault  of  sinners 
themselves ;  and  while  there  can  be  no 
doubt  that  such  a  rejection  of  the  gospel 
will  produce  their  deeper  condemnation, 
and  that  it  is  a  savour  of  death  unto 
death  unto  them;  still  the  gospel  is 
good  and  benevolent,  and  still  God  will 
be  pleased  with  those  who  faithfully 
offer  its  provisions,  and  who  urge  it  on 
the  attention  of  men. 

1 6.  To  the  one.  To  those  who  perish. 
%  We  are  the  savour  of  death  unto  death. 
We  are  the  occasion  of  deepening  their 
condemnation,  and  of  sinking  them 
lower  into  ruin.  The  expression  here 
used  means  literally,  '  to  the  one  class 
we  bear  a  death-conveying  odour  lead- 
ing to  their  death' — a  savour,  a  smell 
which,  under  the  circumstances,  is  de- 
structive to  life,  and  which  leads  to 
death.  Mr.  Locke  renders  this,  "To 
the  one  my  preaching  is  of  ill  savour, 
unacceptable  and  offensive,  by  their  re- 
jecting whereof  they  draw  death  on 
themselves."  Grateful  as  their  labours 
were  to  God,  and  acceptable  as  would 


to  the  other  the  savour  of  life 
unto  life.  And  who  b  is  suffi- 
cient for  these  things  ? 

be  3.5,6. 


be  their  efforts,  whatever  might  be  the 
results,  yet  Paul  could  not  be  ignorant 
that  the  gospel  would  in  fact  be  the 
means  of  greater  condemnation  to 
many.  See  Notes  on  ver.  15.  It  was  in- 
deed by  their  own  fault ;  yet  wherever 
the  gospel  was  preached,  it  would  to 
many  have  this  result.  It  is  probable 
that  the  language  here  used  is  borrowed 
from  similar  expressions  which  were 
common  among  the  Jews.  Thus  in 
.Debar im  Rabba,  sec.  1,  fol.  248,  it  is 
said,  "As  the  bee  brings  home  honey  to 
the  owner,  but  stings  others,  so  it  is 
with  the  words  of  the  law."  "  They 
(the  words  of  the  law)  are  a  savour  of 
life  to  Israel,  but  a  savour  of  death  to 
the  people  of  this  world."  Thus  in 
Taarieth,  fol.  7,  1,  "Whoever  gives 
attention  to  the  law  on  account  of  the 
law  itself,  to  him  it  becomes  an  aroma- 
tic of  life  (o^n  dd),  but  to  him  who  does 
not  attend  to  the  law  on  account  of  the 
law  itself,  to  him  it  becomes  an  aroma- 
tic of  death  (did  cd)" — the  idea  of  which 
is,  that  as  medicines  skilfully  applied 
will  heal,  but  if  unskilfully  applied  will 
aggravate  a  disease,  so  it  is  with  the 
words  of  the  law.  Again,  "  The  word 
of  the  law  which  proceeds  out  of  the 
mouth  of  God  is  an  odour  of  life  to  the 
Israelites,  but  an  odour  of  death  to  the 
Gentiles."  See  Rosenmuller,  and 
Bloomfield.  The  sense  of  the  passage 
is  plain,  that  the  gospel,  by  the  wilful 
rejection  of  it,  becomes  the  means  of 
the  increased  guilt  and  condemnation 
of  many  of  those  who  hear  it.  1  And 
to  the  other.  To  those  who  embrace  it, 
and  are  saved.  1  The  savour  of  life. 
An  odour,  or  fragrance  producing  life, 
or  tending  to  life.  It  is  a  living,  or 
life-giving  savour.  It  is  in  itself  grate- 
ful and  pleasant,  t  Unto  life.  Tend- 
ing to  life;  or  adapted  to  produce  life. 
The  word  life  here,  as  often  elsewhere, 
is  used  to  denote  salvation.  It  is  ( 1 .)  Life 
in  opposition  to  the  death  in  sin  in  which 


44 


II.  CORINTHIANS 


17  For  we  are  not  as  many, 
which  corrupt  *  the  word  of 
God  :  but  as  of  sincerity,  but  as 

*  or,  deal  deceitfully  with.    c.  4.  2. 


all  are  by  nature  ;  (2.)  In  opposition  to 
death  in  the  grave — as  it  leads  to  a 
glorious  resurrection ;  (3.)  In  opposition 
to  eternal  death ;  to  the  second  dying, 
as  it  leads  to  life  and  peace  and  joy  in 
heaven.  See  the  words  "life"  and 
"death"  explained  in  the  Notes  on 
Rom.  vi.  23.  The  gospel  is  "  the  sa- 
vour of  life  unto  life,"  because,  (1.)  It  is 
its  nature  and  tendency  to  produce  life 
and  salvation.  It  is  adapted  to  that ; 
and  is  designed  to  that  end.  (2.)  Be-, 
cause  it  actually  results  in  the  life  and 
salvation  of  those  who  embrace  it.  It 
is  the  immediate  and  direct  cause  of 
their  salvation  ;  of  their  recovery  from 
sin ;  of  their  glorious  resurrection  ;  of 
their  eternal  life  in  heaven.  ^  And 
who  is  sufficient  for  these  things?  For 
the  arduous  and  responsible  work  of 
the  ministry ;  for  a  work  whose  influ- 
ence must  be  felt  either  in  the  eternal 
salvation,  or  the  eternal  ruin  of  the 
soul.  Who  is  worthy  of  so  important 
•a  charge?  Who  can  undertake  it 
without  trembling?  Who  can  engage 
in  it  without  feeling  that  he  is  in  him- 
self unfit  for  it,  and  that  he  needs  con- 
stant divine  grace  ?  This  is  an  excla- 
mation which  any  one  may  well  make 
in  view  of  the  responsibilities  of  the 
work  of  the  ministry.  And  we  may 
remark,  (1.)  If  Paul  felt  this,  assuredly 
others  should  feel  it  also.  If,  with  all 
the  divine  assistance  which  he  had ;  all 
the  proofs  of  the  peculiar  presence  of 
God,  and  all  the  mighty  miraculous 
powers  conferred  on  him,  Paul  had  such 
a  sense  of  unfitness  for  this  great  work, 
then  a  consciousness  of  unfitness,  and  a 
deep  sense  of  responsibility,  may  well 
rest  on  all  others.  (2.)  It  was  this 
sense  of  the  responsibility  of  the  minis- 
try which  contributed  much  to  Paul's 
success.  It  was  a  conviction  that  the 
results  of  his  work  must  be  seen  in  the 
joys  of  heaven,  or  the  woes  of  hell,  that 
led  him  to  look  to  God  for  aid,  and  to 


[A.  D.  60 

of  God,  in  the  sight  a  of  God, 
speak  we  2  in  Christ. 

a  He.  11.  27.  «  or,  of. 


devote  himself  so  entirely  to  his  great 
work.  Men  will  not  feel  much  concern 
unless  they  have  a  deep  sense  of  the 
magnitude  and  responsibility  of  their 
work.  Men  who  feel  as  they  should 
about  the  ministry  will  look  to  God  for 
aid,  and  will  feel  that  he  alone  can  sus- 
tain them  in  their  arduous  duties. 

17.  For  we  are  not  as  many.  This 
refers  doubtless  to  the  false  teachers  at 
Corinth ;  and  to  all  who  mingled 
human  philosophy  or  tradition  with  the 
pure  word  of  truth.  Paul's  design  in 
the  statement  in  this  verse  seems  to  be 
to  affirm  that  he  had  such  a  deep  sense 
of  the  responsibility  of  the  ministerial 
office,  and  of  its  necessary  influence  on 
the  eternal  destiny  of  man,  that  it  led 
him  to  preach  the  simple  gospel,  the 
pure  word  of  God.  He  did  not  dare  to 
dilute  it  with  any  human  mixture.  He 
did  not  dare  to  preach  philosophy,  or 
human  wisdom.  He  did  not  dare  to 
mingle  with  it  the  crude  conceptions  of 
man.  He  sought  to  exhibit  the  simple 
truth  as  it  was  in  Jesus ;  and  so  deep 
was  his  sense  of  the  responsibility  of 
the  office,  and  so  great  was  his  desire  on 
the  subject,  that  he  had  been  enabled  to 
do  it,  and  to  triumph  always  in  Christ. 
So  that,  although  he  was  conscious  that 
he  was  in  himself  unfit  for  these  things, 
yet  by  the  grace  of  God  he  had  been 
able  always  to  exhibit  the  simple  truth, 
and  his  labours  had  been  crowned  with 
constant  and  signal  success.  1[  Which 
corrupt  the  word  of  God.  Margin, 
"deal  deceitfully  with."  The  word 
here  used  (x.a.7nt\svcvri;)  occurs  nowhere 
else  in  the  New  Testament,  and  does 
not  occur  in  the  Septuagint.  The  word 
is  derived  from  kutthko;,  which  signifies 
properly  a  huckster,  or  a  retailer  of 
wine,  a  petty  chapman  ;  a  man  who 
buys  up  articles  for  the  purpose  of 
selling  them  again.  It  also  means 
sometimes  a  vintner,  or  an  innkeeper 
The  proper  idea  is  that  of  a  small  dealei 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


45 


and  especially  in  wine.  Such  persons 
were  notorious,  as  they  are  now,  for 
diluting  their  wines  with  water  (comp. 
Sept.  in  Isa.  i.  22)  ;  and  for  compound- 
ing wines  of  other  substances  than  the 
juice  of  the  grape  for  purposes  of  gain. 
Wine,  of  all  substances  in  trade,  perhaps, 
affords  the  greatest  facilities  for  such 
dishonest  tricks;  and  accordingly  the 
dealers  in  that  article  have  generally 
been  most  distinguished  for  fraudulent 
practices  and  corrupt  and  diluted  mix- 
tures. Hence  the  word  comes  to  de- 
note to  adulterate ;  to  corrupt,  &c.  It 
is  here  applied  to  those  who  adulterated 
or  corrupted  the  pure  word  of  God  in 
any  way,  and  for  any  purpose.  It 
probably  has  particular  reference  to  those 
who  did  it  either  by  Judaizing  opinions, 
or  by  the  mixtures  of  a  false  and  de- 
ceitful philosophy.  The  latter  mode 
would  be  likely  to  prevail  among  the 
subtle  and  philosophizing  Greeks.  It  is 
in  such  ways  that  the  gospel  has  been 
usually  corrupted.  (1.)  It  is  done  by 
attempting  to  attach  a  philosophical 
explanation  to  the  facts  of  revelation, 
and  making  the  theory  as  important 
as  the  fact.  (2.)  By  attempting  to 
explain  away  the  offensive  points  of 
revelation  by  the  aid  of  philosophy. 
(3.)  By  attempting  to  make  the  facts 
of  Scripture  accord  with  the  prevalent 
notions  of  philosophy,  and  by  apply- 
ing a  mode  of  interpretation  to  the 
Bible  which  would  fritter  away  its 
meaning,  and  make  it  mean  any  thing 
or  nothing  at  pleasure.  In  these,  and 
in  various  other  ways,  men  have  cor- 
rupted the;  word  of  God;  and  of  all 
the  evils  which  Christianity  has  ever 
sustained  in  this  world,  the  worst  have 
been  those  which  it  has  received  from 
philosophy,  and  from  those  teachers  who 
have  corrupted  the  word  of  God.  The 
fires  of  persecution  it  could  meet,  and 
still  be  pure;  the  utmost  efforts  of 
princes,  and  monarchs,  and  of  Satan  to 
destroy  it,  it  has  outlived,  and  has  shone 
purely  and  brightly  amidst  all  these 
efforts;  but,  when  corrupted  by  phi- 
losophy, and  by  "  science  falsely  so 
called,"  it  has  been  dimmed  in  its  lus- 
tre, paralyzed  in  its  aims,  and  shorn  of 


its  power,  and  has  ceased  to  be  mighty 
in  pulling  down  the  strong  holds  of 
Satan's  kingdom.  Accordingly,  the 
enemy  of  God  has  ceased  to  excite  per- 
secution, and  now  aims  in  various  ways 
to  corrupt  the  gospel  by  the  admixture 
of  philosophy,  and  of  human  opinions. 
Tindal  renders  this  passage,  "  For  we 
are  not  as  many  are  which  choppe  and 
chaunge  with  the  word  of  God" — an 
idea  which  is  important  and  beautiful — 
but  this  is  one  of  the  few  instances  in 
which  he  mistook  the  sense  of  the 
original  text.  In  general,  the  accuracy 
of  his  translation  and  his  acquaintance 
with  the  true  sense  of  the  Greek  text  are 
very  remarkable.  1  But  as  of  sincerity. 
Sincerely ;  actuated  by  unmingled  ho- 
nesty and  simplicity  of  aim.  See  Note 
on  ch.  i,  12.  f  As  of  God.  As  influ- 
enced by  him ;  as  under  his  control 
and  direction  ;  as  having  been  sent  by 
him ;  as  acting  by  his  command.  See 
Note,  ch.  i.  12.  1  In  the  sight  of  God. 
As  if  we  felt  that  his  eye  was  always 
on  us.  Nothing  is  better  fitted  to  make 
a  man' sincere  and  honest,  than  this. 
*f  Speak  we  in  Christ.  In  the  name, 
and  in  the  service  of  Christ.  We  de- 
jer  our  message  with  a  deep  con- 
sciousness that  the  eye  of  the  all-seeing 
God  is  on  us;  that  we  can  conceal 
nothing  from  him ;  and  that  we  must 
soon  give  up  our  account  to  him. 

nEMAKKS. 

1.  In  this  chapter,  and  in  the  ma- 
nagement of  the  whole  case  to  which 
Paul  here  refers,  we  have  an  instance 
of  his  tenderness  in  administering  dis- 
cipline. This  tenderness  was  mani- 
fested in  many  ways.  (1.)  He  did 
nothing  to  wound  the  feelings  of  the 
offending  party.  (2.)  He  did  nothing 
in  the  way  of  punishment  which  a 
stern  sense  of  duty  did  not  demand. 
(3.)  He  did  it  all  with  many  tears. 
He  wept  at  the  necessity  of  adminis- 
tering discipline  at  all.  He  wept  over 
the  remissness  of  the  church.  He  wept 
over  the  fall  of  the  offending  brother. 
(4.)  He  did  not  mention  even  the  name 
of  the  offender.  He  did  not  blazon  his 
fault*  abroad  ;  nor  has  he  left  any  clue 


46 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


by  which  it  can  be  known ;  nor  did  he 
take  any  measures  which  were  fitted  to 
pain,  unnecessarily,  the  feelings  of  his 
friends.  If  all  discipline  in  the  church 
were  conducted  in  this  manner,  it  would 
probably  always  be  effectual  and  suc- 
cessful, ver.  1 — 10. 

5*.  We  ought  cordially  to  receive  and 
forgive  an  offending  brother,  as  soon  as 
he  gives  evidence  of  repentance.  We 
should  harbour  no  malice  against  him ; 
and  if,  by  repentance,  he  has  put  away 
his  sins,  we  should  hasten  to  forgive 
him.  This  we  should  do  as  individuals, 
and  as  churches.  God  cheerfully  for- 
gives us,  and  receives  us  into  favour 
on  our  repentance  ;  and  we  should  hail 
the  privilege  of  treating  all  our  offend- 
ing brethren  in  the  same  manner,  ver. 
7,8. 

3.  Churches  should  be  careful  that 
Satan  should  not  get  an  advantage  over 
them.  ver.  11.  In  every  way  possible 
he  will  attempt  it ;  and  perhaps  in  few 
modes  is  it  more  often  done  than  in  ad- 
ministering discipline.  In  such  a  case, 
Satan  gains  an  advantage  over  a  church 
in  the  following  ways.  (1.)  In  inducing 
it  to  neglect  discipline.  This  occurs 
often  because  an  offender  is  rich,  or  ta- 
lented, or  is  connected  with  influential 
families;  because  there  is  a  fear  of  driv- 
ing off  such  families  from  the  church  ; 
because  the  individual  is  of  elevated  rank, 
and  the  church  suffers  him  to  remain  in 
her  bosom.  The  laws  of  the  church, 
like  other  laws,  are  often  like  cobwebs : 
Great  flies  break  through,  and  the  small- 
er ones  are  caught.  The  consequence 
is,  that  Satan  gains  an  immense  advan- 
tage. Rich  and  influential  offenders  re- 
main in  the  church;  discipline  is  re- 
laxed ;  the  cause  of  Christ  is  scanda- 
lized ;  and  the  church  at  large  feels  the 
influence,  and  the  work  of  God  declines. 
(2.)  Satan  gains  an  advantage  in  dis- 
cipline, sometimes,  by  too  great  severity 
of  discipline.  If  he  cannot  induce  a 
church  to  relax  altogether,  and  to  suffer 
offenders  to  remain,  then  he  excites  them 
to  improper  and  needless  severity.  He 
drives  them  on  to  harsh  discipline  for 
small  offences.  He  excites  a  spirit  of 
persecution.     He  enkindles  a  false  zeal 


on  account  of  the  Shibboleth  of  doctrine. 
He  excites  a  spirit  of  party,  and  causes 
the  church  to  mistake  it  for  zeal  for 
truth.  He  excites  a  spirit  of  persecu- 
tion against  some  of  the  best  men  in 
the  church,  on  account  of  pretended  er- 
rors in  doctrine,  and  kindles  the  flames 
of  intestine  war ;  and  breaks  the  church 
up  into  parties  and  fragments.  Or  he 
urges  on  the  church,  even  in  cases 
where  discipline  is  proper,  to  needless 
and  inappropriate  severity ;  drives  the 
offender  from  its  bosom ;  breaks  his 
spirit;  and  prevents  ever-onward  his 
usefulness,  his  return,  and  his  happi- 
ness. One  of  the  chief  arts  of  Satan 
has  been  to  cause  the  church,  in  cases 
of  discipline  to  use  severity  instead  of 
kindness ,-  to  excite  a  spirit  of  persecu- 
tion instead  of  love.  Almost  all  the 
evils  which  grow  out  of  attempts  at  dis- 
cipline might  have  been  prevented  by  a 
spirit  of  love.  (3.)  Satan  gains  an 
advantage  in  cases  of  discipline,  when 
the  church  is  unwilling  to  re-admit  to 
fellowship  an  offending  but  a  penitent 
member.  His  spirit  is  broken  ;  his  use- 
fulness is  destroyed.  The  world  usually 
takes  sides  with  him  against  the  church, 
and  the  cause  of  religion  bleeds. 

4.  Individual  Christicms,  as  well  as 
churches,  should  be  careful  that  Satan 
does  not  get  an  advantage  over  them.  ver. 
1 1.  Among  the  ways  in  which  he  does 
this  are  the  following :  (1.)  By  inducing 
them  to  conform  to  the  world.  This 
is  done  under  the  plea  that  religion  is 
not  gloomy,  and  morose,  and  ascetic. 
Thence  he  often  leads  professors  into 
all  the  gayeties,  and  amusements,  and 
follies  of  which  the  world  partake.  Sa- 
tan gains  an  immense  advantage  to  his 
cause  when  this  is  done — for  all  the  in- 
fluence of  the  professed  Christian  is 
with  him  (2.)  By  producing  laxness 
of  opinion  in  regard  to  doctrine.  Christ 
intends  that  his  cause  shall  advance  by 
the  influence  of  truth ;  and  that  his 
church  shal  be  the  witness  of  the  truth. 
The  cause  of  Satan  advances  by  error 
and  falsehood;  and  when  professed 
Christians  embrace  falsehood,  or  are  in- 
different to  truth,  their  whole  influence 
is  on  the  side  of  Satan,  and  his  advan- 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


47 


tage  is  immense  when  they  become  the 
advocates  of  error.  (3.)  By  producing 
among  Christians  despondency,  melan- 
choly, and  despair.  Some  of  the  best 
men  are  often  thus  afflicted  and  thrown 
into  darkness,  as  Job  was.  Job  xxiii. 
8 — 9.  Indeed,  it  is  commonly  the  best 
members  of  a  church  that  have  doubts 
in  this  manner,  and  that  fall  into  tempta- 
tion, and  that  are  left  to  the  buffetings 
of  Satan.  Your  gay,  and  worldly,  and 
fashionable  Christians  have  usually  no 
such  troubles — except  when  they  lie  on 
a  bed  of  death.  They  are  not  in  the 
way  of  Satan.  They  do  not  oppose 
him,  and  he  will  not  trouble  them.  It 
is  your  humble,  praying,  self-denying 
Christians  that  he  dreads  and  hates ; 
and  it  is  these  that  he  is  suffered  to 
tempt,  and  to  make  sad,  and  to  fill  with 
gloom  and  doubt.  And  when  this  is 
done,  it  is  an  immense  advantage  to  his 
cause.  It  produces  the  impression  that 
religion  is  nothing  but  gloom  and  me- 
lancholy, and  the  people  of  the  world  are 
easily  led  to  hate  and  avoid  it.  Chris- 
tians, therefore,  should  be  cheerful,  and 
benevolent,  and  happy — as  they  may 
be — lest  Satan  should  get  an  advantage 
over  them.  (4.)  By  fanaticism.  For 
when  Satan  finds  that  he  can  get  no 
advantage  over  Christians  by  inducing 
them  to  do  nothing,  or  to  do  any  thing 
positively  wrong  or  immoral,  he  drives 
them  on  with  over-heated  and  ill-timed 
zeal ;  he  makes  them  unreasonably 
strenuous  for  some  single  opinion  or 
measure ;  he  disposes  them  to  oppose 
and  persecute  all  who  do  not  fall  into 
their  views,  and  feel  as  they  feel.  (5.) 
By  contentions  and  strifes.  Satan  often 
gets  an  advantage  in  that  way.  No 
matter  what  the  cause  may  be,  whether 
it  be  for  doctrines,  or  for  any  other 
cause,  yet  the  very  fact  that  there  are 
contentions  among  the  professed  follow- 
ers of  "  the  Prince  of  peace"  does  in- 
jury, and  gives  Satan  an  advantage. 
No  small  part  of  his  efforts,  therefore, 
have  been  to  excite  contentions  among 
Christians,  an  effort  in  which  he  has 
been,  and  is  still,  eminently  success- 
ful. 

5.  Satan  gets  an  advantage  over  sin- 


ners, and  they  should  be  on  their  guard. 
He  does  it,  (I.)  By  producing  a  sense 
of  security  in  their  present  condition  ; 
and  by  leading  them  to  indifference  in 
regard  to  their  eternal  condition.  In 
this  he  is  eminently  successful;  and 
when  this  is  gained,  all  is  gained  that 
his  cause  demands.  It  is  impossible  to 
conceive  of  greater  success  in  any  thing 
than  Satan  has  in  producing  a  state  of 
indifference  to  the  subject  of  religion 
among  men.  (2.)  By  inducing  them  to 
defer  attention  to  religion  to  some  future 
time.  This  is  an  advantage,  because,  (a) 
It  accomplishes  all  he  wishes  at  present ; 
(b)  Because  it  is  usually  successful 
altogether.  It  is  usually  the  same  thing 
as  resolving  not  to  attend  to  religion  at 
all.  (3.)  By  producing  false  views  of 
religion.  He  represents  it  at  one  time 
as  gloomy,  sad,  and  melancholy ;  at  an- 
other, as  so  easy,  that  it  may  be  ob- 
tained whenever  they  please  ;  at  another, 
by  persuading  them  that  their  sins  are 
so  great  that  they  cannot  be  forgiven. 
One  great  object  of  Satan  is  to  blind 
the  minds  of  sinners  to  the  true  nature 
of  religion ;  and  in  this  he  is  usually 
successful.  (4.)  He  deludes  the  aged 
by  telling  them  it  is  too  late  ;  and  the 
young  by  telling  them  that  now  is  the 
time  for  mirth  and  pleasure,  and  that  reli- 
gion may  be  attended  to  at  some  future 
period  of  life.  (5.)  He  gains  an  advan- 
tage by  plunging  the  sinner  deeper  and 
deeper  in  sin  ;  inducing  him  to  listen  to 
the  voice  of  temptation ;  by  making  him 
the  companion  of  the  wicked ;  and  by 
deluding  him  with  the  promises  of  plea- 
sure, honour,  and  gain  in  this  world 
until  it  is  too  late,  and  he  dies. 

6.«  Ministers  of  the  gospel  may  have 
occasion  to  triumph  in  the  success  of 
their  work.  Paul  always  met  with 
success  of  some  kind  ;  always  had  some 
cause  of  triumph.  In  all  his  trials,  he 
had  occasion  of  rejoicing,  and  always 
was  assured  that  he  was  pursuing  that 
course  which  would  lead  him  ultimately 
to  triumph,  ver.  14. 

7.  The  gospel  may  be  so  preached 
as  to  be  successful,  ver.  14.  In  the 
hands  of  Paul  it  was  successful.  So  it 
was  with  the  other  apostles.     So  it  was 


48 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


with  Luther,  Knox,  Calvin.  So  it  was 
with  Whitefield,  Edwards,  Wesley,  and 
Payson.  If  ministers  are  not  successful, 
it  is  not  the  fault  of  the  gospel.  It  is 
adapted  to  do  good,  and  to  save  men ; 
and  it  may  be  so  preached  as  to  accom- 
plish those  great  ends.  If  all  ministers 
were  as  self-denying,  and  laborious,  and 
prayerful  as  were  these  men,  the  gospel 
would  be  as  successful  now  as  it  has 
ever  been. 

8.  Much  of  the  work  of  the  ministry 
is  pleasant  and  delightful.  It  is  the 
savour  of  life  unto  life.  ver.  15,  16. 
There  is  no  joy  on  earth  of  a  higher 
and  purer  character  than  that  which 
the  ministers  of  the  gospel  have  in  the 
success  of  their  work.  There  is  no 
work  more  pleasant  than  that  of  im- 
parting the  consolations  of  religion  to 
the  sick,  and  the  afflicted ;  than  that  of 
directing  inquiring  sinners  to  the  Lamb 
of  God ;  no  joy  on  earth  so  pure  and 
elevated  as  that  which  a  pastor  has  in  a 
revival  ot  religion.  In  the  evidence 
that  God  accepts  his  labours,  and  that 
to  many  his  message  is  a  savour  of  life 
unto  life,  there  is  a  joy  which  no  other 
pursuit  can  furnish;  a  joy,  even  on 
earth,  which  is  more  than  a  compensa- 
tion for  all  the  toils,  self-denials,  and 
trials  of  the  ministry. 

9.  In  view  of  the  happy  and  saving 
results  of  the  work  of  the  ministry,  we 
see  the  importance  of  the  work.  Those 
results  are  to  be  seen  in  heaven.  They 
are  to  enter  into  the  eternal  destiny  of 
the  righteous.  They  are  to  be  seen  in 
the  felicity  and  holiness  of  those  who 
shall  be  redeemed  from  death.  The 
very  happiness  of  heaven,  therefore,  is 
dependent  on  the  fidelity  and  success  of 
the  ministry.  This  work  stretches  be- 
yond the  grave.  It  reaches  into  eternity. 
It  is  to  be  seen  in  heaven.  Other  plans  and 
labours  of  men  terminate  at  death.  But 
the  work  of  the  ministry  reaches  in  its 
results  into  the  skies ;  and  is  to  be  seen 
ever  onward  in  eternity.  Well  might 
the  apostle  ask,  "  Who  is  sufficient  for 
these  things  V 

10.  The  ministers  of  the  gospel  will 
be  accepted  of  God,  if  faithful,  whatever 
may   be  the  result  of  their    labours; 


whether  seen  in  the  salvation,  or  the 
augmented  condemnation  of  those  who 
hear  them.  ver.  15.  They  are  a  sweet 
savour  to  God.  Their  acceptance  with 
him  depends  not  on  the  measure  of  their 
success ;  but  on  their  fidelity.  If  men 
reject  the  gospel,  and  make  it  the  occa- 
sion of  their  greater  condemnation,  the 
fault  is  not  that  of  ministers,  but  is  their 
own.  If  men  are  faithful,  God  accepts 
their  efforts;  and  even  if  many  reject 
the  message  and  perish,  still  a  faithful 
ministry  will  not  be  to  blame.  That 
such  results  should  follow  from  their 
ministry,  indeed,  increases  their  respon 
sibility,  and  makes  their  office  more 
awful,  but  it  will  not  render  them  less 
acceptable  in  their  labours  in  the  sight 
of  God. 

11.  We  are  to  anticipate  that  the 
ministry  will  be  the  means  of  the  deeper 
condemnation  of  many  who  hear  the 
gospel,  ver.  16.  The  gospel  is  to  them 
a  savour  of  death  unto  death.  We  are 
to  expect  that  many  will  reject  and 
despise  the  message,  and  sink  into 
deeper  pin,  and  condemnation,  and  wo. 
We  are  not  to  be  disappointed,  there- 
fore, when  we  see  such  effects  follow, 
and  when  the  sinner  sinks  into  a  deeper 
hell  from  under  the  ministry  of  the 
gospel.  It  always  has  been  the  case, 
and  we  have  reason  to  suppose  it 
always  will  be.  And  painful  as  is  the 
fact,  yet  ministers  must  make  up  their 
minds  to  witness  this  deeply  painful 
result  of  their  work. 

12.  The  ministry  is  a  deeply  and  aw- 
fully responsible  work.  ver.  16.  It  is 
connected  with  the  everlasting  happi- 
ness, or  the  deep  and  eternal  condemna- 
tion of  all  those  who  hear  the  gospel. 
Every  sermon  that  is  preached  is  mak- 
ing an  impression  that  will  never  be 
obliterated,  and  producing  an  effect  that 
will  never  terminate.  Its  effects  will 
never  all  be  seen  until  the  day  of  judg- 
ment, and  in  the  awful  solemnities  of 
the  eternal  world.  Well  might  Paul  ask, 
"  Who  is  sufficient  for  these  things  V 

13.  It  is  a  solemn  thing  to  hear  the 
gospel.  If  it  is  solemn  for  a  minister 
to  dispense  it,  it  is  not  less  solemn  to 
hear  it    It  is  connected  with  the  eter 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


49 


nal  welfare  of  those  who  hear.  And 
thoughtless  as  are  multitudes  who  hear 
it,  yet  it  is  deeply  to  affect  them  hereafter. 
If  they  ever  embrace  it,  they  will  owe 
their  eternal  salvation  to  it ;  if  they  con- 
tinue to  neglect  it,  it  will  sink  them  deep 
and  forever  in  the  world  of  wo.  Every 
individual,  therefore,  who  hears  the  gos- 
pel dispensed,  no  matter  by  whom, 
should  remember  that  he  is  listening  to 
God's  solemn  message  to  men;  and  that 
it  will  and  must  exert  a  deep  influence 
on  his  eternal  doom. 

14.  A  people  should  pray  much  for 
a  minister.  Paul  often  entreated  the 
churches  to  which  he  wrote  to  pray  for 
him.  If  Paul  needed  the  prayers  of 
Christians,  assuredly  Christians  now  do. 
Prayer  for  a  minister  is  demanded  be- 
cause, (1.)  He  has  the  same  infirmities, 
conflicts,  and  temptations  which  other 
Christians  have.  (2.)  He  has  those 
which  are  peculiar,  and  which  grow  out 
of  the  very  nature  of  his  office ;  for  the 
warfare  of  Satan  is  earned  on  mainly 
with  the  leaders  of  the  army  of  God. 
(3.)  He  is  engaged  in  a  great  and  most 
responsible  work — the  greatest  work 
ever  committed  to  mortal  man.  (4.) 
His  success  will  be  generally  in  propor- 
tion as  a  people  pray  for  him.  The 
welfare  of  a  people,  therefore,  is  identi- 
fied with  their  praying  for  their  minister. 
He  will  preach  better,  and  they  will 
hear  better,  just  in  proportion  as  they 
pray  for  him.  His  preaching  will  be 
dull,  dry,  heavy ;  will  be  without  unc- 
tion, spirituality  and  life,  unless  they 
pray  for  him ;  and  their  hearing  will  be 
dull,  lifeless,  and  uninterested,  unless 
they  pray  for  him.  No  people  will 
hear  the  gospel  to  much  advantage  who 
do  not  feel  anxiety  enough  about  it  to 
pray  for  their  minister. 

15.  The  interview  between  a  minis- 
ter and  his  people  in  the  day  of  judg- 
ment will  be  a  very  solemn  one.  Then 
the  effect  of  his  ministry  will  be  seen. 
Then  it  will  be  known  to  whom  it  was 
a  savour  of  life  unto  life,  and  to  whom 
it  was  a  savour  of  death  unto  death. 
Then  the  eternal  destiny  of  all  will  be 

5 


settled.  Then  the  faithful  minister 
will  be  attended  to  heaven  by  all  to 
whom  his  ministry  has  been  a  savour 
of  life  unto  life ;  and  then  he  will  part 
forever  with  all  whom  he  so  often 
warned  and  entreated  in  vain.  In  dis- 
tant worlds — worlds  forever  separated — 
shall  be  experienced  the  result  of  his 
labours.  O  !  how  solemn  must  be  the 
scene  when  he  must  give  up  his  account 
for  the  manner  in  which  he  has  preach- 
ed ;  and  they,  for  the  manner  in  which 
they  attended  on  his  ministry ! 

16.  Let  all  ministers,  then,  be  care- 
ful that  they  do  not  corrupt  the  word 
of  God.  ver.  17.  Let  them  preach  it  in 
simplicity  and  in  truth.  Let  them  not 
preach  philosophy,  or  metaphysics,  or 
their  own  fancy,  or  the  tradition  of  men, 
or  the  teaching  of  the  schools,  but  the 
simple  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus.  Let 
them  preach  as  sent  by  God ;  as  in  the 
sight  of  God ;  as  commissioned  by  Christ 
to  deliver  a  simple,  plain,  pure  message 
to  mankind,  whether  they  will  hear  or 
forbear.  Their  success  will  be  in  pro- 
portion to  the  simplicity  and  purity  of 
the  gospel  which  they  present;  their 
peace  and  joy  in  death  and  in  heaven 
will  be  just  as  they  sha.ll  have  evidence 
then  that  in  simplicity  and  sincerity 
they  have  endeavoured  to  present  every- 
where, and  to  all,  the  pure  and  simple 
gospel  of  Jesus  Christ.  As  ministers, 
therefore,  desire  acceptance  with  God 
and  success  in  the  work,  let  them  preach 
the  pure  gospel;  not  adulterating  it 
with  foreign  admixtures;  not  endea- 
vouring to  change  it  so  as  to  be  pala- 
table to  the  carnal  mind  ;  not  substitut- 
ing philosophy  for  the  gospel,  and  not 
withholding  any  thing  in  the  gospel  be- 
cause men  do  not  love  it;  and  let  the 
people  of  God  everywhere  sustain  the 
ministry  by  their  prayers,  and  aid  them 
in  their  work  by  daily  commending 
them  to  the  God  of  grace.  So  shall 
they  be  able  to  perform  the  solemn 
functions  of  their  office  to  divine  accept- 
ance ;  and  so  shall  ministers  and  people 
find  the  gospel  to  be  "  a  savour  of  lifo 
unto  life." 


50 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60 


D 


CHAPTER  III. 

O  we   begin   again  to  com- 
mend °  ourselves  ?  or  need 


CHAPTER  III. 

This  chapter  is  closely  connected  in 
its  design  with  the  preceding.  Paul 
had  said  in  that  chapter  (ver.  14),  that 
he  had  always  occasion  to  triumph  in 
the  success  which  he  had,  and  that  God 
always  blessed  his  labours ;  and  espe- 
cially had  spoken,  in  the  close  of  the 
previous  chapter  (ver.  17),  of  his  sin- 
cerity as  contrasted  with  the  conduct 
of  some  who  corrupted  the  word  of  God. 
This  might  appear  to  some  as  if  he  de- 
signed to  commend  himself  to  them,  or 
that  he  had  said  this  for  the  purpose  of 
securing  their  favour.  It  is  probable 
also,  that  the  false  teachers  at  Corinth 
had  been  introduced  there  by  letters  of 
recommendation,  perhaps  from  Judea. 
In  reply  to  this,  Paul  intimates  (ver.  1) 
that  this  was  not  his  design ;  (ver.  2) 
that  he  had  no  need  of  letters  of  recom- 
mendation to  them,  since  (ver.  2,  3) 
they  were  his  commendatory  epistle; 
they  were  themselves  the  best  evidence 
of  his  zeal,  fidelity,  and  success  in  his 
labours.  He  could  appeal  to  them  as 
the  best  proof  that  he  was  qualified  for 
the  apostolic  office.  His  success  among 
them,  he  says  (ver.  4),  was  a  ground 
of  his  trusting  in  God,  an  evidence  of 
his  acceptance.  Yet,  as  if  he  should 
seem  to  rely  on  his  own  strength,  and 
to  boast  of  what  he  had  done,  he  says 
(ver.  5)  that  his  success  was  not  owing 
to  any  strength  which  he  had,  or  to  any 
skill  of  his  own,  but  entirely  to  the  aid 
which  he  had  received  from  God.  It 
was  God,  he  says  (ver.  6),  who  had 
qualified  him  to  preach,  and  had  given 
him  grace  to  be  an  able  minister  of  the 
New  Testament. 

It  is  not  improbable  that  the  false 
teachers,  being  of  Jewish  origin,  in  Co- 
rinth, had  commended  the  laws  and  in- 
stitutions of  Moses  as  being  of  superior 
clearness,  and  even  as  excelling  the  gos- 
pel of  Cferist.  Paul  takes  occasion, 
therefore  (ver.  7 — 11),  to  show  that  the 
laws  and  institutions  of  Moses  were  far 


we,  as  some  others,  epistles  h  of 
commendation   to   you,  or    let- 


a  c.  5.  12. 


b  Ac.  18.  27. 


inferior  in  this  respect  to  the  gospel. 
His  was  a  ministration  of  death  (ver. 
7)  ;  though  glorious  it  was  to  be  done 
away  (ver.  7)  ;  the  ministration  of  the 
Spirit  was  therefore  to  be  presumed  to 
be  far  more  glorious  (ver.  8) ;  the  one 
was  a  ministration  to  condemnation,  the 
other  of  righteousness  (ver.  9)  ;  the  one 
had  comparatively  no  glory,  being  so 
much  surpassed  by  the  other  (ver.  10); 
and  the  former  was  to  be  done  away, 
while  the  latter  was  to  remain,  and  was 
therefore  far  more  glorious,  ver.  1 1 . 

This  statement  of  the  important  dif- 
ference between  the  laws  of  Moses  and 
the  gospel,  is  further  illustrated  by  show- 
ing the  effect  which  the  institutions  of 
Moses  had  had  on  the  Jews  themselves, 
ver.  12 — 15.  That  effect  was  to  blind 
them.  Moses  had  put  a  veil  over  his 
face  (ver.  13),  and  the  effect  had  been 
that  the  nation  was  blinded  in  reading 
the  Old  Testament,  and  had  no  just 
views  of  the  true  meaning  of  their  own 
Scriptures,  ver.  14,  15. 

Yet,  Paul  says,  that  that  veil  should 
be  taken  away.  ver.  16 — 18.  It  was  the 
intention  of  God  that  it  should  be  re- 
moved. When  that  people  should  turn 
again  to  the  Lord,  it  should  be  taken 
away.  ver.  16.  It  was  done  where  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord  was.  ver.  17.  It  was 
done  in  fact  in  regard  to  all  true  Chris- 
tians, ver.  18.  They  were  permitted  to 
behold  the  glory  of  the  Lord  as  in  a 
glass,  and  they  were  changed  into  the 
same  image.  The  same  subject  is  con- 
tinued in  ch.  iv.,  where  Paul  illustrates 
the  effect  of  this  clear  revelation  of  the 
gospel,  as  compared  with  the  institutions 
of  Moses,  on  the  Christian  ministry. 

1.  Do  we  begin  again.  This  is  de- 
signed evidently  to  meet  an  objection. 
He  had  been  speaking  of  his  triumph 
in  the  ministry  (ch.  ii.  14),  and  of  his 
sincerity  and  honesty,  as  contrasted 
with  the  conduct  of  many  who  corrupt 
ed  the  word  of  God.  ch.  ii.  17.  It 
might  be  objected  that  he  was  magnify 


A.  D.60.J 


CHAPTER  III. 


51 


ters  of  commendation  from  you  ? 


ing  himself  in  these  statements,  and 
designed  to  commend  himself  in  this 
manner  to  the  Corinthians.  To  this  he 
replies  in  the  following  verses,  f  To 
commend  ourselves?  To  recommend 
ourselves  ;  do  we  speak  this  in  our  own 
praise,  in  order  to  obtain  your  favour. 
T  Or  need  we,  as  some  others.  Probably 
some  who  had  brought  letters  of  recom- 
mendation to  them  from  Judea.  The 
false  teachers  at  Corinth  had  been  ori- 
ginally introduced  there  by  commend- 
atory letters  from  abroad.  These  were 
letters  of  introduction,  and  were  com- 
mon among  the  Greeks,  the  Romans, 
and  the  Jews,  as  they  are  now.  They 
were  usually  given  to  persons  who  were 
about  to  travel,  as  there  were  no  inns, 
and  as  travellers  were  dependent  on  the 
hospitality  of  those  among  whom  they 
travelled,  f  Of  commendation  from 
you.  To  other  churches.  It  is  im- 
plied here  by  Paul,  that  he  sought  no 
such  letters  ;  that  he  travelled  without 
them  ;  and  that  he  depended  on  his  zeal, 
and  self-denial,  and  success  to  make  him 
known,  and  to  give  him  the  affections 
of  those  to  whom  he  ministered — a  much 
better  recommendation  than  mere  in- 
troductory letters.  Such  letters  were, 
however,  sometimes  given  by  Chris- 
tians, and  are  by  no  means  improper. 
Acts  xviii.  27.  Yet,  they  do  not  ap- 
pear to  have  been  sought  or  used  by  the 
apostles  generally.  They  depended  on 
their  miraculous  endowments,  and  on 
the  attending  grace  of  God  to  make 
them  known. 

2.   Ye  are  our  epistle.     Comp.  1  Cor. 
ix.   2.     This   is  a  most  beautiful  and 
happy  turn  given  to  the  whole  subject. 
The  sense  is  plain.     It  is,  that  the  con- 
version of  the  Corinthians,  under  the 
faithful  labours  of  the   apostle,  was  a 
better  testimonial  of  his  character  and 
fidelity  than  any  letters  could  be.     To  ! 
see  the  force  of  this,  it  must  be  remem-  ! 
bered,   (1.)   That  Corinth  was  an  ex- 
ceedingly dissolute  and  abandoned  place  ' 
(see  the  Introduction  to  the  first  epistle)  ;  ' 
(2.)  That  a  large  number  of  them  had  j 


2  Ye  a  are  our  epistle,  writ- 

a  1  Co.  9.  2. 


been  converted,  and  a  church  organized ; 
(3.)  That  their  conversion,  and  the  or- 
ganization of  a  church  in  suck  a  city 
were  events  that  would  be  known 
abroad  ;  and,  (4.)  That  it  had  been  ac 
complished  entirely  under  the  labour  oj 
Paul  and  his  companions.  To  their 
knowledge  of  him,  therefore,  and  to  his 
success  there,  he  could  confidently  ap„ 
peal  as  a  testimonial  of  his  character. 
The  characteristics  of  this  commendato- 
ry epistle,  he  proceeds  immediately  to 
state.  The  general  sense  is,  that  they 
were  the  letter  of  recommendation  which 
God  had  given  to  him ;  and  that  their 
conversion  under  his  ministry  was  the 
public  testimonial  of  his  character  which 
all  might  see  and  read.  "J  Written  in 
our  hearts.  A  few  MSS.  and  versions 
read  thus,  "your  hearts;"  and  Dod- 
dridge has  adopted  this  reading,  and 
supposes  that  it  means  that  the  change 
produced  not  only  in  their  external 
conduct,  but  in  their  inward  temper,  was 
so  great,  that  all  must  see  that  it  was  an 
unanswerable  attestation  to  his  ministry. 
But  there  is  not  sufficient  authority  for 
changing  the  text ;  nor  is  it  necessary. 
The  sense  is,  probably,  that  this  letter 
was,  as  it  were,  written  on  his  heart. 
It  was  not  merely  that  Paul  had  a  ten 
der  affection  for  them,  as  Clarke  sup 
poses ;  nor  was  it  that  he  regarded 
them  as  "  a  copy  of  the  letter  of  recom- 
mendation from  Christ  written  in  his 
heart,"  according  to  the  fanciful  conceit 
of  Macknight ;  but  Paul's  idea  seems  to 
have  been  this.  He  is  speaking  of  the 
testimonial  which  he  had  from  God. 
That  testimonial  consisted  in  the  con- 
version of  the  Corinthians.  This  he 
says  was  written  on  his  heart.  It  was 
not  a  cold  letter  of  introduction,  but  it 
was  such  as,  while  it  left  him  no  room 
to  doubt  that  God  had  sent  him,  also 
affected  his  feelings,  and  was  engraven 
on  his  soul.  It  was  to  him,  therefore, 
far  more  valuable  than  any  mere  letter 
of  commendation  or  of  introduction 
could  be.  It  was  a  direct  testimonial 
from  God  to  his  own  heart  of  his  ap- 


52 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


ten  in    our   hearts,  known  and 
read  of  all  men  : 

3  Forasmuch  as  ye  are  mani- 


probation,  and  of  his  having  appointed 
him  to  the  apostolic  office.  All  the 
difficulty,  therefore,  which  has  been  felt 
by  commentators  in  this  passage,  may 
be  obviated  by  supposing  that  Paul 
here  speaks  of  this  testimonial  or  epis- 
tle as  addressed  to  himself,  and  as  sa- 
tisfactory to  him.  In  the  other  charac- 
teristics which  he  enumerates,  he  speaks 
of  it,  as  fitted  to  be  a  letter  commenda- 
tory of  himself  to  others.  T  Known 
and  read  of  all  men.  Corinth  was  a 
large,  splendid,  and  dissipated  city. 
Their  conversion,  therefore,  would  be 
known  afar.  All  men  would  hear  of 
it ;  and  their  reformation,  their  subse- 
quent life  under  the  instruction  of  Paul, 
and  the  attestation  which  God  had  given 
among  them  to  his  labours,  was  a  suffi- 
cient testimonial  to  the  world  at  large, 
that  God  had  called  him  to  the  apostolic 
office. 

3.  Forasmuch  as  ye  are  manifestly 
declared.  You  are  made  manifest  as 
the  epistle  of  Christ ;  or  you,  being  made 
manifest,  are  the  epistle,  &c.  They  had 
been  made  manifest  to  be  such  by  their 
conversion.  The  sense  is,  it  is  plain, 
or  evident,  that  ye  are  the  epistle  of 
Christ.  1  To  be  the  epistle  of  Christ. 
That  which  Christ  has  sent  to  be  our 
testimonial.  He  has  given  this  letter 
of  recommendation.  He  has  converted 
you  by  our  ministry,  and  that  is  the 
best  evidence  which  we  can  have  that 
we  have  been  sent  by  him,  and  that  our 
labour  is  accepted  by  him.  Your  con- 
version is  his  work,  and  it  is  his  public 
attestation  to  our  fidelity  in  his  cause. 
If  Ministered  by  us.  The  idea  here  is, 
that  Christ  had  employed  their  ministry 
in  accomplishing  this.  They  were 
Christ's  letter,  but  it  had  been  prepared 
by  the  instrumentality  of  the  apostles. 
It  had  not  been  prepared  by  him  inde- 
pendently of  their  labours,  but  in  con- 
nexion with,  and  as  the  result  of  those 
labours.  Christ,  in  writing  this  epistle,  I 
so  to  speak,  has  used  our  aid ;  or  em-  j 


festly  declared  to  be  the  epistle  of 
Christ  ministered  by  us,  written 
not  with  ink,  but  with  the  Spirit 


ployed  us  as  amanuenses,  f  Written 
not  with  ink.  Paul  continues  and  va- 
ries the  image  in  regard  to  this  "  epistle," 
so  that  he  may  make  the  testimony 
borne  to  his  fidelity  and  success  more 
striking  and  emphatic.  He  says,  there- 
fore, that  it  was  not  written  as  letters  of 
introduction  are,  with  ink — by  traces 
drawn  on  a  lifeless  substance,  and  in 
lines  that  easily  fade,  or  that  may  be- 
come easily  illegible,  or  that  can  be 
read  only  by  a  few,  or  that  may  be  soon 
destroyed.  ^  But  with  the  Spirit  of 
the  living  God.  In  strong  contrast 
thus  with  letters  written  with  ink.  By 
the  Spirit  of  God  moving  on  the  heart, 
and  producing  that  variety  of  graces 
which  constitute  so  striking  and  so 
beautiful  an  evidence  of  your  conver- 
sion. If  written  by  the  Spirit  of  the 
living  God,  it  was  far  more  valuable, 
and  precious,  and  permanent  than  any 
record  which  could  be  made  by  ink. 
Every  trace  of  the  Spirit's  influences  on 
the  heart  was  an  undoubted  proof  that 
God  had  sent  the  apostles ;  and  was  a 
proof  which  they  would  much  more 
sensibly  and  tenderly  feel  than  they 
could  any  letter  of  recommendation 
written  in  ink.  ^  Not  in  tables  of  stone. 
It  is  generally  admitted  that  Paul  here 
refers  to  the  evidences  of  the  divine  mis- 
sion of  Moses  which  was  given  by  the 
law  engraven  on  tablets  of  stone.  Comp. 
ver.  7.  Probably  those  who  were  false 
teachers  among  the  Corinthians  were 
Jews,  and  had  insisted  much  on  the 
divine  origin  and  permanency  of  the 
Mosaic  institutions.  The  law  had 
been  engraven  on  stone  by  the  hand  of 
God  himself;  and  had  thus  the  strongest 
proofs  of  divine  origin,  and  the  divine 
attestation  to  its  pure  and  holy  nature. 
To  this  fact  the  friends  of  the  law,  and 
the  advocates  for  the  permanency  of 
the  Jewish  institutions,  would  appeal. 
Paul  says,  on  the  other  hand,  that  the 
testimonials  of  the  divine  favour  through 
him   were   not    on    tablets   of    stone. 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


53 


of  the  living  God ;  not  in  tables 
of  stone,  a  but  h  in  fleshly  tables 
of  the  heart. 

a  Ex.  24.  12.        b  Je.  31.  33.  Eze.  11.  19. 

They  were  frail,  and  easily  broken. 
There  was  no  life  in  them  (comp.  ver. 
6  and  7)  ;  and  valuable  and  important 
as  they  were,  yet  they  could  not  be 
compared  with  the  testimonials  which 
God  had  given  to  those  who  successfully 
preached  the  gospel,  f  But  in  jletUy 
tables  of  the  heart.  In  truths  engraven 
on  the  heart.  This  testimonial  was  of 
more  value  than  an  inscription  on  stone, 
because,  (1.)  No  hand  but  that  of  God 
could  reach  the  heart,  and  inscribe  these 
truths  there.  (2.)  Because  it  would  be 
attended  with  a  life-giving  and  living 
influence.  It  was  not  a  mere  dead 
letter.  (3.)  Because  it  would  be  per- 
manent. Stones,  even  where  laws  were 
engraven  by  the  finger  of  God,  would 
moulder  and  decay,  and  the  inscription 
made  there  would  be  destroyed.  But 
not  so  with  that  which  was  made  on 
the  heart.  It  would  live  forever.  It 
would  abide  in  other  worlds.  It  would 
send  its  influence  into  all  the  relations 
of  life ;  into  all  future  scenes  in  this 
world;  and  that  influence  would  be 
seen  and  felt  in  the  world  that  shall 
never  end.  By  all  these  considerations, 
therefore,  the  testimonials  which  Paul 
had  of  the  divine  approbation  were  more 
valuable  than  any  mere  letters  of  intro- 
duction, or  human  commendation  could 
have  been ;  and  more  valuable  even 
than  the  attestation  which  was  given  to 
the  divine  mission  of  Moses  himself. 

4.  And  such  trust  have  we.  Such 
confidence  have  we  that  we  are  ap- 
pointed by  God,  and  that  he  accepts  our 
work.  Such  evidence  have  we  in  the 
success  of  our  labours ;  such  irrefragable 
proof  that  God  blesses  us;  that  we  have 
trust,  or  confidence  that  we  are  sent  by 
God,  and  are  owned  by  him  in  our  mi- 
nistry. His  confidence  did  not  rest  on 
letters  of  introduction  from  men,  but  in 
the  evidence  of  the  divine  presence,  and 
the  divine  acceptance  of  his  work. 
^  Through  Christ.  By  the  agency  of 
5* 


4  And   such   trust    have   we 
through  Christ  to  God-ward  : 

5  Not  that  we  are  sufficient 


Christ.  Paul  had  no  success  whicr  be 
did  not  trace  to  him  ;  he  had  no  joy  of 
which  he  was  not  the  source ;  he  had 
no  confidence,  or  trust  in  God  of  which 
Christ  was  not  the  author;  he  had  no 
hope  of  success  in  his  ministry  which 
did  not  depend  on  him.  %  To  God- 
ward.  Toward  God  ;  in  regard  to  God 
(?rgc$  rov  Qiov).  Our  confidence  relates 
to  God.  It  is  confidence  that  he  has  ap- 
pointed us,  and  sent  us  forth  ;  and  con- 
fidence that  he  will  still  continue  to  own 
and  to  bless  us. 

5.  Not  that  we  are  sufficient  of  our- 
selves.  This  is  evidently  designed  to 
guard  against  the  appearance  of  boast- 
ing, or  of  self-confidence.  He  had 
spoken  of  his  confidence ;  of  his  tri- 
umph ;  of  his  success ;  of  his  undoubt- 
ed evidence  that  God  had  sent  him. 
He  here  says,  that  he  did  not  mean  to 
be  understood  as  affirming  that  any  of 
his  success  came  from  himself,  or  that 
he  was  able  by  his  own  strength  to 
accomplish  the  great  things  which  had 
been  effected  by  his  ministry.  He  well 
knew  that  he  had  no  such  self-sufficiency; 
and  he  would  not  insinuate,  in  the 
slightest  manner,  that  he  believed  him- 
self to  be  invested  with  any  such  power. 
Comp.  Note  on  John  xv.  5.  f  To 
think  any  thing  (KciyitrxxrS-ni  n).  The 
word  here  used  means  properly  to  rea- 
son, think,  consider ;  and  then  to  reckon, 
count  to,  or  impute  to  any  one.  It  is 
the  word  which  is  commonly  rendered 
impute.  See  it  explained  more  fully 
in  the  Note  on  Rom.  iv.  5.  Robinsor. 
(Lexicon)  renders  it  in  this  place,  "  tf 
reason  out,  to  think  out,  to  find  out  \ry 
thinking."  Doddridge  renders  it,  "  to 
reckon  upon  any  thing  as  from  our- 
selves." Whitby  renders  it,  "  to  reason ;" 
as  if  the  apostle  had  said,  We  are  un- 
able by  any  reasoning  of  our  own  to 
bring  men  to  conversion.  Macknight 
gives  a  similar  sense.  Locke  renders  it, 
"  Not  as  if  I  were  sufficient  of  myself, 


54 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


of  a  ourselves  to  think  any  thing, 
as  of  ourselves,  but b  our  suffi- 
ciency is  of  God ; 

oJno.  15.  5.         6  1  Co.  15.10.  Ph.  2.13. 


6  Who    also   hath    made   us 
able   a   ministers  of  the    New  * 

a  Ep.  3.  7.  1  Ti.  1.  12. 

b  Mat.  26.  28.  He.  8.  6—10. 


to  reckon  upon  any  thing  as  from  my- 
self;" and  explains  it  to  mean  that  Paul 
was  not  sufficient  of  himself  by  any 
strength  of  natural  parts  to  attain  the 
knowledge  of  the  gospel  truths  which 
he  preached.  The  word  may  be  ren- 
dered here,  to  reckon,  reason,  think,  &c; 
but  it  should  be  confined  to  the  imme- 
diate subject  under  consideration.  It 
does  not  refer  to  thinking  in  general ;  or 
to  the  power  of  thought  on  any,  and  on 
all  subjects — however  true  it  may  be  in 
itself — but  to  the  preaching  the  gospel. 
And  the  expression  may  be  regarded  as 
referring  to  the  following  points,  which 
are  immediately  under  discussion.  (1.) 
Paul  did  not  feel  that  he  was  sufficient 
of  himself  to  have  reasoned  or  thought 
out  the  truths  of  the  gospel.  They 
were  communicated  by  God.  (2.)  He 
had  no  power  by  reasoning  to  convince 
or  convert  sinners.  That  was  all  of 
God.  (3.)  He  had  no  right  to  reckon 
on  success  by  any  strength  of  his  own. 
All  success  was  to  be  traced  to  God. 
It  is,  however,  also  true,  that  all  our 
powers  of  thinking  and  reasoning  are 
from  God ;  and  that  we  have  no  ability 
to  think  clearly,  to  reason  calmly,  close- 
ly, and  correctly,  unless  he  shall  preside 
over  our  minds  and  give  us  clearness  of 
thought.  How  easy  is  it  for  God  to 
disarrange  all  our  faculties,  and  produce 
insanity  !  How  easy  to  suffer  our 
minds  to  become  unsettled,  bewildered, 
and  distracted  with  a  multiplicity  of 
thoughts !  How  easy  to  cause  every 
thing  to  appear  cloudy,  and  dark,  and 
misty !  How  easy  to  affect  our  bodies 
with  weakness,  languor,  disease,  and 
through  them  to  destroy  all  power  of 
close  and  consecutive  thought !  No  one 
who  considers  on  how  many  things 
the  power  of  close  thinking  depends, 
can  doubt  that  all  our  sufficiency  in 
this  is  from  God;  and  that  we  owe  to 
him  every  clear  idea  on  the  subjects  of 
common  life,  and  on  scientific  subjects, 
no  less  certainly  than   we   do  in  the. 


truths  of  religion.  Comp.  the  case  of 
Bezaleel  and  Aholiab  in  common  arts. 
Ex.  xxxi.  1 — 6,  and  Job  xxxii.  8. 

6.  W7io  also  hath  made  us  able  mi- 
nisters, &c.  This  translation  does  not 
quite  meet  the  force  of  the  original.  It 
would  seem  to  imply  that  Paul  regarded 
himself  and  his  fellow-labourers  as  men 
of  talents,  and  of  signal  ability  ;  and  that 
he  was  inclined  to  boast  of  it.  But  this  is 
not  the  meaning.  It  refers  properly  to 
his  sense  of  the  responsibility  and  dif- 
ficulty of  the  work  of  the  ministry  ;  and 
to  the  fact  that  he  did  not  esteem  him- 
self to  be  sufficient  for  this  work  in  his 
own  strength  (ch.  ii.  16;  iii.  5)  ;  and  he 
here  says  that  God  had  made  him  suffi- 
cient :  not  able,  talented,  learned,  but 
sufficient  (iitdvcixrtv »/uuc)  ;  he  has  sup- 
plied our  deficiency ;  he  has  rendered  us 
competent,  or  fit ; — if  a  word  ma}r  be 
coined  after  the  manner  of  the  Greek 
here,  'he  has  sufficienced  us  for  this 
work.'  There  is  no  assertion,  therefore, 
here,  that  they  were  men  of  talents,  or 
peculiar  ability,  but  only  that  God  had 
qualified  them  for  their  work,  and  made 
them  by  his  grace  sufficient  to  meet 
the  toils  and  responsibilities  of  this 
arduous  office.  ^  Of  the  New  Testa- 
ment. Of  the  new  covenant  (Note, 
Matt.  xxv.  28),  in  contradistinction 
from  the  old  covenant,  which  was  es- 
tablished through  Moses.  They  were 
appointed  to  go  forth  and  make  the  pro- 
visions of  that  new  covenant  known  to 
a  dying  uorld.  T  Not  of  the  letter 
Not  of  the  literal,  or  verbal  meaning,  in 
contradistinction  from  the  Spirit.  See 
Notes  on  Rom.  ii.  27,  29 ;  vii.  6.  This 
is  said,  doubtless,  in  opposition  to  the 
Jews,  and  Jewish  teachers.  They 
insisted  much  on  the  letter  of  the  law, 
but  entered  little  into  its  real  meaning. 
They  did  not  seek  out  the  true  spiritual 
sense  of  the  Old  Testament;  and  hence 
they  rested  on  the  mere  literal  observ- 
ance of  the  rites  and  ceremonies  of  reli- 
gion, without  understanding  their  true 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


55 


Testament ;  not  of  the  letter,  ° 
but  of  the  spirit :  for  the  b  letter 
killeth,  but  c  the  spirit  *  giveth 
life. 

a  Ro.  2.  28,  29.      b  Ro.  4.  15.  7.  9, 10. 
c  Jno.  6.  63.  Ro.  8.  2.     » ot,  quickeneth. 


nature  and  design.  Their  service, 
though  in  many  respects  conformed  to 
the  letter  of  the  law,  yet  became  cold, 
formal,  and  hypocritical ;  abounding  in 
mere  ceremonies,  and  where  the  heart 
had  little  to  do.  Hence  there  was  little 
pure  spiritual  worship  offered  to  God ; 
and  hence  also  they  rejected  the  Mes- 
siah whom  the  old  covenant  prefi- 
gured, and  was  designed  to  set  forth. 
t  For  the  letter  killeth.  Comp.  Notes 
on  Rom.  iv.  15 ;  vii.  9,  10.  The  mere 
letter  of  the  law  of  Moses.  The  effect 
of  it  was  merely  to  produce  condemna- 
tion ;  to  produce  a  sense  of  guilt,  and 
danger,  and  not  to  produce  pardon,  re- 
lief, and  joy.  The  law  denounced 
death;  condemned  sin  in  all  forms; 
and  the  effect  of  it  was  to  produce  a 
sense  of  guilt  and  condemnation. 
1  But  the  spirit  giveth  life.  The 
spirit,  in  contradistinction  from  the 
mere  literal  interpretation  of  the  Scrip- 
tures. The  Spirit,  that  is,  Christ,  says 
Locke.  Comp.  ver.  17.  The  spirit 
here  means,  says  Bloomfield,  that  new 
spiritual  system,  the  gospel.  The 
spirit  of  God  speaking  in  us,  says  Dod- 
dridge. The  spirit  here  seems  to  refer 
to  the  New  Testament,  or  the  new  dis- 
pensation in  contradistinction  from  the 
old.  That  was  characterized  mainly 
by  its  strictness  of  law,  and  by  its  bur- 
densome rites,  and  by  the  severe  tone 
of  its  denunciation  for  sin.  It  did  not 
in  itself  provide  a  way  of  pardon  and 
peace.  Law  condemns ;  it  does  not 
speak  of  forgiveness.  On  the  contrary, 
the  gospel,  a  spiritual  system,  is  de- 
signed to  impart  life  and  comfort  to  the 
soul.  It  speaks  peace.  It  comes  not  to 
condemn,  but  to  save.  It  discloses  a 
way  of  mercy,  and  it  invites  all  to  par- 
take and  live.  It  is  called  "  spirit," 
probably  because  its  consolations  are 
imparted  and   secured  by  the  Spirit  of 


7  But  if  the  ministration  of 
death,  written  and  engraven  in 
stones,  was  glorious,  so  that  the 
children  of  Israel  could  not 
stedfastly    behold    the   face  of 


God — the  source  of  all  true  life  to  the 
soul.  It  is  the  dispensation  of  the  Spirit ; 
and  it  demands  a  spiritual  service — a 
service  that  is  free,  and  elevated,  and 
tending  eminently  to  purify  the  heart, 
and  to  save  the  soul.  See  Note  on  ver. 
17. 

7.  But  if  the  ministration  of  death. 
In  the  previous  verses,  Paul  had  referred 
incidentally  to  the  institutions  of  Moses, 
and  to  the  superiority  of  the  gospel. 
He  had  said  that  the  former  were  en- 
graven on  stones,  but  the  latter  on  the 
heart  (ver.  3)  ;  that  the  letter  of  the 
former  tended  to  death,  but  the  latter  to 
life  (ver.  6).  This  sentiment  he  pro- 
ceeds further  to  illustrate,  by  showing 
in  what  the  superior  glory  of  the  gos- 
pel consisted.  The  design  of  the  whole 
is,  to  illustrate  the  nature,  and  to  show 
the  importance  of  the  ministerial  office  ; 
and  the  manner  in  which  the  duties  of 
that  office  were  to  be  performed.  That 
the  phrase  "  ministration  of  death"  re- 
fers to  the  Mosaic  institutions,  the  con- 
nexion sufficiently  indicates,  ver.  13 
— 15.  The  word  "ministration" 
(StmtovU)  means,  properly,  ministry; 
the  office  of  ministering  in  divine 
things.  It  is  usually  applied  to  the 
officers  of  the  church  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament. Acts  i.  17.  25.  Rom.  xi.  13. 
1  Cor.  xii.  5.  The  word  here,  however, 
seems  to  refer  to  the  whole  arrangement 
under  the  Mosaic  economy,  by  which 
his  laws  were  promulgated,  and  per- 
petuated. The  expression  "  a  minis- 
tration— written  and  engraven  on 
stone,"  is  somewhat  harsh;  but  the 
sense  evidently  is,  the  ministration  of  a 
covenant,  or  of  laws  written  on  stones. 
The  word  "ministration"  there  refers 
to  the  arrangement,  office,  &c.  by  which 
the  knowledge  of  these  laws  was  main- 
tained; the  ministering  under  a  sys- 
tem like  that  of  the  Jewish ;  or,  more 


56 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60 


Moses    for  a  the   glory  of  his 

o  Ex.  34. 1, 29—35. 

strictly,  the  act  and  occasion  on  which 
Moses  himself  ministered,  or  promul- 
gated that  system  to  the  Jews,  and 
when  the  glory  of  the  work  was 
irradiated  even  from  his  countenance. 
And  the  purpose  of  the  apostle  is  to 
show  that  the  ministry  of  the  gospel  is 
more  glorious  than  even  the  ministry  of 
Moses,  when  he  was  admitted  near  to 
God  on  the  holy  mount;  and  when 
such  a  glory  attended  his  receiving  and 
promulgating  the  law.  It  is  called  the 
"  ministration  of  death,"  because  it 
tended  to  condemnation ;  it  did  not 
speak  of  pardon  ;  it  was  fitted  only  to 
deepen  the  sense  of  sin,  and  to  produce 
alarm  and  dread.  See  Note  on  ver. 
6.  1  Written  and  engraven  in  stones. 
The  ten  commandments — the  substance 
of  all  the  Mosaic  institutes,  and  the 
principal  laws  of  his  economy— were 
written,  or  engraven  on  tables  of  stone. 
^  Was  glorious.  Was  attended  with 
magnificence  and  splendour.  The  glory 
here  referred  to,  consisted  in  the  cir- 
cumstance of  sublimity  and  grandeur  in 
which  the  law  of  Moses  was  given.  It 
was,  (1.)  The  glory  of  God  as  he  was 
manifested  on  Mount  Sinai,  as  the  Law- 
giver and  Ruler  of  the  people.  (2.) 
The  glory  of  the  attending  circum- 
stances, of  thunder,  fire,  &c.  in  which 
God  appeared.  The  law  was  given  in 
these  circumstances.  Its  giving — 
called  here  the  "ministration" — was 
amidst  such  displays  of  the  glory  of 
God.  It  was,  (3.)  A  high  honour  and 
glory  for  Moses  to  be  permitted  to  ap- 
proach so  near  to  God;  to  commune 
with  him ;  and  to  receive  at  his  hand 
the  law  for  his  people,  and  for  the 
world.  These  were  circumstances  of 
imposing  majesty  and  grandeur,  which, 
however,  Paul  says  were  eclipsed  and 
surpassed  by  the  ministry  of  the  gospel. 
^  So  that  the  children  of  Israel,  &c. 
In  Ex.  xxxiv.  29,  30,  it  is  said,  that 
"  When  Moses  came  down  from  Mount 
Sinai  with  the  two  tables  of  testimony 
in  Moses'  hand,  when  he  came  down 


countenance ;  which  glory  was 
to  be  done  away  ; 


from  the  mount,  that  Moses  wist  not 
that  the  skin  of  his  face  shone,  while 
He  talked  with  him.  And  when  Aaron 
and  all  the  children  of  Israel  saw  Moses, 
behold,  the  skin  of  his  face  shone ;  and 
they  were  afraid  to  come  nigh  him." 
The  word  rendered  "  stedfastly  behold" 
(ar&/i<rcu),  means"  to  gaze  intently 
upon;  to  look  steadily,  or  constantly, 
or  fixedly.  See  Note  on  Acts  i.  10. 
There  was  a  dazzling  splendour,  an  ir- 
radiation ;  a  diffusion  of  light,  such  that 
they  could  not  look  intently  and  steadily 
upon  it — as  we  cannot  look  steadily  at 
the  sun.  How  this  was  produced,  is 
not  known.  It  cannot  be  accounted 
for  from  natural  causes,  and  was  doubt- 
less designed  to  be  to  the  Israelites  an 
attestation  that  Moses  had  been  with 
God,  and  was  commissioned  by  him. 
They  would  see,  (1.)  That  it  was  un- 
natural, such  as  no  known  cause  could 
produce;  and,  (2.)  Not  improbably 
they  would  recognise  a  resemblance  to 
the  manner  in  which  God  usually  ap- 
peared— the  glory  of  the  Shechinah  in 
which  he  so  frequently  manifested  him- 
self to  them.  It  would  be  to  them,  there- 
fore, a  demonstration  that  Moses  had 
been  with  God.  ^  Which  glory  was  to 
be  done  away.  The  splendour  of  that 
scene  was  transitory.  It  did  not  last.  It 
was  soon  destroyed  (t«v  x.i.rdLgyw/ji.ivw}. 
It  was  not  adapted  or  designed  long  to 
continue.  This  does  not  mean,  as  Dod- 
dridge supposes,  "  soon  to  be  abolished 
in  death ;"  or,  as  others,  "  ceasing  with 
youth ;"  but  it  means,  that  the  shining 
or  the  splendour  was  transitory ;  it  was 
soon  to  cease ;  it  was  not  designed  to 
be  permanent.  Neither  the  wonderful 
scenes  accompanying  the  giving  of  the 
law  on  Sinai,  nor  the  shining  on  the 
countenance  of  Moses,  was  designed  to 
abide.  The  thunders  of  Sinai  would 
cease  to  roll ;  the  lightnings  to  play ; 
the  visible  manifestations  of  the  presence 
of  God  would  all  be  gone;  and  the 
supernatural  illumination  of  the  face  of 
Moses  also  would  soon  cease — perhaps, 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


57 


8  How  shall  not  the  ministra- 
tion of  the  Spirit  be  rather  glo- 


ss Macknight,  Bloomfield,  and  others 
suppose,  as  a  prefiguration  of  the  abro- 
gation of  the  glory  of  the  whole  system 
of  the  Levitical  law.  Paul  certainly 
means  to  say,  that  the  glory  of  Moses, 
and  of  his  dispensation,  was  a  fading 
glory  ;  but  that  the  glory  of  the  gospel 
would  be  permanent,  and  increasing 
forever. 

8.  How  shall  not  the  ministration 
of  the  Spirit.  This  is  an  argument 
from  the  less  to  the  greater.  Several 
things  in  it  are  worthy  of  notice.  (1.) 
The  proper  contrast  to  the  "  ministra- 
tion of  death"  (ver.  7),  would  have  been 
'  ministration  of  life.'  But  Paul  chose 
rather  to  call  it  the  •  ministration  of  the 
Spirit ;'  as  the  source  of  life ;  or  as  con- 
ferring higher  dignity  on  the  gospel 
than  to  have  called  it  simply  the  minis- 
tration of  life.  (2.)  By  the  "  Spirit" 
here  is  manifestly  meant  the  Holy 
Spirit;  and  the  whole  phrase  denotes 
the  gospel,  or  the  preaching  of  the  gos- 
pel, by  which  eminently  the  Holy 
Spirit  is  imparted.  (3.)  It  is  the  high 
honour  of  the  gospel  ministry,  that  it  is 
the  means  by  which  the  Holy  Spirit  is 
imparted  to  men.  It  is  designed  to  se- 
cure the  salvation  of  men  by  his 
agency  ;  and  it  is  through  the  ministry 
that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  imparted,  the 
heart  renewed,  and  the  soul  saved. 
Th,e  work  of  the  ministry  is,  therefore, 
the  most  important  and  honourable  in 
which  man  can  engage,  t  Be  rather 
glorious.  (1.)  Because  that  of  Moses 
tended  to  death ;  this  to  life.  (2.)  Be- 
cause that  was  engraven  on  stone ;  this 
is  engraved  on  the  heart.  (3.)  Be- 
cause that  was  the  mere  giving  of  a 
law  j  this  is  connected  with  the  renovat- 
ing influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  (4.) 
Because  that  was  soon  to  pass  away. 
All  the  magnificence  of  the  scene  was 
soon  to  vanish.  But  this  is  to  remain. 
Its  influence  and  effect  are  to  be  ever- 
lasting. It  is  to  stretch  into  eternity ; 
and  its  main  glory  is  to  be  witnessed  in 


9  For  if  the  ministration 
of  condemnation  be  glory, 
much  more  doth  the  ministration 


souls  renewed  and  saved  ;  and  amidst 
the  splendours  of  heaven.  "  The  work 
of  the  Spirit  of  God  on  the  heart  of  a 
rational  being,  is  much  more  important 
than  any  dead  characters  which  can  be 
engraved  on  insensible  stones." — Dod- 
dridge. 

9.  For  if  the  ministration  of  condem- 
nation. Of  Moses  in  giving  the  law, 
the  effect  of  which  is  to  produce  con- 
demnation.— Law  condemns  the  guilty ; 
it  does  not  save  them.  It  denounces 
punishment;  it  contains  no  provisions 
of  pardon.  To  pardon  is  to  depart 
from  the  law  ;  and  must  be  done  under 
the  operation  of  another  system — since 
a  law  which  contains  a  provision  for  the 
pardon  of  offenders,  and  permits  them 
to  escape,  would  be  a  burlesque  in 
legislation.  The  tendency  of  the  Mo- 
saic institutions,  therefore,  was  to  pro- 
duce a  sense  of  condemnation.  And 
so  it  will  be  found  by  all  who  attempt 
to  be  justified  by  the  law.  It  will  tend 
to,  and  result  in,  their  condemnation. 
t  Be  glory.  Be  glorious ;  or  be  glory 
itself. — It  was  glorious  as  a  manifesta- 
tion of  the  holiness  and  justice  of  God  ; 
and  glorious  in  the  attending  circum- 
stances. No  event  in  our  world  has 
been  more  magnificent  in  the  circum- 
stances of  external  majesty  and  splen 
dour  than  the  giving  of  the  law  on 
Mount  Sinai,  f  The  ministration  of 
righteousness.  The  gospel ;  the  pro- 
mulgation of  the  plan  of  mercy.  It  is 
called  "  the  ministration  of  righteous- 
ness," in  contradistinction  from  the  law 
of  Moses,  which  was  a  "  ministration 
of  condemnation."  The  word  "  right- 
eousness," however,  does  not  exactly 
express  the  force  of  the  original  word. 
That  word  is  tauuo&fac,  and  it  stands 
directly  opposed  to  the  word  xa/r*- 
jc£/3-8&>?,  condemnation.  It  should  be 
rendered  'the  ministration  of  justifica- 
tion /'  the  plan  by  which  God  justifies 
men.  See  Note,  Rom,  i.  17.  The  law 
of  Moses  condemns;  the  gospel  is  the 


58 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


of     righteousness      exceed     in 
glory. 

10  For  even  that  which  was 
made  glorious  had  no  glory  in 


plan  by  which  man  is  justified.    And 
if  that  which  condemns  could  be  glo- 
rious, much  more  must  that  be  by  which 
men    can  be  justified,  acquitted,   and 
saved.     The  superior  glory  of  the  gos- 
pel, therefore,  consists  in  the  fact  that 
it  is  a  scheme  to  justify  and  save  lost 
sinners.     And  this  glory  consists,  (1.) 
In  the  fad  that  it  can  be  done  when  all 
law  condemns.     (2.)  In  the  showing 
forth  of  the  divine  character  while  it  is 
done,  as  just,  and  merciful,  and  bene- 
volent in   doing   it — blending  all   his 
great  and  glorious  attributes  together — 
while  the  law  disclosed  only  one  of  his 
attributes — his  justice.      (3.)    In   the 
manner  in  which  it  is  done.     It  is  by 
the  incarnation  of  the  Son  of  God — a 
far  more  glorious  manifestation  of  deity 
than  was  made  on  Mount  Sinai.     It 
is  by  the  toils,  and  sufferings,  and  death 
of  him  who  made  the  atonement,  and 
by  the  circumstances  of  awful  and  im- 
posing  grandeur  which    attended    his 
death,  when  the  sun  was  darkened,  and 
the  rocks  were  rent — far  more  grand  and 
awful  scenes  than  occurred  when  the 
law  was  given.     It  is  by  the  resurrec- 
tion, and  ascension  of  the  Redeemer — 
scenes  far  more  sublime  than  all  the  ex- 
ternal glories  of  Sinai  when   the  law 
was  given.     (4.)  In  the  effects,  or  re- 
sults.    The  one  condemns;  the  other 
justifies  and  saves.     The  effect  of  the 
one  is  seen  in  the  convictions  of  con- 
science, in  alarm,  in  a  sense  of  guilt, 
in  the  conscious  desert  of  condemnation, 
and  in  the  apprehension  of  eternal  pun- 
ishment.     The  other   is  seen  in  sins 
forgiven ;  in  peace  of  conscience ;  in  the 
joy  of  pardon ;  in  the  hope  of  heaven  ; 
in  comfort  and  triumph  on  the  bed  of 
death,  and  amidst  the  glories  of  heaven. 
1<0,    For  even  that  which  was  made 
glorious  {to  StS-.^ntr/jLivtv).     That  was 
splendid,  excellent,  or  glorious.     This 
refers  doubtless,  to  the  laws  and  insti- 
tutions of  Moses,  especially  to  the  »ri- 


this  respect,  by  reason  of  the 
glory  that  excelleth. 

1 1   For  if  a  that  which  is  done 

a  Ro.  5.  20,  21. 


mary  giving  of  the  law.  Paul  does  not 
deny  that  it  had  an  honour  and  majesty 
such,  in  some  respects,  as  the  Jews 
claimed  for  it.  It  was  glorious  in  the 
manner  in  which  it  was  given  ;  it  was 
glorious  in  the  purity  of  the  law  itself; 
and  it  was  glorious,  or  splendid  in  the 
magnificent  and  imposing  ritual  in 
which  the  worship  of  God  was  cele- 
brated. But  all  this  was  surpassed  in 
the  brighter  glory  of  the  gospel,  t  Had 
no  glory.  Gr.  Was  not  glorious,  or 
splendid  {chit  Stfo^sLcrrsu).  Had  com- 
paratively no  glory,  or  splendour.  Its 
glory  was  all  eclipsed.  It  was  like  the 
splendour  of  the  moon  and  stars  com- 
pared with  the  bright  light  of  the  sun. 
1  By  reason  of  the  glory  that  excelleth. 
In  the  gospel ;  in  the  incarnation,  life, 
sufferings,  death,  and  resurrection  of 
the  Lord  Jesus ;  in  the  pardon  of  sin ; 
in  the  peace  and  joy  of  the  believer ;  and 
in  the  glories  of  the  heavenly  world  to 
which  the  gospel  elevates  dying  men. 

1 1.  For  if  that  which  is  done  away, 
&c.  The  splendour  that  attended  the 
giving  of  the  law ;  the  bright  shining 
of  the  face  of  Moses;  and  the  ritual 
institutions  of  his  religion.  It  was  to  be 
done  away.  It  was  never  designed  to 
be  permanent.  Every  thing  in  it  had 
a  transient  existence,  and  was  so  de- 
signed. Yet  it  was  attended,  P^ul 
admits,  with  much  that  was  magnifi- 
cent and  splendid.  He  had,  in  the  pre- 
vious verses,  stated  several  important 
differences  between  the  law  and  the 
gospel.  He  here  states  another.  The 
law  he  calls  (to  x.a.ra.gy,v[jLiv<.v)  the  thing 
which  was  to  be  made  to  cease ,  to  be 
put  an  end  to ;  to  be  done  away  with ; 
to  be  abolished.  It  had  no  permanency  ; 
and  it  was  designed  to  have  none.  Ita 
glory,  therefore,  great  as  in  many 
respects  it  might  be,  could  not  be  com- 
pared with  that  which  was  to  be  per- 
manent— as  the  light  of  the  stars  fades 
away  at  the  rising  sun.     It  is  implied 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


59 


away  was  glorious,  much  more 
that  which  remaineth  is  glorious. 


here,  that  it  was  originally  designed 
that  the  Mosaic  institutions  should  not 
be  permanent;  that  they  should  be 
mere  shadows  and  types  of  better 
things ;  and  that  when  the  things 
which  they  adumbrated  should  appear, 
the  shadows  would  vanish  of  course. 
This  idea  is  one  which  prevails  every- 
where in  the  New  Testament,  and 
which  the  sacred  writers  are  often  at 
great  pains  to  demonstrate,  f  Was 
glorious.  Gr.  By  glory  (Jtaiofys).  That 
is,  it  was  attended  by  glory ;  it  was  in- 
troduced by  glory,  it  was  encompassed 
with  glory  when  it  was  established. 
The  idea  here  is,  not  that  it  was  glori- 
ous in  itself,  but  that  it  was  accom- 
panied with  splendour  and  majesty. 
Tf  That  which  remaineth.  The  gos- 
pel (to  fxivw).  The  thing  that  is  to  re- 
main ;  that  is  permanent,  abiding,  per- 
petual ;  that  has  no  principle  of  decay, 
and  whose  characteristic  it  is,  that  it  is 
everlasting.  The  gospel  is  permanent, 
or  abiding,  (1.)  Because  it  is  designed 
to  remain  immutable  through  the  re- 
motest ages.  It  is  not  to  be  superseded 
by  any  new  economy,  or  institution. 
It  is  the  dispensation  under  which  the 
affairs  of  the  world  are  to  be  wound 
up,  and  under  which  the  world  is  to 
close.  See  Note,  1  Cor.  xv.  51.  (2.) 
Its  effects  on  the  heart  are  permanent. 
It  is  complete  in  itself.  It  is  not  to  be 
succeeded  by  any  other  system,  and  it 
looks  to  no  other  system  in  order  to 
complete  or  perfect  its  operations  on 
the  soul.  (3.)  Its  effects  are  to  abide 
forever.  They  will  exist  in  heaven. 
They  are  to  be  seen  in  the  soul  that 
shall  be  recovered  from  sin,  and  that 
shall  be  glorious  in  the  bosom  of  God 
forever  and  ever.  The  Mosaic  system 
— glorious  as  it  was — shall  be  remem- 
bered as  introducing  the  gospel;  the 
gospel  shall  be  remembered  as  directly 
fitting  for  heaven.  Its  most  great  and 
glorious  results  shall  be  seen  in  the 
permanent  and  eternal  joys  of  heaven. 
The  gospel  contemplates  a  great,  per- 


12  Seeing  then  that  we  have 


manent,  and  eternal  good,  adapted  to 
all  ages,  all  climes,  all  people,  and  all 
worlds.  It  is,  therefore,  so  much  more 
glorious  than  the  limited,  temporary, 
and  partial  good  of  the  Mosaic  system, 
that  that  may  be  said  in  comparison  to 
have  had  no  glory. 

12.  Seeing  then  that  we  have  such 
hope.  Hope  properly  is  a  compound 
emotion,  made  up  of  a  desire  for  an 
object,  and  an  expectation  of  obtaining 
it.  If  there  is  no  desire  for  it ;  or  if 
the  object  is  not  pleasant  and  agreeable, 
there  is  no  hope,  though  there  may  be 
expectation — as  in  the  expectation  of 
the  pestilence,  of  famine,  or  sickness, 
or  death.  If  there  is  no  expectation  of 
it,  but  a  strong  desire,  there  is  no  hope, 
as  in  cases  where  there  is  a  strong  de- 
sire of  wealth,  or  fame,  or  pleasure ;  or 
where  a  man  is  condemned  for  murder, 
and  has  a  strong  desire  but  no  prospect 
of  pardon ;  or  where  a  man  is  ship- 
wrecked, and  has  a  strong  desire,  but 
no  expectation  of  again  seeing  his  fa- 
mily and  friends.  In  such  cases,  de- 
spondency or  despair  are  the  results.  It 
is  the  union  of  the  two  feelings  in  pro- 
per proportions  which  constitutes  hope. 
There  has  been  considerable  variety  of 
views  among  expositors  in  regard  to 
the  proper  meaning  of  the  word  in  this 
place.  Mr.  Locke  supposes  that  Paul 
here  means  the  honourable  employment 
of  an  apostle  and  minister  of  the  gospel, 
or  the  glory  belonging  to  the  ministry 
in  the  gospel ;  and  that  his  calling  it 
"  hope"  instead  of  "  glory"  which  the 
connexion  would  seem  to  demand,  is 
the  language  of  modesty.  Rosenmuller 
understands  it  of  the  hope  of  the  per- 
petual continuance  of  the  gospel  dis- 
pensation. Macknight  renders  it  "  per- 
suasion," and  explains  it  as  meaning  the 
full  persuasion  or  assurance  that  the 
gospel  excels  the  law  in  the  manner  ot 
its  introduction  ^  its  permanency,  &c 
A  few  remarks  may,  perhaps,  make  it 
clear,  (l.)  It  refers  primarily  to  Paui, 
and  the  other  ministers  of  the  gospel. 


60 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


such  hope,  we  use  great  '  plain- 
ness of  speech : 


or,  boldness. 


It  is  not  properly  the  Christian  hope  as 
such  to  which  he  refers,  but  it  is  that 
which  the  ministers  of  the  gospel  had. 
(2.)  It  refers  to  all  that  he  had  said  be- 
fore about  the  superiority  of  the  gospel 
to  the  law ;  and  is  designed  to  express 
the  result  of  all  that  on  his  mind,  and 
on  the  minds  of  his  fellow-labourers. 
(3.)  It  refers  to  theprospect,  confidence, 
persuasion,  anticipation  which  he  had 
as  the  effect  of  what  he  had  just  said. 
It  is  the  prospect  of  eternal  life ;  the 
clear  expectation  of  acceptance,  and  the 
anticipation  of  heaven,  based  on  the 
fact  that  this  was  a  ministry  of  the 
Spirit  (ver.  8)  ;  that  it  was  a  ministry 
showing  the  way  of  justification  (ver. 
9) ;  and  that  it  was  never  to  be  done 
away,  but  to  abide  forever,  ver.  11. 
On  all  these  this  strong  hope  was 
founded ;  and  in  view  of  these,  Paul 
expressed  himself  clearly,  not  enig- 
matically ;  and  not  in  types  and  figures, 
as  Moses  did.  Every  thing  about  the 
gospel  was  clear  and  plain;  and  this 
led  to  the  confident  expectation  and 
assurance  of  heaven.  The  word  hope, 
therefore,  in  this  place  will  express  the 
effect  on  the  mind  of  Paul  in  regard  to 
the  work  of  the  ministry,  produced  by 
the  group  of  considerations  which  he 
had  suggested,  showing  that  the  gospel 
was  superior  to  the  law ;  and  that  it 
was  the  ground  of  more  clear  and  cer- 
tain confidence  and  hope  than  any 
thing  which  the  law  could  furnish. 
^  We  use.  We  employ ;  we  are  ac- 
customed to.  He  refers  to  the  manner 
in  which  he  preached  the  gospel. 
1  Great  plainness  of  speech.  Marg. 
boldness.  We  use  the  word  "plain- 
ness" as  applied  to  speech  chiefly  in  two 
senses,  (1.)  To  denote  boldness,  faithful- 
ness, candour;  in  opposition  to  trimming, 
timidity,  and  unfaithfulness ;  and,  (2.) 
To  denote  clearness,  intelligibleness,  and 
simplicity,  in  opposition  to  obscurity, 
mist,  and  highly-wrought  and  laboured 
forms  of  expression.  The  connexion 
here  shows  that  the  latter  is  the  sense 


13  And  not  as  Moses,  which 
put  a  vail  over  his  face,  that  the 


in  which  the  phrase  here  is  to  be  un- 
derstood. See  ver.  13.  It  denotes 
openness,  simplicity,  freedom  from  the 
obscurity  which  arises  from  enigmatical, 
and  parabolical,  and  typical  modes  of 
speaking.  This  stands  in  opposition  to 
figure,  metaphor,  and  allegory — to  an 
affected  and  laboured  concealment  of 
the  idea  in  the  manner  which  was  com- 
mon among  the  Jewish  doctors  and 
heathen  philosophers,  where  their  mean- 
ing was  carefully  concealed  from  the 
vulgar,  and  from  all  except  the  iniliated. 
It  stands  opposed  also  to  the  necessary 
obscurity  arising  from  typical  institu- 
tions like  those  of  Moses.  And  the 
doctrine  of  the  passage  is,  that  such  is 
the  clearness  and  fulness  of  the  Chris- 
tian revelation,  arising  from  the  fact, 
that  it  is  the  last  economy,  and  that  it 
does  not  look  to  the  future,  that  its  mi- 
nisters may  and  should  use  clear  and 
intelligible  language.  They  should  not 
use  language  abounding  in  metaphoi 
and  allegory.  They  should  not  usi 
unusual  terms.  They  should  not  draw 
their  words  and  illustrations  from  sci 
ence.  They  should  not  use  mere 
technical  language.  They  should  not 
attempt  to  vail,  or  cloak  their  meaning. 
They  should  not  seek  a  refined  and 
overwrought  style.  They  should  use 
expressions  which  other  men  use ;  and 
express  themselves  as  far  as  possible  in 
the  language  of  common  life.  What 
is  preaching  worth  that  is  not  under- 
stood ]  Why  should  a  man  talk  at  all 
unless  he  is  intelligible]  Who  was 
ever  more  plain  and  simple  in  his  words 
and  illustrations  than  the  Lord  Jesus  1 
13.  And  not  as  Moses.  Our  conduct 
is  not  like  that  of  Moses.  We  make 
no  attempt  to  conceal  any  thing  in  re- 
gard to  the  nature,  design,  and  duration 
of  the  gospel.  We  leave  nothing  de- 
signedly in  mystery.  If  Which  put  a 
vail  over  his  face.  That  is,  when  he 
came  down  from  Mount  Sinai,  and 
when  his  face  shone.  Ex.  xxxiv.  33. 
"And  till  Moses    had  done   speaking 


A.    D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


81 


children    of    Israel    could    not 

aRo.  10.4. 


with  them,  he  put  a  vail  on  his  face." 
This  vail  he  put  off  when  he  went  to 
speak  with  God,  but  put  on  again  when 
he  delivered  his  commands  to  the  peo- 
ple. What  was  the  design  of  this, 
Moses  has  not  himself  declared.  The 
statement  which  he  makes  in  Exodus 
would  lead  us  to  suppose  that  it  was  on 
account  of  the  exceeding  brightness 
and  dazzling  splendour  which  shone 
around  him,  and  which  made  it  difficult 
to  look  intently  upon  him;  and  that 
this  was  in  part  the  reason,  even  Paul 
himself  seems  to  intimate  in  ver.  7. 
He,  however,  in  this  verse  intimates  that 
there  was  another  design,  which  was 
that  he  might  be,  as  Doddridge  ex- 
presses it,  "a  kind  of  type  and  figure 
of  his  own  dispensation."  ^  That  the 
children  of  Israel.  Mr.  Locke  under- 
stands this  of  the  apostles,  and  supposes 
that  it  means,  "  We  do  not  vail  the 
light,  so  that  the  obscurity  of  what  we 
deliver  should  hinder  the  children  of 
Israel  from  seeing  in  the  law  which 
was  to  be  done  away,  Christ  who  is 
the  end  of  the  law."  But  this  interpre- 
tation is  forced  and  unnatural.  The 
phrase  rendered  "that"  (7x^3?  to)  evi- 
dently connects  what  is  affirmed  here 
<vith  the  statement  about  Moses  ;  and 
shows  that  the  apostle  means  to  say 
that  Moses  put  the  vail  on  his  face  in 
wder  that  the  children  of  Israel  should 
not  be  able  to  see  to  the  end  of  his  in- 
stitutions. That  Moses  had  such  a 
design,  and  that  the  putting  on  of  the 
vail  was  emblematic  of  the  nature  of 
\hs  institutions,  Paul  here  distinctly 
affirms.  No  one  can  prove  that  this 
was  not  his  design  ;  and  in  a  land  and 
time  when  types,  and  emblems,  and  al- 
legorical modes  of  speech  were  much 
used,  it  is  highly  probable  that  Moses 
meant  to  intirftite  that  the  end  and  full 
purpose  of  his  institutions  were  design- 
edly concealed.  If  Could  not  stead- 
fastly look.  Could  not  gaze  intently 
upon  (anviT&i).  See  Note  on  ver.  7. 
They  could  not  clearly  discern  it;  there 


stedfastly  look  to  the  end  a   of 
that  which  is  abolished  : 


was  obscurity  arising  from  the  fact  of 
the  designed  concealment.  He  did  not 
intend  that  they  should  clearly  see  the 
full  purport,  and  design  of  the  institu- 
tions which  he  established,  f  To  the 
end  (ik  ro  t£\o?).  Unto  the  end,  pur- 
pose, design,  or  ultimate  result  of  the 
law  which  he  established.  A  great 
many  different  interpretations  have  been 
proposed  of  this.  The  meaning  seems 
to  me  to  be  this:  There  was  a  glory 
and  splendour  in  that  which  the  insti- 
tutions of  Moses  typified,  which  the 
children  of  Israel  were  not  permitted 
then  to  behold.  There  was  a  splendour 
and  lustre  in  the  face  of  Moses,  which 
they  could  not  gaze  upon,  and  therefore 
he  put  a  vail  over  it  to  diminish  its 
intense  brightness.  In  like  manner 
there  was  a  glory  and  splendour  in 
the  ultimate  design  and  scope  of  his 
institutions,  in  that  to  which  they  re- 
ferred, which  they  were  not  then  able, 
i.  e.  prepared  to  look  on,  and  the  ex- 
ceeding brightness  of  which  he  of  de- 
sign concealed.  This  was  done  by 
obscure  types  and  figures,  that  re- 
sembled a  vail  thrown  over  a  dazzling 
and  splendid  object.  The  word  "  end," 
then,  I  suppose,  does  not  refer  to  termi- 
nation, or  close,  but  to  the  design, 
scope,  or  purpose  of  the  Mosaic  institu- 
tions ;  to  that  which  they  were  intend- 
ed to  introduce  and  adumbrate.  That 
end  was  the  Messiah,  and  the  glory  of 
his  institutions.  See  Note  on  Rom.  x. 
"  Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law."  And 
the  meaning  of  Paul,  I  take  to  be,  is, 
that  there  was  a  splendour  and  a  glory 
in  the  gospel  which  the  Mosaic  institu- 
tions were  designed  to  typify,  which  was 
so  great  that  the  children  of  Israel  were 
not  fully  prepared  to  see  it,  and  that  he 
designedly  threw  over  that  glory  the 
vail  of  obscure  types  and  figures  ;  as  he 
threw  over  his  face  a  vail  that  partially 
concealed  its  splendour.  Thus  inter- 
preted there  is  a  consistency  in  the  en- 
tire passage,  and  very  great  beauty. 
Paul,  in  the  following  verses,  proceeds 


63 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  CO 


14  But  their  minds  were 
blinded :  a  for  until  this  day  re- 
mained! the  same  vail  untaken 

a  Ro.  11.  7,  8,  25. 


to  state  that  the  vail  to  the  view  of  the 
Jews  of  his  time  was  not  removed ;  that 
th?y  still  looked  to  the  obscure  types 
and  institutions  of  the  Mosaic  law  rather 
than  on  the  glory  which  they  were  de- 
signed to  adumbrate ;  as  if  they  should 
choose  to  look  on  the  vail  on  the  face 
of  Moses  rather  than  on  the  splendour 
which  it  concealed.  ^  Of  that  ivhich 
is  abolished.  Or  rather  to  be  abolished 
(tou  x.'j.rct^ywy.tvcu') ,  whose  nature,  de- 
sign, and  intention  it  was  that  it  should 
be  abolished.  It  was  never  designed  to 
be  permanent;  and  Paul  speaks  of  it 
here  as  a  thing  that  was  known  and  in- 
disputable that  the  Mosaic  institutions 
were  designed  to  be  abolished. 

14.  But  their  minds  were  blinded. 
The  word  here  used  (pmctmi  means 
rather  to  harden;  to  make  hard  like 
stone  ;  and  then  to  make  dull  or  stupid. 
It  is  applied  to  the  heart,  in  Mark  vi.  52 ; 
viii.  17  ;  to  persons,  in  Rom.  xi.  7;  and 
to  the  eyes,  in  Job  xvii.  7.  Paul  refers 
here  to  the  fact  that  the  understandings 
of  the  Jews  were  stupid,  dull,  and  in- 
sensible, so  that  they  did  not  see  clearly 
the  design  and  end  of  their  own  insti- 
tutions. He  states  simply  the  fact ;  he 
does  not  refer  to  the  cause  of  it.  The 
fact  that  the  Jews  were  thus  stupid  and 
dull  is  often  affirmed  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament. %  For  until  this  day,  &c. 
The  sense  of  this  is,  that  even  to  the 
time  when  Paul  wrote,  it  was  a  charac- 
teristic of  the  great  mass  of  the  Jewish 
people,  that  they  did  not  understand  the 
true  sense  of  their  own  Scriptures. 
They  did  not  understand  its  doctrines 
in  regard  to  the  Messiah.  A  vail  seems 
to  be  thrown  over  the  Old  Testament 
when  they  read  it,  as  there  was  over 
the  face  of  Moses,  so  that  the  glory  of 
their  own  Scriptures  is  concealed  from 
their  view,  as  the  glory  of  the  face  of 
Moses  was  hidden.  ^  Of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament. Greek,  "  of  the  old  covenant."  i 
See  this  word  "  testament,"  or  covenant,  | 


away  in  the  reading  of  the  Old 
Testament ;  which  vail  is  done 
away  in  Christ. 

15  But  even  unto  this    day, 


explained  in  the  Notes  on  1  Cor.  xi.  25. 
This,  I  believe,  is  the  only  instance  in 
which  the  Scriptures  of  the  Jews  are 
called  the  "Old  Testament,"  or  covenant, 
in  the  Bible.  It  was,  of  course,  not  a 
name  which  they  used,  or  would  use ; 
but  it  is  now  with  Christians  the  com- 
mon appellation.  No  doubt  can  be  en- 
tertained but  that  Paul  uses  the  terms 
in  the  same  manner  in  which  we  now 
do,  and  refers  to  all  the  inspired  writ- 
ings of  the  Jews.  1  Which  vail  is  done 
away  in  Christ.  In  the  manifestation, 
or  appearance  of  Jesus  the  Messiah, 
the  vail  is  removed.  The  obscurity 
which  rested  on  the  prophecies  and  types 
of  the  former  dispensation  is  withdrawn ; 
and  as  the  face  of  Moses  could  have 
been  distinctly  seen  if  the  vail  on  his 
face  had  been  removed,  so  it  is  in  regard 
to  the  true  meaning  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment by  the  coming  of  the  Messiah. 
What  was  obscure  is  now  made  clear  ; 
and  the  prophecies  are  so  completely 
fulfilled  in  him,  that  his  coming  has  re- 
moved the  covering,  and  shed  a  clear 
light  over  them  all.  Many  of  the  pro- 
phecies, for  example,  until  the  Messiah 
actually  appeared,  appeared  obscure, 
and  almost  contradictory.  Those  which 
spoke  of  him,  for  illustration,  as  man 
and  as  God ;  as  suffering,  and  yet 
reigning ;  as  dying,  and  yet  as  ever- 
living  ;  as  a  mighty  Prince,  a  conquer- 
or, and  a  king,  and  yet  as  a  man  of 
sorrows  ;  as  humble,  and  yet  glorious : 
all  seemed  difficult  to  be  reconciled  until 
they  were  seen  to  harmonize  in  Jesus 
of  Nazareth.  Then  they  were  plain, 
and  the  vail  was  taken  away.  Christ 
is  seen  to  answer  all  the  previous 
descriptions  of  him  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment ;  and  his  coming  casts  a  clear 
light  on  all  which  was  before  obscure. 

1 5.  But  even  unto  this  day.  To  the 
time  when  Paul  wrote  this  epistle,  about 
thirty  years  after  Christ  was  put  to 
death.     But  it  is  still  as  true  as  it  was 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  HI. 


63 


when  Moses  is  read,  the  vail  is 
upon  their  heart. 

1 6  Nevertheless,  when  it  shall 


in  the  time  of  Paul ;  and  the  character 
and  conduct  of  the  Jews  now  so  entirely 
accords  with  the  description  which  he 
gives  of  them  in  his  time,  as  to  show 
that  he  drew  from  nature,  and  as  to 
constitute  one  of  the  strong  incidental 
proofs  that  the  account  in  the  New 
Testament  is  true.  Of  no  other  people 
on  earth,  probably,  would  a  description 
be  accurate  eighteen  hundred  years 
after  it  was  made.  \  When  Moses  is 
read.  When  the  five  books  of  Moses 
are  read,  as  they  were  regularly  and 
constantly  in  their  synagogues.  See 
Note  on  Luke  iv.  16.  ^  The  vail  is 
upon  their  heart.  They  do  not  see  the 
true  meaning  and  beauty  of  their  own 
Scriptures — a  description  as  applicable 
to  the  Jews  now  as  it  was  to  those  in 
the  time  of  Paul. 

16.  Nevertheless.  This  is  not  always 
to  continue.  The  time  is  coming  when 
they  shall  understand  their  own  Scrip- 
tures, and  see  their  true  beauty. 
«f  When  it  shall  turn  to  the  Lord. 
When  the  Jewish  people  shall  be  con- 
verted. The  word  "it"  here  refers  un- 
doubtedly to  "Israel"  in  ver.  13;  and 
the  sense  is,  that  their  blindness  is  not 
always  to  remain ;  there  is  to  be  a  pe- 
riod when  they  shall  turn  to  God,  and 
shall  understand  his  promises,  and  be- 
come acquainted  with  the  true  nature 
of  their  own  religion.  This  subject  the 
apostle  has  discussed  at  much  greater 
length  in  the  eleventh  chapter  of  the 
epistle  to  the  Romans.  See  Notes  on 
that  chapter,  f  The  vail  shall  be  taken 
away.  They  shall  then  understand  the 
true  meaning  of  the  prophecies,  and  the 
true  nature  of  their  own  institutions. 
They  shall  see  that  they  refer  to  the 
Lord  Jesus,  the  incarnate  Son  of  God, 
and  the  true  Messiah.  The  genuine 
sense  of  their  sacred  oracles  shall  break 
upon  their  view  with  full  and  irresist- 
ible light  There  may  be  an  allusion 
in  the  language  here  to  the  declaration 


turn  to  the  Lord,  the  vail  shall 
be  taken  away.  a 

17  Now  the  Lord  a  is    that 

a  Is.  25.  7.  a  1  Co.  15.  45 


in  Isa.  xxv.  7:  "And  he  will  destroy 
in  this  mountain  the  face  of  the  cover- 
ing cast  over  all  people,  and  the  vail  that 
is  spread  over  all  nations."  This  verse 
teaches,  (1.)  That  the  time  will  come 
when  the  Jews  shall  be  converted  to 
Christianity  ;  expressed  here  by  their 
turning  unto  the  Lord,  that  is,  the  Lord 
Jesus.  See  Note,  Acts  i.  24.  (2.)  It  seems 
to  be  implied  that  their  conversion  will  be 
a  conversion  of  the  people  at  large ;  a 
conversion  that  shall  be  nearly  simulta- 
neous ;  a  conversion  en  masse.  Such  a 
conversion  we  have  reason  to  anticipate 
of  the  Jewish  nation.  (3.)  The  effect 
of  this  will  be  to  make  them  acquainted 
with  the  true  sense  of  their  own  Scrip- 
tures, and  the  light,  and  beauty  of  the 
sayings  of  their  own  prophets.  Now 
they  are  in  deep  darkness  on  the  sub- 
ject; then  they  will  see  how  entirely 
they  meet  and  harmonize  in  the  Lord 
Jesus.  (4.)  The  true  and  only  way  of 
having  a  correct  and  full  meaning  of 
the  Bible  is  by  turning  unto  God. 
Love  to  him,  and  a  disposition  to  do  his 
will,  is  the  best  means  of  interpreting 
the  Bible. 

17.  Now  the  Lord  is  that  Spirit. 
The  word  "  Lord"  here  evidently  refers 
to  the  Lord  Jesus.  See  ver.  16.  It 
may  be  observed  in  general  in  regard  to 
this  word,  that  where  it  occurs  in  the 
New  Testament  unless  the  connexion 
require  us  to  understand  it  of  God, 
it  refers  to  the  Lord  Jesus.  It  was  the 
common  name  by  which  he  was  known. 
See  John  xx.  13  ;  xxi.  7.  12.  Eph.  iv.  I. 
5.  The  design  of  Paul  in  this  verse 
seems  to  be  to  account  for  the  "  liberty" 
which  he  and  the  other  apostles  had,  or 
for  the  boldness,  openness,  and  plain- 
ness (ver.  12)  which  they  evinced  in 
contradistinction  from  the  Jews,  who  so 
little  understood  the  nature  of  their  in- 
stitutions. He  had  said  (ver.  6),  that 
he  was  a  minister  "  not  of  the  letter, 
but  of  the  Spirit;"  and  he  had  stated 


61 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D. 


60. 


Spirit:  and  where  the  °  Spirit 
of  the  Lord  is,  there  it  liberty. 

a  Ro.  8.  2. 

that  the  Old  Testament  was  not  under- 
stood by  the  Jews  who  adhered  to  the 
literal  interpretation  of  the  Scriptures. 
He  here  says,  that  the  Lord  Jesus  was 
"  the  Spirit"  to  which  he  referred,  and 
by  which  he  was  enabled  to  understand 
the  Old  Testament  so  as  to  speak  plain- 
ly, and  without  obscurity.  The  sense 
is,  that  Christ  was  the  Spirit;  i.  e.  the 
sum,  the  substance  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment. The  figures,  types,  prophecies, 
&c.  all  centered  in  him,  and  he  was  the 
end  of  all  those  institutions.  If  con- 
templated as  having  reference  to  him,  it 
was  easy  to  understand  them.  This  I 
take  to  be  the  sentiment  of  the  passage, 
though  expositors  have  been  greatly 
divided  in  regard  to  its  meaning.  Thus 
explained,  it  does  not  mean  absolutely 
and  abstractly  that  the  Lord  Jesus  was 
"  a  Spirit,"  but  that  he  was  the  sum, 
the  essence,  the  end,  and  the  purport  of 
the  Mosaic  rites  the  spirit  of  which 
Paul  had  spoken  in  ver.  6,  as  contra- 
distinguished from  the  letter  of  the  law. 
K  And  where  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is, 
there  is  liberty.  This  is  a  general  truth 
designed  to  illustrate  the  particular  sen- 
timent which  he  had  just  advanced. 
The  word  "liberty"  here  (i\ivd-t^iu) 
refers,  I  think,  to  freedom  in  speaking ; 
the  power  of  speaking  openly,  and 
freely,  as  in  ver.  12.  It  states  the 
general  truth,  that  the  effect  of  the 
Spirit  of  God  was  to  give  light  and 
clearness  of  view  ;  to  remove  obscurity 
from  a  subject,  and  to  enable  one  to  see 
it  plainly.  This  would  be  a  truth  that 
could  not  be  denied  by  the  Jews,  who 
held  to  the  doctrine  that  the  Spirit  of 
God  revealed  truth,  and  it  must  be  ad- 
mitted by  all.  Under  the  influence  of 
that  Spirit,  therefore,  Paul  says,  that  he 
was  able  to  speak  with  openness,  and 
boldness;  that  he  had  a  clear  view  of 
truth,  which  the  mass  of  the  Jews  had 
not;  and  that  the  system  of  religion 
which  he  preached  was  open,  plain,  and 
clear.     The  word  "freedom,"    would 


18  But    we   all,    with    open 
face  beholding  as  in  a  glass  a  the 

a  1  Co.  13.  12. 


perhaps,  better  convey  the  idea.  'There 
is  freedom  from  the  dark  and  obscure 
views  of  the  Jews ;  freedom  from  their 
prejudices,  and  their  superstitions ; 
freedom  from  the  slavery  and  bondage 
of  sin ;  the  freedom  of  the  children  of 
God,  who  have  clear  views  of  him  as 
their  Father  and  Redeemer,  and  who 
are  enabled  to  express  those  views 
openly  and  boldly  to  the  world.' 

18.  But  we  all.  All  Christians. 
The  discussion  in  the  chapter  has  re- 
lated mainly  to  the  apostles ;  but  this 
declaration  seems  evidently  to  refer  to 
all  Christians,  as  distinguished  from  the 
Jews.  Tf  With  open  face.  Comp. 
Note  on  1  Cor.  xiii.  12.  Tindal  ren- 
ders this,  "  and  now  the  Lord's  glory 
appeareth  in  us  all  as  in  a  glass."  The 
sense  is,  "  with  unvailed  face,"  alluding 
to  the  fact  (ver.  13)  that  the  face  of 
Moses  was  vailed,  so  that  the  children 
of  Israel  could  not  steadfastly  look  on 
it.  In  contradistinction  from  that,  Paul 
says  that  Christians  are  enabled  to  look 
upon  the  glory  of  the  Lord  in  the  gos- 
pel without  a  vail — without  any  obscure 
intervening  medium.  1  Beholding  as 
in  a  glass.  On  the  word  glass,  and  the 
sense  in  which  it  is  used  in  the  New 
Testament,  see  note  on  1  Cor.  xiii.  12. 
The  word  here  used  (kxtottt^-, juiva) 
has  been  very  variously  rendered. 
Macknight  renders  it,  "we  all  reflecting 
as  mirrors  the  glory  of  the  Lord." 
Doddridge,  "  beholding  as  by  a  glass." 
Locke,  "with  open  countenances  as 
mirrors,  reflecting  the  glory  of  the 
Lord."  The  word  K*.ri7rrgi£as  occurs 
nowhere  else  in  the  New  Testament. 
It  properly  means  to  look  in  a  mirror  • 
to  behold  as  in  a  mirror.  The  mirrors 
of  the  ancients  were  made  of  burnished 
metal,  and  they  reflected  images  with 
great  brilliancy  and  distinctness.  AnJ 
the  meaning  is,  that  the  gospel  reflected 
the  glory  of  the  Lord;  it  was,  so  f 
speak,  the  mirror — the  polished,  bur 
nished  substance  in  which  the  glory  o* 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


65 


glory  of  the  Lord,  are  changed 
into  the  same  *  image  from b  glory 

a  Ro.  8.  29.  b  Ps.  84.  7. 


the  Lord  shone,  and  where  that  glory 
was  irradiated  and  reflected  so  that  it 
might  be  seen  by  Christians.  There 
was  no  vail  over  it ;  no  obscurity ;  no- 
thing to  break  its  dazzling  splendour,  or 
to  prevent  its  meeting  the  eye.  Chris- 
tians, by  looking  on  the  gospel,  could 
see  the  glorious  perfections  and  plans 
of  God  as  bright,  and  clear,  and  bril- 
liant as  they  could  see  a  light  reflected 
from  the  burnished  surface  of  the 
mirror.  So  to  speak,  the  glorious  per- 
fections of  God  shone  from  heaven ; 
beamed  upon  the  gospel,  and  were 
thence  reflected  to  the  eye  and  the 
heart  of  the  Christian,  and  had  the  ef- 
fect of  transforming  them  into  the  same 
image.  This  passage  is  one  of  great 
beauty,  and  is  designed  to  set  forth  the 
gospel  as  being  the  reflection  of  the  infi- 
nite glories  of  God  to  the  minds  and 
hearts  of  men.  %  The  glory  of  the  Lord. 
The  splendour,  majesty,  and  holiness 
of  God  as  manifested  in  the  gospel,  or 
of  the  Lord  as  incarnate.  The  idea  is, 
that  God  was  clearly  and  distinctly  seen 
in  the  gospel.  There  was  no  obscurity, 
no  vail,  as  in  the  case  of  Moses.  In 
the  gospel  they  were  permitted  to  look 
on  the  full  splendour  of  the  divine  per- 
fections— the  justice,  goodness,  mercy, 
and  benevolence  of  God — to  see  him  as 
he  is  with  undimmed  and  unvailed 
glory.  The  idea  is,  that  the  perfections 
of  God  shine  forth  with  splendour  and 
beauty  in  the  gospel,  and  that  we  are 
permitted  to  look  on  them  clearly  and 
openly,  t  Are  changed  into  the  same 
image.  It  is  possible  that  there  may  be 
an  allusion  here  to  the  effect  which  was 
produced  by  looking  into  an  ancient 
mirror.  Such  mirrors  were  made  of 
burnished  metal,  and  the  reflection  from 
them  would  be  intense.  If  a  strong 
light  were  thrown  on  them,  the  rays 
would  be  cast  by  reflection  on  the  face 
of  him  who  looked  on  the  mirror,  and 
it  would  be  strongly  illuminated.  And 
the  idea  may  be,  that  the  glory  of  God, 
6* 


to  glory  even  as  ■  by  the  Spirit 
of  the  Lord. 

i  or,  of  the  Lord  the  Spirit. 


the  splendour  of  the  divine  perfections, 
was  thrown  on  the  gospel,  so  to  speak, 
like  a  bright  light  on  a  polished  mirror ; 
and  that  that  glory  was  reflected  from 
the  gospel  on  him  who  contemplated  it, 
so  that  he  appeared  to  be  transformed 
into  the  same  image.  Locke  renders  it, 
"  We  are  changed  into  his  very  image 
by  a  continued  succession  of  glory,  as  it 
were,  streaming  upon  us  from  the 
Lord."  The  figure  is  one  of  great 
beauty ;  and  the  idea  is,  that  by  placing 
ourselves  within  the  light  of  the  gospel ; 
by  contemplating  the  glory  that  shines 
there,  we  become  changed  into  the  like- 
ness of  the  same  glory,  and  conformed 
to  that  which  shines  there  with  so  much 
splendour.  By  contemplating  the 
resplendent  face  of  the  blessed  Re- 
deemer, we  are  changed  into  something 
of  the  same  image.  It  is  a  law  of  our 
nature  that  we  are  moulded,  in  our 
moral  feelings,  by  the  persons  with 
whom  we  associate,  and  by  the  objects 
which  we  contemplate.  We  become 
insensibly  assimilated  to  those  with 
whom  we  have  intercourse,  and  to  the 
objects  with  which  we  are  familiar.  We 
imbibe  the  opinions,  we  copy  the 
habits,  we  imitate  the  manners,  we  fall 
into  the  customs  of  those  with  whom 
we  have  daily  conversation,  and  whom 
we  make  our  companions  and  friends. 
Their  sentiments  insensibly  become  our 
sentiments,  and  their  ways  our  ways. 
It  is  thus  with  the  books  with  which  we 
are  familiar.  We  are  insensibly,  but 
certainly  moulded  into  conformity  to 
the  opinions,  maxims,  and  feelings 
which  are  there  expressed.  Our  own 
sentiments  undergo  a  gradual  change, 
and  we  are  likened  to  those  with  which 
in  this  manner  we  are  conversant.  So  it 
is  in  regard  to  the  opinions  and  feelings 
which  from  any  cause  we  are  in  the 
habit  of  bringing  before  our  minds.  It 
is  the  way  by  which  men  become  cor- 
rupted in  their  sentiments  and  feelings 
in  their  contact  with  the  world ;  it  is  the 


66 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


way  in  which  amusements,  and  the  com- 
pany of  the  gay  and  the  dissipated 
possess  so  much  power ;  it  is  the  way 
in  which  the  young  and  inexperienced 
are  heguiled  and  ruined ;  and  it  is  the 
way  in  which  Christians  dim  the  lustre 
of  their  piety,  and  obscure  the  bright- 
ness of  their  religion  by  their  contact 
with  the  gay  and  fashionable  world. — 
And  it  is  on  the  same  great  principle 
that  Paul  says  that  by  contemplating 
the  glory  of  God  in  the  gospel,  we  be- 
come insensibly,  but  certainly  conform- 
ed to  the  same  image,  and  made  like 
the  Redeemer.  His  image  will  be  re- 
flected on  us.  We  shall  imbibe  his 
sentiments,  catch  his  feelings,  and  be 
moulded  into  the  image  of  his  own 
purity.  Such  is  the  great  and  wise  law 
of  our  nature ;  and  it  is  on  this  prin- 
ciple, and  by  this  means,  that  God  de- 
signs we  should  be  made  pure  on  earth, 
and  kept  pure  in  heaven  forever. 
1  From  glory  to  glory.  From  one 
degree  of  glory  to  another.  "  The  more 
we  behold  this  brilliant  and  glorious 
light,  the  more  do  we  reflect  back  its 
rays  ;  that  is,  the  more  we  contemplate 
the  great  truths  of  the  Christian  re- 
ligion, the  more  do  our  minds  become 
imbued  with  its  spirit." — Bloomfield. 
This  is  said  in  contradistinction  pro- 
bably to  Moses.  The  splendour  on  his 
face  gradually  died  away.  But  not  so 
with  the  light  reflected  from  the  gospel. 
It  becomes  deeper  and  brighter  con- 
stantly.— This  sentiment  is  parallel  to 
that  expressed  by  the  psalmist :  "  They 
go  from  strength  to  strength"  (Ps. 
lxxxiv.  7)  ;  i.  e.  they  go  from  one  degree 
of  strength  to  another,  or  one  degree  of 
holiness  to  another,  until  they  come  to 
the  full  vision  of  God  himself  in  heaven. 
The  idea  in  the  phrase  before  us  is, 
that  there  is  a  continual  increase  of 
moral  purity  and  holiness  under  the 
gospel  until  it  results  in  the  perfect 
glory  of  heaven.  The  doctrine  is,  that 
Christians  advance  in  piety ;  and  that 
this  is  done  by  the  contemplation  of  the 
glory  of  God  as  it  is  revealed  in  the 
gospel.  Tf  As  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord. 
Marg.  "Of  the  Lord  of  the  Spirit." 
Gr.  "As  frorr   the  Lord  the   Spirit." 


So  Beza,  Locke,  Wolf,  Rosenmiiller, 
and  Doddridge  render  it.  The  idea  is, 
that  it  is  by  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  the 
spirit  of  the  law,  the  spirit  referred  to 
by  Paul  above,  ver.  6.  17.  It  is  done 
by  the  Holy  Spirit  procured  or  impart- 
ed by  the  Lord  Jesus.  This  sentiment 
is  in  accordance  with  that  which  pre- 
vails everywhere  in  the  Bible,  that  it  is 
by  the  Holy  Spirit  alone  that  the  heart  is 
changed  and  purified.  And  the  object 
of  the  statement  here  is,  doubtless,  to 
prevent  the  supposition  that  the  change 
from  "  glory  to  glory"  was  produced  in 
any  sense  by  the  mere  contemplation 
of  truth,  or  by  any  physical  operation 
of  such  contemplation  on  the  mind.  It 
was  by  the  Spirit  of  God  alone  that  the 
heart  was  changed  even  under  the  gos- 
pel, and  amidst  the  full  blaze  of  its 
truth.  Were  it  not  for  his  agency,  even 
the  contemplation  of  the  glorious  truths 
of  the  gospel  would  be  in  vain,  and 
would  produce  no  saving  effect  on  the 
human  heart. 

REMARKS. 

1.  The  best  of  all  evidences  of  a  call  to 
the  office  of  the  ministry  is  the  divine 
blessing  resting  on  our  labours,  ver.  1, 2. 
If  sinners  are  converted;  if  souls  are 
sanctified ;  if  the  interests  of  pure  reli- 
gion are  advanced ;  if  by  humble,  zeal 
ous,  and  self-denying  efforts,  a  man  is 
enabled  so  to  preach  as  that  the  divine 
blessing  shall  rest  constantly  on  his  la- 
bours, it  is  among  the  best  of  all  evi- 
dences that  he  is  called  of  God,  and  is 
approved  by  him.  And  though  it  may 
be  true,  and  is  true,  that  men  who  are 
self-deceived,  or  are  hypocrites  are  some- 
times the  means  of  doing  good,  yet  it  is 
still  true,  as  a  general  rule,  that  eminent, 
and  long-continued  success  in  the  mi- 
nistry is  an  evidence  of  God's  accept- 
ance, and  that  he  has  called  a  minister 
to  this  office.  Paul  felt  this,  and  often 
appealed  to  it ;  and  why  may  not  others 
also? 

2.  A  minister  may  appeal  to  the  effect 
of  the  gospel  among  his  own  people  as 
a  proof  that  it  is  from  God.  ver.  2,  3. 
Nothing  else  would  produce  such  effects 
as  were  produced  at  Corinth,  but  the 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


67 


power  of  God.  If  the  wicKed  are  re- 
claimed ;  if  the  intemperate  and  licen- 
tious are  made  temperate  and  pure ;  if 
.he  dishonest  are  made  honest ;  and  the 
*coffer  learns  to  pray,  under  the  gospel, 
»t  proves  that  it  is  from  God.  To  such 
effects  a  minister  may  appeal  as  proof 
lhat  the  gospel  which  he  preaches  is 
from  heaven.  A  system  which  will  pro- 
duce these  effects  must  be  true. 

3.  A  minister  should  so  live  among 
a  people  as  to  be  able  to  appeal  to  them 
with  the  utmost  confidence  in  regard  to 
the  purity  and  integrity  of  his  own 
character,  ver.  1,  2.  He  should  so  live, 
and  preach,  and  act,  that  he  will  be  un- 
der no  necessity  of  adducing  testimonials 
from  abroad  in  regard  to  his  character. 
The  effect  of  his  gospel,  and  the  tenor 
of  his  life,  should  be  his  best  testimonial ; 
and  to  that  he  should  be  able  to  appeal. 
A  man  who  is  under  a  necessity,  con- 
stantly, or  often,  of  defending  his  own 
character ;  of  bolstering  it  up  by  testi- 
monials from  abroad;  who  is  obliged 
to  spend  much  of  his  time  in  defending 
his  reputation,  or  who  chooses  to  spend 
much  of  his  time  in  defending  it,  has 
usually  a  character  and  reputation  not 
Worth  defending.  Let  a  man  live  as 
he  ought  to,  and  he  will,  in  the  end, 
have  a  good  reputation.  Let  him  strive 
to  do  the  will  of  God,  and  save  souls, 
and  he  will  have  all  the  reputation 
which  he  ought  to  have.  God  will  take 
care  of  his  character ;  and  will  give  him 
just  as  much  reputation  as  it  is  desirable 
that  he  should  have.  See  Ps.  xxxvii. 
5,  6. 

4.  The  church  is,  as  it  were,  an 
epistle  sent  by  the  Lord  Jesus,  to  show 
his  character  and  will.  ver.  3.  It  is  his 
representative  on  earth.  It  holds  his 
truth.  It  is  to  imitate  his  example.  It 
is  to  show  how  he  lived.  And  it  is  to 
accomplish  that  which  he  would  ac- 
complish were  he  personally  on  earth, 
and  present  among  men — as  a  letter  is 
designed  to  accomplish  some  important 
purpose  of  the  writer  when  absent. 
The  church,  therefore,  should  be  such 
as  shall  appropriately  express  the  will 
and  desire  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  It  should 
resemble    him.     It    should     hold    his 


truth ;  and  it  should  devote  itself  with 
untiring  diligence  to  the  great  purpose 
of  advancing  his  designs,  and  spread- 
ing his  gospel  around  the  world. 

5.  Religion  has  its  seat  in  the  heart. 
ver.  3.  It  is  engraven  there.  It  is 
written  not  with  ink,  or  engraven  on 
stone,  but  it  is  written  by  the  Spirit  of 
God  on  the  heart.  That  professed  reli- 
gion, therefore,  which  does  not  reach 
the  heart,  and  which  is  not  felt  there,  is 
false  and  delusive.  There  is  no  true 
religion  which  does  not  reach  and  affect 
the  heart. 

6.  We  should  feel  our  dependence 
on  God  in  all  things,  ver.  5.  We  are 
dependent  on  him,  (1.)  For  revelation 
itself.  Man  had  no  power  of  originating 
the  truths  which  constitute  revelation. 
They  are  the  free  and  pure  gift  of  God. 
(2.)  For  success  in  saving  souls.  God 
only  can  change  the  heart.  It  is  not 
done  by  human  reasoning;  by  any 
power  of  man ;  by  any  eloquence  of 
persuasion.  It  is  by  the  power  of  God ; 
and  if  a  minister  of  religion  meets  with 
any  success,  it  will  be  by  the  presence 
and  by  the  power  of  God  alone. 
(3.)  We  are  dependent  on  him  for  the 
power  of  thought  at  all ;  for  clearness 
of  intellect ;  for  such  a  state  of  bodily 
health  as  to  permit  us  to  think;  for  bright 
conceptions;  for  ability  to  arrange  oui 
thoughts  ;  for  the  power  of  expressing 
them  clearly  ;  for  such  a  state  of  mind 
as  shall  be  free  from  vain  fancies,  and 
vagaries,  and  eccentricities;  and  for 
such  a  state  as  shall  mark  our  plans  as 
those  of  common  sense  and  prudence. 
On  such  plans  much  of  the  comfort  of 
life  depends ;  and  on  such  plans  depends 
also  nearly  all  the  success  which  men 
ever  meet  with  in  amy  virtuous  and 
honourable  calling.  And  if  men  felt, 
as  they  should  do,  how  much  they  are 
dependent  on  God  for  the  power  of 
clear  thinking,  and  for  the  character- 
istics of  sound  sense  in  their  schemes, 
they  would  pray  for  it  more  than  they 
do;  and  would  be  more  grateful  that 
such  a  rich  blessing  is  so  extensively 
conferred  on  men. 

7.  Religion  has  a  living  power,  ver.  6. 
It  is  not  the  letter,  but  the  spirt.     It  is 


68 


II.  CORINTHIAxNS 


[A.  D.  60 


not  made  up  of  forms  and  ceremonies. 
It  does  not  consist  in»cold,  external  rites, 
however  regular  they  may  be ;  nor  in 
formal  prayer,  or  in  stated  seasons  of 
devotion.  All  these  will  be  dead  and 
vain  unless  the  heart  is  given  to  God, 
and  to  his  service.  If  these  are  all, 
there  is  no  religion.  And  if  we  have 
no  better  religion  than  that,  we  should 
at  once  abandon  our  hopes,  and  seek 
for  that  which  does  not  kill,  but  which 
makes  alive. 

8.  The  office  of  the  ministers  of  the 
gospel  is  glorious,  and  most  honourable, 
ver.  7 — 9.  It  is  far  more  honourable 
than  was  the  office  of  Moses;  and  their 
work  is  far  more  glorious  than  was  his. 
His  consisted  in  giving  the  law  on  ta- 
bles of  stone  ;  in  the  external  splendour 
which  attended  its  promulgation  ;  and 
in  introducing  a  system  which  must  be 
soon  done  away.  His  was  a  ministry 
"  of  death"  and  of  "  condemnation." 
Theirs  is  a  ministration  by  which  the 
Holy  Spirit  is  communicated  to  men — 
through  them  as  channels,  or  organs 
by  which  the  saving  grace  of  that  Spirit 
is  imparted ;  it  is  a  work  by  which  men 
are  made  righteous,  justified,  and  accept- 
ed ;  it  is  a  work  whose  effects  are  never  to 
fade  away,  but  which  are  to  live  amidst 
the  splendours  of  heaven. 

9.  The  responsibility  and  solemnity 
of  the  work  of  the  ministry.  It  was  a 
solemn  and  responsible  work  for  Moses 
to  give  the  law  amidst  the  thunders  of 
Sinai  to  the  children  of  Israel.  It  is 
much  more  solemn  to  be  the  medium 
by  which  the  eternal  truths  of  the  gos- 
pel are  made  known  to  men.  The  one, 
imposing  as  it  was,  was  designed  to  be 
temporary,  and  was  soon  to  pass  away. 
The  other  is  to  be  eternal  in  its  effects, 
and  is  to  enter  vitally  and  deeply  into 
the  eternal  destiny  of  man.  The  one 
pertained  to  laws  written  on  stone ;  the 
other  to  influences  that  are  deeply  and 
forever  to  affect  the  heart.  No  work 
can  be  more  solemn  and  responsible 
than  that  through  which  the  Holy 
Spirit,  with  renewing  and  sanctifying 
power,  is  conveyed  to  man  ;  that  which 
is  connected  with  the  justification  of 
sinners ;  and  that  which  in  its  effects  is 


to  be  permanent  as  the   soul  itself,  and 
to  endure  as  long  as  God  shall  exist. 

10.  We  see  the  folly  of  attempting 
to  be  justified  by  the  law.  ver.  7.  9. 
It  is  the  ministration  of  death  and  of 
condemnation.  It  speaks  only  to  con- 
demn. Law  knows  nothing  of  pardon. 
It  is  not  given  for  that  purpose ;  and 
no  perfect  law  can  contain  within  itself 
provisions  for  pardon.  Besides,  no  one 
has  ever  complied  with  all  the  demands 
of  the  law;  no  one  ever  will.  All 
have  sinned.  But  if  all  the  demands 
of  the  law  be  not  complied  with,  it 
speaks  only  to  condemn.  James  ii.  10. 
If  a  man  in  other  respects  has  been 
ever  so  good  a  citizen,  and  yet  has  com- 
mitted murder,  he  must  die.  So  says 
the  law.  If  a  man  has  been  ever  so 
valiant,  and  fought  ever  so  bravely,  and 
yet  is  guilty  of  an  act  of  treason,  he 
must  die.  The  question  is  not  what  he 
has  been  in  other  respects,  or  what  else 
he  may,  or  may  not  have  done,  but  has 
he  committed  this  offence  1  If  he  has, 
the  law  knows  no  forgiveness ;  and 
pronounces  his  condemnation.  If  par- 
doned, it  must  be  by  some  other  system 
than  by  the  regular  operation  of  law. 
So  with  the  sinner  against  God.  If  the 
law  is  violated,  it  speaks  only  to  con- 
demn. If  he  is  pardoned,  it  can  be 
only  by  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ. 

11.  The  danger  of  grieving  the  Holy 
Spirit,  ver.  8.  The  gospel  is  the  field 
of  the  operations  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in 
our  world.  It  is  the  ministration  of 
the  Spirit.  It  is  the  channel  by  which 
his  influences  descend  on  man.  To 
reject  that  gospel  is  to  reject  Him, 
and  to  cut  off  the  soul  from  all  possi- 
bility of  being  brought  under  his  sav- 
ing influence  and  power  forever.  He 
strives  with  men  only  in  connexion 
with  the  gospel ;  and  all  hope,  there- 
fore, of  being  brought  under  his  saving 
power,  is  in  attending  to  that  gospel, 
and  embracing  its  provisions.  The 
multitudes,  therefore,  who  are  rejecting 
or  neglecting  that  gospel,  are  throwing 
themselves  beyond  his  saving  influences ; 
and  placing  themselves  beyond  the  possi- 
bility of  salvation. 

12.  We  see  the  guilt  of  neglecting 


A    P.  60.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


69 


or  rejecting  the  gospel.  It  is  the  scheme, 
and  the  only  scheme  for  pardon,  ver. 
8 — 10.  It  is  a  far  more  glorious  mani- 
festation of  the  goodness  of  God  than 
the  law  of  Moses.  It  is  the  glorious 
and  benevolent  manifestation  of  God 
through  the  incarnation,  the  sufferings, 
and  the  death  of  his  Son.  It  is  the  only 
plan  of  pardoning  mercy  that  has  been, 
or  that  will  be  revealed.  If  men  are 
not  pardoned  through  that,  they  are  not 
pardoned  at  all.  If  they  are  not  saved 
by  that,  they  must  die  forever.  What 
guilt  is  there,  therefore,  in  neglecting 
and  despising  it !  What  folly  is  there 
in  turning  away  from  its  provisions  of 
mercy,  and  neglecting  to  secure  an  in- 
terest in  what  it  provides ! 

13.  The  gospel  is  to  spread  around 
the  world,  and  endure  to  the  end  of 
time.  ver.  11.  It  is  not  like  the  insti- 
tutions of  Moses,  to  endure  for  a  limited 
period,  and  then  to  be  done  away.  The 
cloud  and  tempest;  the  thunder  "and 
lightning  on  Mount  Sinai  which  attend- 
ed the  giving  of  the  law,  soon  disap- 
peared. The  unusual  and  unnatural 
splendour  on  the  countenance  of  Moses 
soon  vanished  away.  All  the  magnifi- 
cence of  the  Mosaic  ritual  also  soon 
faded  away.  But  not  so  the  gospel. 
That  abides.  That  is  the  last  dispensa- 
tion ;  the  permanent  economy ;  that 
under  which  the  affairs  of  the  world  are 
to  be  brought  to  an  end.  That  is  to 
pervade  all  lands ;  to  bless  all  people ; 
to  survive  all  revolutions ;  to  outlive  all 
the  magnificence  of  courts,  and  all  the 
splendour  of  mighty  dynasties,  and  is 
to  endure  till  this  world  shall  come  to 
an  end,  and  live  in  its  glorious  effects  for- 
ever and  ever.  It  is,  therefore,  to  be 
the  fixed  principle  on  which  all  Chris- 
tians are  to  act,  that  the  gospel  is  to  be 
permanent,  and  is  to  spread  over  all 
lands,  and  yet  fill  all  nations  with  joy. 
And  if  so,  how  fervent  and  unceasing 
should  be  their  prayers  and  efforts  to 
accomplish  this  great  and  glorious  re- 
sult! 

14  We  learn  from  this  chapter  the 
duty  of  preaching  in  a  plain,  simple,  in- 
telligible manner,  ver.  12.  Preaching 
should  always  be  characterized  indeed 


by  good  sense,  and  ministers  should 
show  that  they  are  not  fools,  and  their 
preaching  should  be  such  as  to  interest 
thinking  men — for  there  is  no  folly  or 
nonsense  in  the  Bible.  But  their  preach- 
ing should  not  be  obscure,  metaphysical, 
enigmatical,  and  abstruse.  It  should  be 
so  simple  that  the  unlettered  may  learn 
the  plan  of  salvation ;  so  plain  that  no 
one  shall  mistake  it  except  by  his  own 
fault.  The  hopes  of  the  gospel  are  so 
clear  that  there  is  no  need  of  ambiguity 
or  enigma ;  no  need  of  abstruse  meta- 
physical reasoning  in  the  pulpit.  Nor 
should  there  be  an  %ttempt  to  appear 
wise  or  profound,  by  studying  a  dry, 
abstruse,  and  cold  style  and  manner. 
The  preacher  should  be  open,  plain, 
simple,  sincere ;  he  should  testify  what 
he  feels;  should  be  able  to  speak  as 
himself  animated  by  hope,  and  to  tell 
of  a  world  of  glory  to  which  he  is  him- 
self looking  forward  with  unspeakable 

j°y- 

15.  It  is  the  privilege  of  the  Christian 
to  look  on  the  unvailed  and  unclouded 
glory  of  the  gospel,  ver.  12,  13.  He 
does  not  look  at  it  through  types  and 
shadows.  He  does  not  contemplate  it 
when  a  vail  of  obscurity  is  drawn  de- 
signedly over  it.  He  sees  it  in  its  true 
beauty  and  splendour.  The  Messiah 
has  come,  and  he  may  contemplate 
openly  and  plainly  his  glory,  and  the 
grandeur  of  his  work.  The  Jews  look- 
ed upon  it  in  the  light  of  prophecy  ,•  to 
us  it  is  history.  They  saw  it  only 
through  obscure  shadows,  types,  and 
figures ;  we  see  it  in  open  day,  may 
survey  at  leisure  its  full  beauty,  and 
contemplate  in  the  fulness  of  its  splen- 
dour the  gospel  of  the  blessed  God. 
For  this  we  cannot  be  too  thankful; 
nor  can  we  be  too  anxious  lest  we  un- 
dervalue our  privileges,  and  abuse  the 
mercies  that  we  enjoy. 

16.  In  reading  the  Old  Testament, 
we  see  the  importance  of  suffering  the 
reflected  light  of  the  New  Testament  to 
be  thrown  upon  it,  in  order  correctly  to 
understand  it.  ver.  13,  14.  It  is  our 
privilege  to  know  what  the  institutions 
of  Moses  meant ;  to  see  the  end  which 
he  contemplated.     And  it  is  our  privi- 


70 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


lege  to  see  what  they  referred  to,  and 
how  they  prefigured  the  Messiah,  and 
his  gospel.  In  reading  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, therefore,  there  is  no  reason  why 
we  should  not  take  with  us  the  know- 
ledge which  we  have  derived  from  the 
New,  respecting  the  character,  work, 
and  doctrines  of  the  Messiah;  and  to 
suffer  them  to  influence  our  understand- 
ing of  the  laws  and  institutions  of 
Moses.  Thus  shall  we  treat  the  Bible 
as  a  whole,  and  allow  one  part  to  throw 
light  on  another — a  privilege  which  we 
always  concede  to  any  book.  There  is 
no  reason  why  Ghristians  in  reading 
the  Old  Testament  should  remain  in 
the  same  darkness  as  the  ancient,  or  the 
modern  Jews. 

17.  Thus  read,  the  Old  Testament 
will  be  to  us  of  inestimable  value,  ver. 
14.  It  is  of  value  not  only  as  intro- 
ducing the  gospel ;  as  furnishing  pre- 
dictions whose  fulfilment  are  full 
demonstration  of  the  truth  of  religion  ; 
as  containing  specimens  of  the  sub- 
limest  and  purest  poetry  in  the  world  ; 
but  it  is  of  value  as  embodying,  though 
amidst  many  types  and  shadows  and 
much  obscurity,  all  the  great  doctrines 
of  the  true  religion.  Though  to  the 
Jews,  and  to  the  world,  there  is  a  vail 
cast  over  it;  yet  to  the  Christian  there 
is  a  beauty  and  splendour  on  all  its 
pages — for  the  coming  of  Christ  has 
removed  that  vail,  and  the  sense  of  those 
ancient  writings  is  now  fully  seen. 
True  piety  will  value  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, and  will  find  there,  in  the  sweetest 
poetry  in  the  world,  the  expression  of 
feelings  which  the  religion  of  the  Mes- 
siah only  can  produce ;  and  pure  and 
elevated  thoughts  which  could  have 
been  originated  by  nothing  but  his  an- 
ticipated coming.  It  is  no  mark  of 
piety  or  of  wisdom  to  disparage  the 
Jewish  Scriptures.  But  the  higher  the 
attainments  in  Christian  feeling,  the 
more  will  the  writings  of  Moses  and  the 
prophets  be  loved. 

18.  Men  may  have  the  Bible,  and 
may  read  it  long,  and  much,  and  yet 
not  understand  it.  ver.  1 5.  So  it  was, 
and  is  with  the  Jews.  The  Scriptures 
were  attentively  read  by  them,  and  yet 


they  did  not  understand  them.  So  it  is 
still.  There  is  a  vail  on  their  heart, 
and  they  are  blinded.  So  it  is  often 
now  with  others.  Men  often  read  the 
Bible,  and  see  little  beauty  in  it.  They 
read,  and  they  do  not  understand  it. 
The  reason  is,  the  heart  is  not  right. 
There  should  be  a  correspondence  of 
feeling  between  the  heart  and  the  Bible, 
or  a  congeniality  of  view  in  order  to 
appreciate  its  value  and  its  truth.  No 
man  can  understand  or  appreciate 
Milton  or  Cowper  who  has  not  a  taste 
like  theirs.  No  man  can  understand 
and  appreciate  a  poem  or  an  e^say  on 
patriotism,  who  is  not  a  lover  of  his 
country  ;  or  on  chastity,  who  is  impure  ; 
or  on  temperance,  who  is  intemperate  ; 
or  on  virtue  in  general,  who  is  a  stranger 
to  virtue  in  every  form.  And  so  in 
reading  the  Bible.  To  appreciate  and 
understand  fully  the  writings  of  David, 
Isaiah,  Paul,  or  John,  we  must  have 
their  feelings;  our  hearts  must  glow 
with  their  love  to  God  and  the  Re- 
deemer; we  must  feel  as  they  did  the 
guilt  and  burden  of  sin ;  and  we  must 
rejoice  as  they  did  in  the  hope  of  deli- 
verance, and  in  the  prospect  of  heaven. 
Till  men  have  these  feelings,  they  are 
not  to  wonder  that  the  Bible  is  to  them 
a  dead  letter,  or  a  sealed  book,  and  that 
they  do  not  understand  it,  or  see  any 
beauty  in  its  pages. 

19.  This  chapter  furnishes  an  argu- 
ment for  the  fidelity  and  truth  of  the 
statement  of  Paul.  ver.  15.  The  argu- 
ment is,  that  his  description  is  as  ap- 
plicable to  the  Jews  now  as  it  was  in 
his  own  time — and  that,  therefore,  it 
must  have  been  drawn  from  nature. 
The  same  vail  is  on  their  hearts  now  as 
in  his  time ;  there  is  the  same  blindness 
and  darkness  in  regard  to  the  true  mean- 
ing of  their  Scriptures.  The  language 
of  Paul  will  accurately  express  that 
blindness  now;  and  his  description 
therefore  is  not  drawn  from  fancy,  but 
from  fact.  It  is  true  now  in  regard  to 
that  singular  people,  and  it  was  true  in 
his  own  time ;  and  the  lapse  of  eighteen 
hundred  years  has  only  served  to  confirm 
the  truth  of  his  description  in  regard  to 
the  people  of  his  own  nation  and  time. 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


71 


CHAPTER  IV. 
nPHEREFORE,     seeing     we 
-*-    have   this   ministry,  as  we 


20.  That  veil  is  to  be  removed  only 
by  their  turning  to  God.  ver.  16.  It  is 
only  by  true  conversion  that  the  mind 
can  be  brought  to  a  full  and  clear  un- 
derstanding of  the  Scriptures;  and  that 
event  will  yet  take  place  in  regard  to 
the  Jews.  They  shall  yet  be  converted 
to  the  Messiah  whom  their  fathers  slew, 
and  whom  they  have  so  long  rejected ; 
and  when  that  event  shall  occur,  they 
shall  see  the  beauty  of  their  own  Scrip- 
tures, and  rejoice  in  the  promises  and 
glorious  hopes  which  they  hold  out  to 
the  view. 

?l.  The  duty  of  meditating  much 
on  the  glory  of  the  gospel,  ver.  18.  It 
is  by  that  we  are  purified.  It  is  by 
keeping  it  constantly  before  the  mind  ; 
dwelling  on  its  splendour ;  thinking  of 
its  glorious  truths,  that  we  become 
transformed  into  the  same  image,  and 
made  like  God.  If  the  character  is 
formed  by  the  objects  which  we  contem- 
plate, and  with  which  we  are  familiar ; 
if  we  are  insensibly  moulded  in  our 
feelings  and  principles  by  that  with 
which  we  constantly  associate,  then  we 
should  think  much  of  the  truths  of  the 
gospel.  We  should  pray  much — for 
thus  we  come  in  contact  with  God  and 
his  truth.  We  should  read  the  Scrip- 
ture much.  We  should  commune  with 
the  good  and  the  pure.  We  should 
make  our  companions  of  those  who 
most  love  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  most 
decidedly  bear  his  image.  We  should 
think  much  of  a  pure  heaven.  Thus 
shall  we  be  moulded,  insensibly  it  may 
be,  but  certainly,  into  the  image  of  a 
holy  God  and  Saviour,  and  be  prepared 
for  a  pure  and  holy  heaven. 

CHAPTER  IV. 
This  chapter  is  intimately  connected 
with  the  preceding,  and  is  indeed  mere- 
ly a  statement  of  the  consequences  or 
results  of  the  doctrine  advanced  there. 
In  that  chapter,  Paul  had  stated  the 
clearness  and  plainness  of  the  gospel  as 


have  received  a  mercy,  we  famt 
not ; 

a  1  Co.  7. 25. 


contrasted  with  the  institutions  of  Mcses, 
and  particularly  that  the  Christian  mi- 
nistry was  a  ministration  more  glorious 
than  that  of  Moses.  It  was  more  clear 
It  was  a  ministration  of  justification 
(ver.  9),  and  of  the  Spirit  (ver.  8),  and 
was  a  ministration  where  they  were 
permitted  to  look  upon  the  unvailed 
and  unclouded  glories  of  God.  ver.  18. 
In  this  chapter  he  states  some  of  the 
consequences,  or  results  of  their  being 
called  to  thii*  ministry  ;  and  the  design 
is,  to  magnify  the  office  of  the  ministry, 
to  show  the  sustaining  power  of  the 
truths  which  they  preached  ;  the  interest 
which  the  Corinthian  Christians  arid  all 
other  Christians  had  in  the  ministry, 
and  thus  to  conciliate  their  favour  ;  and 
to  show  what  there  was  to  comfort  them 
in  the  various  trials  to  which  as  minis- 
ters they  were  exposed.  Paul  states 
therefore  in  this  chapter, 

1.  That  these  clear  and  elevated 
views  of  the  gospel  sustained  him  ;  kept 
him  from  fainting ;  preserved  him  from 
deceit  and  all  improper  acts ;  made  him 
open  and  honest ;  since  he  had  no  ne- 
cessity for  craft  and  guilt,  but  proclaim- 
ed a  system  of  religion  which  could  be 
commended  to  every  man's  conscience, 
and  be  seen  to  be  true.   ver.  1,  2. 

2.  That  if  any  persons  were  lost,  it 
was  not  the  fault  of  the  gospel,  ver.  3, 
4.  That  was  clear,  open,  plain,  glorious, 
and  might  be  understood ;  and  if  they 
were  lost,  it  was  to  be  traced  to  the  ma- 
lign influence  of  the  god  of  this  world, 
and  not  to  the  gospel. 

3.  That  the  great  purpose  of  Paul 
and  his  associates  was  to  make  known 
this  clear  and  glorious  truth  of  the 
gospel,  and  that,  therefore,  the  apostles 
did  not  preach  themselves,  but  Christ 
Jesus,  the  revealer  and  source  of  all  this 
glory,  ver.  5,  6.  Their  sole  object  was 
to  show  forth  this  pure  and  glorious 
light  of  the  gospel. 

4.  That  it  was  so  arranged  by  God's 
appointment  and  providence    that    all 


79 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


the  glory  of  the  lesults  of  the  ministry 
should  be  bis.  ver.  7 — 11.  He  had  ta- 
ken especial  care  that  they  should  have 
no  cause  of  self-exultation  or  glorying 
in  preaching  the  gospel ;  and  had  taken 
effectual  means  that  they  should  be 
humbled,  and  not  lifted  up  with  pride 
from  the  fact  that  they  were  commis- 
sioned to  make  known  such  glorious 
truths,  and  had  a  ministry  more  ho- 
nourable than  that  of  Moses.  He  had, 
therefore,  committed  the  treasure  to 
earthen  vessels ;  to  frail,  weak,  dying 
men,  and  to  men  in  humble  life  (ver. 
7),  and  he  had  called  them  to  submit  to 
constant  trials  of  persecution,  poverty, 
peril,  and  want,  in  order  that  they 
might  be  humbled,  and  that  God  might 
manifestly  have  all  the  glory,  ver.  8 
—11. 

5.  All  this  was  for  the  sake  of  the 
church,  a  fact  which  was  adapted  to 
conciliate  the  favour  of  Christians,  and 
excite  their  sympathy  in  the  sufferings 
of  the  apostles,  and  to  lead  them  to 
honour  the  ministry  in  a  proper  man- 
ner, ver.  12 — 15.  It  was  not  for  their 
own  welfare,  happiness,  honour,  or 
emolument  that  they  endured  these 
trials  in  the  ministry ;  it  was  that  the 
church  might  be  benefited,  and  thus 
abundant  praise  redound  to  God. 

6.  These  considerations  sustained 
them  in  their  trials,  ver.  16 — 18.  They 
had  comfort  in  all  their  afflictions. 
They  felt  that  they  were  doing  and 
suffering  these  things  for  the  salvation 
of  souls,  and  the  glory  of  God  (ver.  16)  ; 
they  had  inward  strength  given  them 
every  day,  though  the  outward  man 
perished  (ver.  16)  ;  they  knew  that  the 
result  of  this  would  be  an  eternal 
weight  of  glory  (ver.  17)  ;  and  they 
were  enabled  to  look  to  another  and  a 
better  world ;  to  keep  the  eye  on  heaven, 
and  to  contemplate  by  faith  the  things 
which  were  unseen  and  eternal,  ver.  18. 
These  things  supported  them ;  and  thus 
upheld,  they  went  cheerfully  to  their 
great  work,  and  met  with  calmness  and 
joy  all  the  trials  which  it  involved. 

1.  Therefore  (Aia  tovto).  On  ac- 
count of  this.  That  is,  because  the  light 
of  the  gospel  is  so  clear ;  because  it  re- 


veals so  glorious  truths,  and  all  obscurity 
is  taken  away,  and  we  are  permitted  to 
behold  as  in  a  mirror  the  glory  of  the 
Lord.  ch.  iii.  18.  Since  the  glories  of 
the  gospel  dispensation  are  so  great, 
and  its  effects  on  the  heart  are  so  trans- 
forming and  purifying.  The  object  is, 
to  show  the  effect  of  being  intrusted 
with  such  a  ministry,  on  the  character 
of  his  preaching.  ^  Seeing  we  have 
this  ministry.  The  gospel  ministry,  so 
much  more  glorious  than  that  of  Moses 
(ch.  iii.  6)  ;  which  is  the  ministry  by 
which  the  Holy  Spirit  acts  on  the  hearts 
of  men  (ch.  iii.  8)  ;  which  is  the  mi- 
nistry of  that  system  by  which  men  are 
justified  (ch.  iii.  9)  ;  and  which  is  the 
ministry  of  a  system  so  pure  and  un- 
clouded, ch.  iii.  9 — 11.  18.  %  As  we 
have  received  mercy.  Tindal  renders 
this,  "  even  as  mercy  is  sure  in  us." 
The  idea  is,  that  it  was  by  the  mere 
mercy  and  favour  of  God,  that  he  had 
been  intrusted  with  the  ministry,  and 
the  object  of  Paul  is  doubtless  to  prevent 
the  appearance  of  arrogance  and  self- 
confidence  by  stating  that  it  was  to  be 
traced  entirely  to  God  that  he  was  put 
into  the  ministry.  He  doubtless  had  his 
eye  on  the  fact  that  he  had  been  a  per- 
secutor and  blasphemer;  and  that  it 
was  by  the  mere  favour  of  God  that  he 
had  been  converted  and  intrusted  with 
the  ministry.  1  Tim.  i.  13.  Nothing 
will  more  effectually  humble  a  minister, 
and  prevent  his  assuming  any  arrogant 
and  self-confident  airs,  than  to  look 
over  his  past  life ;  especially  if  his  life 
was  one  of  blasphemy,  vice,  or  infidelity ; 
and  to  remember  that  it  is  by  the  mere 
mercy  of  God  that  he  is  intrusted  with 
the  high  office  of  an  ambassador  of 
Jesus  Christ.  Paul  never  forgot  to 
trace  his  hope,  his  appointment  to  the 
ministerial  office,  and  his  success,  to  the 
mere  grace  of  God.  ^  We  faint  not 
This  is  one  of  the  effects  of  being  in- 
trusted with  such  a  ministry.  The 
word  here  used  (ixxuitovfAfv)  means  pro- 
perly, to  turn  out  a  coward;  to  lose 
one's  courage;  then  to  be  faint-hearted, 
to  faint,  to  despond,  in  view  of  trial, 
difficulty,  &c. — Robinson.  Here  it 
means,  that  by  the  mercy  of  God,  he 


A.  I).  60.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


73 


2  But  have  renounced  the  hid- 
den things  of  \  dishonesty,  not 


wis  not  disheartened  by  the  difficulties 
which  he  met ;  his  faith  and  zeal  did 
not  flag;  he  was  enabled  to  be  faithful, 
and  laborious,  and  his  courage  always 
kept  up,  and  his  mind  was  filled  with 
cheerfulness.  See  Note  on  ch.  ii.  14. 
He  was  deterred  by  no  difficulties ;  em- 
barrassed by  no  opposition  ;  driven  from 
his  purpose  by  no  persecution;  and 
his  strength  did  not  fail  under  any  trials. 
The  consciousness  of  being  intrusted 
with  such  a  ministry  animated  him  ; 
and  the  mercy  and  grace  of  God  sus- 
tained him. 

2.  But  have  renounced  (dTra^-a^eS-a, 
from  tiro  and  uttov).  The  word  means 
properly  to  speak  out  or  off;  to  refuse 
or  deny  ;  to  interdict  or  forbid.  Here  it 
means,  to  renounce,  or  disown;  to 
spurn,  or  scorn  with  aversion.  It  oc- 
curs nowhere  else  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment; and  the  sense  here  is,  that  the 
apostles  had  such  a  view  of  the  truth  of 
religion,  and  the  glory  of  the  Christian 
scheme  (ch.  iii.  13 — 18),  as  to  lead 
them  to  discard  every  thing  that  was 
disguised,  and  artful,  and  crafty  ;  every 
thing  like  deceit  and  fraud.  The  reli- 
gions of  the  heathen  were  made  up 
mainly  of  trick,  and  were  supported  by 
dec  eption  practised  on  the  ignorant,  and 
on  the  mass  of  men.  Paul  says,  that 
he  and  his  fellow-labourers  had  such 
views  of  the  truth,  and  glory,  and  holi- 
ness of  the  Christian  scheme,  as  to  lead 
them  solemnly  to  abjure  and  abhor 
all  such  dishonest  tricks  and  devices. 
Truth  never  needs  such  arts;  and  no 
cause  will  long  succeed  by  mere  trick 
and  cunning.  \  The  hidden  things  of 
dishonesty.  Marg.  shame.  The  Greek 
word  most  commonly  means  shame,  or 
disgrace.  The  hidden  things  of  shame 
here  mean  disgraceful  conduct;  clan- 
destine and  secret  arts,  which  were  in 
themselves  shameful  and  disgraceful. 
They  denote  all  underhanded  dealings; 
all  dishonest  artifices  and  plans,  such  as 
were  common  among  the  heathen,  and 
7 


walking  in  craftiness,  nor  hand- 
ling the  word  of  God  deceitfully, a 


a  c.  2.  17. 


such  probably  as  the  false  teachers 
adopted  in  the  propagation  of  their 
opinions  at  Corinth.  The  expression 
here  does  not  imply  that  the  apostles 
ever  had  any  thing  to  do  with  such 
arts;  but  that  they  solemnly  abjured 
and  abhorred  them.  Religion  is  open, 
plain,  straight-forward.  It  has  no  alli- 
ance with  cunning,  and  trick,  and  arti- 
fice. It  should  be  defended  openly ; 
stated  clearly ;  and  urged  with  steady 
argument.  It  is  a  work  of  light,  and 
not  of  darkness,  f  Not  walking  in 
craftiness.  Not  acting  craftily;  not 
behaving  in  a  crafty  manner.  The 
word  here  used  (jrwovgyix.,  from  irav,  all, 
i§yw,  work,  i.  e.  doing  every  thing,  or 
capable  of  doing  any  thing)  denotes 
shrewdness,  cunning,  and  craft.  This 
was  common;  and  this  was  probably 
practised  by  the  false  teachers  in 
Corinth.  With  this  Paul  says  he  had 
nothing  to  do.  He  did  not  adopt  a 
course  of  carnal  wisdom  and  policy 
(Note,  ch.  i.  12)  ;  he  did  not  attempt  to 
impose  upon  them,  or  to  deceive  them ; 
or  to  make  his  way  by  subtle  and  de- 
ceitful arts.  True  religion  can  never  be 
advanced  by  trick  and  craftiness.  "J  Nor 
handling  the  word  of  God  deceitfully 
(Joxovvrt;).  Not  falsifying;  or  deceit- 
fully corrupting  or  disguising  the  truth 
of  God.  The  phrase  seems  to  be  sy- 
nonymous with  that  used  in  ch.  ii.  1'*', 
and  rendered  "corrupt  the  word  of 
God."  See  Note  on  that  verse.  It 
properly  means  to  falsify,  adulterate, 
corrupt,  by  Jewish  traditions,  &c. 
(Robinson,  Bloomfield,  Doddridge,  &c); 
or  it  may  mean,  as  in  our  translation,  to 
handle  in  a  deceitful  manner ;  to  make 
use  of  trick  and  art  in  propagating  and 
defending  it.  Tindal  renders  it,  "  nei- 
ther corrupt  we  the  word  of  God."  ^  But 
by  manifestation  of  the  truth.  By 
making  the  truth  manifest ;  i.  e.  by  a 
simple  exhibition  of  the  truth.  By 
stating  it  just  as  it  is,  in  an  undisguised 
and  open  manner.     Not  by  adulterating 


74 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


but  by  manifestation  of  the  truth   commending  oursehes  to  every 


it  with  foreign  mixtures ;  not  by  min- 
gling it  with  philosophy,  or  traditions; 
not  by  blunting  its  edge,  or  concealing 
any  thing,  or  explaining  it  away  ;  but 
by  an  open,  plain,  straight-forward  ex- 
hibition of  it  as  it  is  in  Jesus.  Preach- 
ing should  consist  in  a  simple  exhibition 
of  the  truth.  There  is  no  deceit  in  the 
gospel  itself;  and  there  should  be  none 
in  the  manner  of  exhibiting  it.  It 
should  consist  of  a  simple  statement  of 
things  as  they  are.  The  whole  design 
of  preaching  is,  to  make  known  the 
truth.  And  this  is  done  in  an  effectual 
manner  only  when  it  is  simple,  open, 
undisguised,  without  craft,  and  without 
deceit.  ^  Commending  ourselves  to 
every  man's  conscience.  That  is,  so 
speaking  the  truth  that  every  man's 
conscience  shall  approve  it  as  true ; 
every  man  shall  see  it  to  be  true,  and 
to  be  in  accordance  with  what  he 
knows  to  be  right.  Conscience  is  that 
faculty  of  the  mind  which  distinguishes 
between  right  and  wrong,  and  which 
prompts  us  to  choose  the  former  and 
avoid  the  latter.  John  viii.  9.  Note 
Rom.  ii.  15.  1  Cor.  x.  25.  27—29. 
2  Cor.  i.  12.  It  is  implied  here,  (1.) 
That  a  course  of  life,  and  a  manner  of 
preaching  that  shall  be  free  from  dis- 
honesty, and  art,  and  trick,  will  be  such 
as  the  consciences  of  men  will  ap- 
prove. Paul  sought  such  a  course  of 
life  as  should  accord  with  their  sense  of 
right,  and  thus  serve  to  commend  the 
gospel  to  them.  (2.)  That  the  gospel 
may  be  so  preached  as  to  be  seen  by 
men  to  be  true ;  so  as  to  be  approved 
as  right ;  and  so  that  every  man's  con- 
science shall  bear  testimony  to  its  truth. 
Men  do  not  love  it,  but  they  may  see 
that  it  is  true ;  they  may  hate  it,  but 
they  may  see  that  the  truth  which  con- 
demns their  practices  is  from  heaven. 
This  is  an  exceedingly  important  prin- 
ciple in  regard  to  preaching,  and  vastly 
momentous  in  its  bearing  on  the  views 
which  ministers  should  have  of  their 
own  work.  The  gospel  is  reasonable. 
It  may  be  seen  to  be  true  by  every  man 
o  whom  it  is  preached.    And  it  should 


be  the  aim  of  every  preacher  so  to 
preach  it,  as  to  enlist  the  consciences  of 
his  hearers  in  his  favour.  And  it  is  a 
very  material  fact  that  when  so  preach- 
ed the  conscience  and  reason  of  every 
man  is  in  its  favour,  and  they  know 
that  it  is  true  even  when  it  pronounces 
their  own  condemnation,  and  denounces 
their  own  sins.  This  passage  proves, 
therefore,  the  following  things.  (1.^ 
That  the  gospel  may  be  so  preached  as 
to  be  seen  to  be  true  by  all  men.  Men 
are  capable  of  seeing  the  truth,  and 
even  when  they  do  not  love  it,  they 
can  perceive  that  it  has  demonstration 
that  it  is  from  God.  It  is  a  system  so 
reasonable  ;  so  well  established  by  evi- 
dence ;  so  fortified  by  miracles,  and  the 
fulfilment  of  prophecies ;  so  pure  in  its 
nature ;  so  well-adapted  to  man ;  so 
fitted  to  his  condition,  and  so  well  de- 
signed to  make  him  better;  and  so 
happy  in  its  influence  on  society,  that 
men  may  be  led  to  see  that  it  is  true. 
And  this  I  take  to  be  the  case  with 
almost  all  those  who  habitually  attend 
on  the  preaching  of  the  gospel.  Infidels 
do  not  often  visit  the  sanctuary ;  and 
when  they  are  in  the  habit  of  doing  it, 
it  is  a  fact  that  they  gradually  come  to 
the  conviction  that  the  Christian  reli- 
gion is  true.  It  is  rare  to  find  professed 
infidels  in  our  places  of  worship ;  and 
the  great  mass  of  those  who  attend  on 
the  preaching  of  the  gospel  may  be  set 
down  as  speculative  believers  in  the 
truth  of  Christianity.  (2.)  The  con- 
sciences of  men  are  on  the  side  of  truth, 
and  the  gospel  may  be  so  preached  as  to 
enlist  their  consciences  in  its  favour. 
Conscience  prompts  to  do  right,  and 
condemns  us  if  we  do  wrong.  It  can 
never  be  made  to  approve  of  wrong, 
never  to  give  a  man  peace  if  he  does 
that  which  he  knows  to  be  evil.  By  no 
art  or  device  ;  by  no  system  of  laws,  oi 
bad  government ;  by  no  training  or  dis- 
cipline, can  it  be  made  the  advocate  of 
sin.  In  all  lands,  at  all  times,  -and  in 
all  circumstances,  it  prompts  a  man  to 
do  what  is  right,  and  condemns  him  if 
he  does  wrong.     It  may  be  silenced  for 


A.D.60.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


75 


man's  conscience  in  the  sight  of 
God. 


a  time ;  it  may  be  *  seared  as  with  a  hot 
iron"  and  for  a  time  be  insensible,  but 
if  it  speak  at  all,  it  speaks  to  prompt  a 
man  to  do  what  he  believes  to  be  light, 
and  condemns  him  if  he  does  that  which 
is  wrong.  The  consciences  of  men  are 
on  the  side  of  the  gospel ;  and  it  is  only 
their  hearts  which  are  opposed  to  it. 
Their  consciences  are  in  favour  of  the 
gospel  in  the  following,  among  other 
respects,  (a)  They  approve  of  it  as  a 
just,  pure,  holy,  and  reasonable  system ; 
as  in  accordance  with  what  they  feel  to 
be  right ;  as  recommending  that  which 
ought  to  be  done,  and  forbidding  that 
which  ought  not  to  be  done.  (Z>)  In 
its  special  requirements  on  themselves. 
Their  consciences  tell  them  that  they 
ought  to  love  God  with  all  the  heart; 
to  repent  of  their  sins ;  to  trust  in  that 
Saviour  who  died  for  them ;  and  to  lead 
a  life  of  prayer  and  of  devotedness  to 
th*  service  of  God ;  that  they  ought  to 
be  sincere  and  humble  Christians,  and 
prepare  to  meet  God  in  peace,  (c) 
Their  consciences  approve  the  truth 
that  condemns  them.  No  matter  how 
strict  it  may  seem  to  be  ;  no  matter  how 
loud  its  denunciation  against  their  sins ; 
no  matter  how  much  the  gospel  may 
condemn  their  pride,  avarice,  sensuality, 
levity,  dishonesty,  fraud,  intemperance, 
profaneness,  blasphemy,  or  their  neglect 
of  their  soul,  yet  their  consciences  ap- 
prove of  it  as  right,  and  proclaim 
that  these  things  ought  to  be  con- 
demned, and  ought  to  be  abandoned. 
The  heart  may  love  them,  but  the  con- 
science cannot  be  made  to  approve  them. 
And  the  minister  of  the  gospel  may 
always  approach  his  people,  or  an  indi- 
vidual man,  with  the  assurance  that 
however  much  they  may  love  the  ways 
of  sin,  yet  that  he  has  their  consciences 
in  his  favour,  and  that  in  urging  the 
claims  of  God  on  them,  their  consciences 
will  always  coincide  with  his  appeals. 
(3.)  The  way  in  which  a  minister  is  to 
commend  himself  to  the  consciences  of 
men,  is  that  which   was   pursued   by 


3  But  if  our  gospel  be  hid,  it 
is  hid  to  them  a  that  are  lost : 

tt2Th.2.  10. 


Paul.  He  must  (a)  Have  a  clear  and 
unwavering  conviction  of  the  truth  him- 
self. On  this  subject  he  should  have  no 
doubt.  He  should  be  able  to  look  on 
it  as  on  a  burnished  mirror  (Note,  ch.  iii. 
18);  and  to  see  its  glory  as  with  open 
face,  (b)  It  should  be  by  the  simple 
statement  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel. 
Not  by  preaching  philosophy,  or  meta- 
physics, or  the  traditions  of  man,  or  the 
sentiments  of  theologians,  but  the  sim- 
ple truths  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ. 
Men  may  be  made  to  see  that  these  are 
truths,  and  God  will  take  care  that  the 
reason  and  consciences  of  men  shall 
be  in  their  favour,  (c)  By  the  absence 
of  all  trick  and  cunning,  and  disguised 
and  subtle  arts.  The  gospel  has  nothing 
of  these  in  itself,  and  it  will  never  ap- 
prove of  them,  nor  will  God  bless  them. 
A  minister  of  Jesus  should  be  frank, 
open,  undisguised,  and  candid.  He 
should  make  a  sober  and  elevated  ap- 
peal to  the  reason  and  conscience  of 
man.  The  gospel  is  not  "  a  cunningly 
devised  fable ;"  it  has  no  trick  in  itself, 
and  the  ministers  of  religion  should 
solemnly  abjure  all  the  hidden  things  of 
dishonesty,  f  1>1  the  sight  of  God.  As 
in  the  immediate  presence  of  God.  We 
act  as  if  we  felt  that  his  eye  was  upon 
us;  and  this  consideration  serves  to 
keep  us  from  the  hidden  things  of  dis- 
honesty, and  from  improper  arts  in 
spreading  the  true  religion.  See  Note 
on  ch.  ii.  17. 

3.  But  if  our  gospel  be  hid.  Paul 
here  calls  it  his  gospel,  because  it  was 
that  which  he  preached,  or  the  message 
which  he  bore.  See  Note,  Rom.  xvi. 
25.  The  sense  here  is,  'if  the  gospel 
which  I  preach  is  not  understood  ;  if  its 
meaning  is  obscure  or  hidden ;  if  its 
glory  is  not  seen.'  It  is  implied  here, 
that  to  many  the  beauty  and  glory  of 
the  gospel  was  not  perceived.  This 
was  undeniable,  notwithstanding  the 
plainness  and  fulness  with  which  its 
truths  were  made  known.  The  object. 
o    Paul  here  is,  to  state  that  this  fact 


76 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


4  In  whom  the  god  a  of  this    world  hath  blinded  the  minds  of 

a  Jno.  12.  31.  40. 


was  not  to  be  traced  to  any  want  of 
clearness  in  the  gospel  itself,  but  to  other 
causes,  and  thus  probably  to  meet  an 
objection  which  might  be  made  to  his 
argument  about  the  clearness  and  ful- 
ness of  the  revelation  in  the  gospel.  In 
the  language  which  Paul  uses  here, 
there  is  undoubted  allusion  to  what  he 
had  said  respecting  Moses,  who  put  a 
vail  on  his  face.  ch.  iii.  13.  He  had 
hid,  or  concealed  his  face,  as  emblematic 
of  the  nature  of  his  institutions  (Note, 
ch.  iii.  14.);  and  here  Paul  says  that 
it  was  not  to  be  denied  that  the  gospel 
was  vailed  also  to  some.  But  it  was 
not  from  the  nature  of  the  gospel.  It 
was  not  because  God  had  purposely  con- 
cealed its  meaning.  It  was  not  from 
any  want  of  clearness  in  itself.  It  was 
to  be  traced  to  other  causes.  1  It  is 
hid  to  them  that  are  lost.  On  the  mean- 
ing of  the  word  here  rendered  "lost," 
see  Note,  ch.  ii.  15,  there  rendered 
"  perish."  It  is  hid  among  them  who 
are  about  to  perish;  who  are  perishing 
(tv  T6?f  djroxxu//4v«c);  those  who  deserve 
to  perish.  It  is  concealed  only  among 
that  class  who  may  be  designated  as  the 
perishing,  or  as  the  lost.  Grotius  explains 
this,  "  those  who  deserve  to  perish,  who 
foster  their  vices,  and  will  not  see  the 
truth  which  condemns  those  vices."  And 
he  adds,  that  this  might  very  well  be, 
for,  "  however  conspicuous  the  gospel 
was  hi  itself,  yet  like  the  aun  it  would 
not  be  visible  to  the  blind.''  The  cause 
was  not  in  the  gospel,  but  jn  themselves. 
This  verse  teaches,  therefore,  ( 1 .)  That 
the  beauty  of  the  gospel  may  be  hidden 
from  many  of  the  human  family.  This 
is  a  matter  of  simple  fact.  There  are 
thousands  and  millions  to  whom  it  is 
preached  who  see  no  beauty  in  it, 
and  who  regard  it  as  foolishness.  (2.) 
That  there  is  a  class  of  men  who  may 
be  called,  even  now,  the  lost.  They  are 
lost  to  virtue,  to  piety,  to  happiness,  to 
hope.  They  deserve  to  perish;  and 
they  are  hastening  to  merited  ruin.  This 
class  in  the  time  of  Paul  was  large ;  and 
it  is  large  now.   It  is  composed  of  those 


to  whom  the  gospel  is  hidden,  or  to 
whom  it  appears  to  be  vailed,  and  who 
see  no  beauty  in  it.  It  is  made  up  in- 
'  deed  of  all  the  profane,  polluted,  and 
vile ;  but  their  characteristic  feature  is, 
that  the  gospel  is  hidden  from  them, 
and  that  they  see  no  beauty  and  glory 
in  it  (3.)  This  is  not  the  fault  of  the 
gospel.  It  is  not  the  fault  of  the  sun 
when  men  shut  their  eyes  and  will  not 
see  it.  It  is  not  the  fault  of  a  running 
stream,  or  a  bubbling  fountain,  if  men 
will  not  drink  of  it,  but  rather  choose 
to  die  of  thirst.  The  gospel  does  not 
obscure  and  conceal  its  own  glory  any 
more  than  the  sun  does.  It  is  in  itself 
a  clear  and  full  revelation  of  God  and 
his  grace ;  and  that  glory  is  adapted  to 
shed  light  upon  the  benighted  minds  of 
men. 

4.  In  whom.  In  respect  to  whom , 
among  whom ;  or  in  whose  hearts.  The 
design  of  this  verse  is  to  account  for  the 
fact  that  the  glory  of  the  gospel  was  not 
seen  by  them.  It  is  to  be  traced  entirely 
to  the  agency  of  him  whom  Paul  here 
calls  "  the  god  of  this  world."  ^  The 
god  of  this  icorld.  There  can  be  nc 
doubt  that  Satan  is  here  designated  by 
this  appellation;  though  some  of  the 
fathers  supposed  that  it  means  the  true 
God,  and  Clarke  inclines  to  this  opinion. 
In  John  xii.  31,  he  is  called  "the 
prince  of  this  world."  In  Eph.  ii.  2, 
he  is  called  "  the  prince  of  the  power 
of  the  air."  And  in  Eph.  vi.  12,  the 
same  bad  influence  is  referred  to  under 
the  names  of  "  principalities,  and 
powers,"  "  the  rulers  of  the  darkness  of 
this  world,"  and  "spiritual  wickedness 
in  high  places."  The  name  "  god"  is 
here  given  to  him,  not  because  he  has 
any  divine  attributes,  but  because  he 
actually  has  the  homage  of  the  men  of 
this  world  as  their  god,  as  the  being 
who  is  really  worshipped,  or  who  has 
the  affections  of  their  hearts  in  the  same 
way  as  it  is  given  to  idols.  By  "  this 
world"  is  meant  the  wicked  world  ;  or 
the  mass  of  men.  He  has  dominion 
over  the  world.     They  obey  his  will ; 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


7^ 


them  which  believe  not,  lest  the 
light  of   the  glorious  gospel  of 


they  execute  his  plans ;  they  further  his 
purposes,  and  they  are  his  obedient 
subjects.  He  had  subdued  the  world 
to  himself,  and  was  really  adored  in  the 
place  of  the  true  God.  See  Note  on  1 
Cor.  x.  20.  "  They  sacrificed  to  devils 
and  not  to  God."  Here  it  is  meant  by 
the  declaration  that  Satan  is  the  god  of 
this  world,  (1.)  That  the  world  at  large 
was  under  his  control  and  direction. 
He  secured  the  apostasy  of  man,  and 
early  brought  him  to  follow  his  plans ; 
and  he  has  maintained  his  sceptre  and 
dominion  since.  No  more  abject  sub- 
mission could  be  desired  by  him  than 
has  been  rendered  by  the  mass  of  men. 
(2.)  The  idolatrous  world  particularly 
is  under  his  control,  and  subject  to 
him.  1  Cor.  x.  20.  He  is  worshipped 
there;  and  the  religious  rites  and  cere- 
monies of  the  heathen  are  in  general 
just  such  as  a  mighty  being  who  hated 
human  happiness,  and  who  sought  pol- 
lution, obscenity,  wretchedness,  and 
blood  would  appoint ;  and  over  all  the 
heathen  world  his  power  is  absolute. 
In  the  time  of  Paul  all  the  world,  except 
the  Jews  and  Christians,  was  sunk  in 
heathen  degradation.  (3.)  He  rules  in 
the  hearts  and  lives  of  all  wicked  men — 
and  the  world  is  full  of  wicked  men. 
They  obey  him,  and  submit  to  his  will  in 
executing  fraud,  and  rapine,  and  piracy, 
and  murder,  and  adultery,  and  lewdness ; 
in  wars  and  fightings ;  in  their  amuse- 
ments and  pastimes ;  in  dishonesty  and 
falsehood.  The  dominion  of  Satan 
over  this  world  has  been,  and  is  still 
almost  universal  and  absolute  \  nor  has 
the  lapse  of  eighteen  hundred  years 
rendered  the  appellation  improper  as 
descriptive  of  his  influence,  that  he  is 
the  god  of  this  world.  The  world  pur- 
sues his  plans;  yields  to  his  tempta- 
tions ;  neglects,  or  rejects  the  reign  of 
God  as  he  pleases ;  and  submits  to  his 
sceptre,  and  is  still  full  of  abomination, 
cruelty,  and  pollution,  as  he  desires  it  to 
be.  \  Hath  blinded  i  he  minds  of  them 
7* 


Christ,    who   is  the  image  a  of 
God,  should  shine  unto  them. 

a  Jno.  1.  14, 18. 


which  believe  not.  Of  all  who  discern 
no  beauty  in  the  gospel,  and  who  reject 
it.  It  is  implied  here,  (1.)  That  the 
minds  of  unbelievers  are  blinded ;  that 
they  perceive  no  beauty  in  the  gospel. 
This  is  often  affirmed  of  those  who 
reject  the  gospel,  and  who  live  in  sin. 
See  Note  on  ch.  ii.  13.  Matt,  xxiii. 
16,  17.  26.  Luke  iv.  18.  John  ix. 
39  ;  xii.  40.  Rom.  xi.  7.  The  sense 
is,  that  they  did  not  see  the  spiritual 
beauty  and  glory  of  the  plan  of  redemp- 
tion. They  act  in  reference  to  that  as 
they  would  in  reference  to  this  world, 
if  a  bandage  were  over  their  eyes,  and 
they  saw  not  the  light  of  the  sun,  the 
beauty  of  the  landscape,  the  path  in 
which  they  should  go,  or  the  counte- 
nance of  a  friend.  All  is  dark,  and  ob- 
scure, and  destitute  of  beauty  to  them, 
however  much  beauty  may  be  seen  in 
all  these  objects  by  others.  (2.)  That 
this  is  done  by  the  agency  of  Satan  ;  and 
that  his  dominion  is  secured  by  keeping 
the  world  in  darkness.  The  affirmation 
is  direct  and  positive,  that  it  is  by  his 
agency  that  it  is  done.  Some  of  the 
modes  in  which  it  is  done  are  the  fol- 
lowing, (a)  By  a  direct  influence  on 
the  minds  of  men.  I  do  not  know  why 
it  is  absurd  to  suppose  that  one  intellect 
may,  in  some  way  unknown  to  us,  have 
access  to  another,  and  have  power  to 
influence  it ;  nor  can  it  be  proved  that 
Satan  may  not  have  power  to  pervert 
the  understanding ;  to  derange  its 
powers  ;  to  distract  its  attention  ;  and  to 
give  in  view  of  the  mind  a  wholly  de- 
lusive relative  importance  to  objects.  In 
the  time  of  the  Saviour  it  cannot  be 
doubted  that  in  the  numerous  cases  of 
demoniacal  possessions,  Satan  directly 
affected  the  minds  of  men ;  nor  is  there 
any  reason  to  think  that  he  has  ceased 
to  delude  and  destroy  them,  (b)  By 
the  false  philosophy  which  has  pre- 
vailed— a  large  part  of  which  seems  to 
have  been  contrived  as  if  on  purpose 
to  deceive  the  world,  and  destroy  the 


78 


IT.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


peace  and  happiness  of  men.  (c)  By 
the  systems  of  superstition  and  idolatry. 
All  these  seem  to  be  under  the  control 
of  one  master  mind.  They  are  so  well 
conceived  and  adapted  to  prostrate  the 
moral  powers;  to  fetter  the  intellect;  to 
pervert  the  will ;  to  make  men  debased, 
sunken,  polluted,  and  degraded;  and  they 
so  uniformly  accomplish  this  effect,  that 
they  have  all  the  marks  of  being  under 
the  control  of  one  mighty  mind,  and  of 
having  been  devised  to  accomplish  his 
purposes  over  men.  (d)  By  producing 
in  the  minds  of  men  a  wholly  dispro- 
portionate view  of  the  value  of  objects. 
A  very  small  object  held  before  the  eye 
will  shut  out  the  light  of  the  sun.  A 
piece  of  money  of  the  smallest  value 
laid  on  the  eye  will  make  every  thing 
appear  dark,  and  prevent  all  the  glory 
of  midday  from  reaching  the  seat  of 
vision.  And  so  it  is  with  the  things  of 
this  world.  They  are  placed  directly 
before  us,  and  are  placed  directly  be- 
tween us  and  the  glory  of  the  gospel. 
And  the  trifles  of  wealth  and  of  fashion ; 
the  objects  of  pleasure  and  ambition,  are 
made  to  assume  an  importance  in  view 
of  the  mind  which  wholly  excludes  the 
glory  of  the  gospel,  and  shuts  out  all 
the  realities  of  the  eternal  world.  And 
he  does  it  (e)  By  the  blinding  influence 
of  passion  and  vice.  Before  a  vicious 
mind  all  is  dark  and  obscure.  There 
is  no  beauty  in  truth,  in  chastity,  or 
honesty,  or  in  the  fear  and  love  of  God. 
Vice  always  renders  the  mind  blind,  and 
the  heart  hard,  and  shrouds  every  thing 
in  the  moral  world  in  midnight.  And 
in  order  to  blind  the  minds  of  men  to 
the  glory  of  the  gospel,  Satan  has  only 
to  place  splendid  schemes  of  speculation 
before  men  ;  to  tempt  them  to  climb  the 
steeps  of  ambition ;  to  entice  them  to 
scenes  of  gayety  ;  to  secure  the  erection 
of  theatres,  and  gambling  houses,  and 
houses  of  infamy  and  pollution  ;  to  fill 
the  cities  and  towns  of  a  land  with 
taverns  and  dram-shops;  and  to  give 
opportunity  everywhere  for  the  full 
play  and  unrestrained  indulgence  of 
passion;  and  the  glory  of  the  gospel 
will  be  as  effectually  unseen  as  the 
glory  of  the  sun  is  in  the  darkest  night. 


f    Lest  the  light,  &c.     This  passage 
states  the  design  for  which  Satan  blinds 
the  minds  of  men.      It  is  because  he 
hates  the  gospel,  and  wishes  to  prevent 
its  influence  and  spread  in  the  world. 
Satan  has  always  hated  and  opposed  it, 
and  all  his  arts  have  been  employed  to 
arrest  its  diffusion  on  earth.     The  word 
light  here   means   excellence,   beauty, 
or  splendour.     Light  is  the  emblem  of 
knowledge,  purity,  or  innocence;  and 
is  here    and   elsewhere  applied  to  the 
gospel,  because  it  removes  the  errors, 
and  sins,  and  wretchedness  of  men,  as 
the  light  of  the  sun  scatters  the  shades 
of  night.     This  purpose  of  preventing 
the  light  of  the  gospel  shining  on  men, 
Satan  will  endeavour  to  accomplish  by 
all  the  means  in  his  power.     It  is  his 
grand  object  in  this  world,  because  it  is 
by  the  gospel  only  that  man  can   be 
saved ;  by  that  that  God  is  glorified  on 
earth  more  than  by  any  thing  else  ;  and 
because,   therefore,  if  he  can    prevent 
sinners    from  embracing  that,  he  will 
secure  their  destruction,  and  most  ef- 
fectually show  his  hatred  of  God.    And 
it  is  to  Satan  a  matter  of  little  impor- 
tance what  men  may  be,  or  are,  pro- 
vided they  are  not  Christians.     They 
may  be  amiable,  moral,  accomplished, 
rich,  honoured,  esteemed  by  the  world, 
because  in  the  possession  of  all  these 
he  may  be  equally  sure  of  their  ruin,  and 
because,  also,  these  things  may  contri- 
bute   somewhat   to  turn    away    their 
minds  from  the  gospel.     Satan,  there- 
fore, will  not  oppose  plans  of  gain  or 
ambition ;  he  will  not  oppose  purposes 
of  fashion  and  amusement ;  he  may  not 
oppose  schemes  by  which  we  desire  to 
rise  in  the  world ;  he  will  not  oppose 
the   theatre,  the  ball-room,  the  dance, 
or    the    song  ;     he   will    not    oppose 
thoughtless  mirth ;  but  the  moment  the 
gospel  begins  to  shine  on  the  benighted 
mind,  that  moment  he  will  make  resist- 
ance, and  then  all  his   power  will  be 
concentrated.     ^    The  glorious  gospel 
Gr.  '  The  gospel  of  the  glory  of  Christ,' 
a   Hebraism   for   the   glorious    gospel 
Mr.    Locke   renders   it,   "  the   glorious 
brightness  of  the  light  of  the  gospel  of 
Christ,"   and  supposes  it  means    tho 


A.  D.  60  ] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


79 


5    For   we  preach  not    our- 
selves,  but    Christ    Jesus    the 


brightness,  or  clearness,  of  the  doctrine 
wherein  Christ  is  manifested  in  the 
gospel. — It  is  all  light,  and  splendour, 
and  beauty,  compared  with  the  dark 
systems  of  philosophy  and  heathenism. 
It  is  glorious,  for  it  is  full  of  splendour ; 
makes  known  the  glorious  God;  dis- 
closes a  glorious  plan  of  salvation ;  and 
conducts  ignorant,  weak,  and  degraded 
man  to  a  world  of  light.  No  two  words 
in  our  language  are  so  full  of  rich  and 
precious  meaning,  as  the  phrase  "  glo- 
rious gospel."  If  Who  is  the  image 
of  God.  Christ  is  called  the  image  of 
God,  (1.)  In  respect  to  his  divine  nature, 
his  exact  resemblance  to  God  in  his 
divine  attributes  and  perfections.  See 
Col.  i.  15,  and  Heb.  i.  3  ;  and,  (2.)  In 
his  moral  attributes  as  Mediator,  as 
showing  forth  the  glory  of  the  Father 
to  men.  He  resembles  God,  and  in  him 
we  see  the  divine  glory  and  perfections 
embodied,  and  shine  forth.  It  is  from 
his  resemblance  to  God  in  all  respects 
that  he  is  called  his  image ;  and  it  is 
through  him  that  the  divine  perfections 
are  made  known  to  men. — It  is  an  ob- 
ject of  especial  dislike  and  hatred  to 
Satan  that  the  glory  of  Christ,  who  is 
the  image  of  God,  should  shine  on  men, 
and  fill  their  hearts.  Satan  hates  that 
image;  he  hates  that  men  should  be- 
come like  God ;  and  he  hates  all  that 
has  a  resemblance  to  the  great  and  glo- 
rious Jehovah. 

5.  For  we  preach  not  ourselves.  The 
connexion  here  is  not  very  apparent, 
and  the  design  of  this  verse  has  been 
variously  understood.  The  connexion 
seems  to  me  to  be  this.  Paul  gives  here 
a  reason  for  what  he  had  said  in  the 
previous  parts  of  the  epistle  respecting 
his  conduct  in  the  ministry.  He  had 
said  that  his  course  had  been  open,  and 
pure,  and  free  from  all  dishonest  arts 
and  tricks,  and  that  he  had  not  cor- 
rupted the  word  of  God,  or  resorted  to 
any  artifice  to  accomplish  his  designs. 
Ch.  ii.  17;  iv.  1,  2.  The  reason  of  this 
he  here  says  is,  that  he  had  not  preach- 


Lord ;  and  ourserves  your  ser- 
vants for  Jesus'  sake. 


ed  himself,  or  sought  to  advance  his 
own  interest  He  regarded  himself  as 
sent  to  make  known  a  Saviour ;  himself 
as  bound  by  all  means  to  promote  his 
cause,  and  to  imitate  him.  Other  men 
— the  false  teachers,  and  the  cunning 
priests  of  the  heathen  religion — sought 
to  advance  their  own  interest,  and  to  per- 
petuate a  system  of  delusion  that  would 
be  profitable  to  themselves ;  and  they 
therefore  resorted  to  all  arts,  and  stra- 
tagems, and  cunning  devices  to  per- 
petuate their  authority,  and  extend  their 
influence.  But  the  fact  that  Paul  and 
his  associates  went  forth  to  make  known 
the  Lord  Jesus,  was  a  reason  why  they 
avoided  all  such  dishonest  arts  and 
artifices.  *.  We  are  merely  the  ambas- 
sadors of  another.  We  are  not  princi- 
pals in  this  business,  and  do  not  de- 
spatch it  as  a  business  of  our  own,  but  we 
transact  it  as  the  agents  for  another,  i.  e. 
for  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  we  feel  ourselves 
bound,  therefore,  to  do  it  as  he  would 
have  done  it  himself;  and  as  he  was 
free  from  all  trick,  and  dishonest  art,  we 
feel  bound  to  be  also.'  This  seems  to 
me  to  be  the  design  of  this  passage. 
Ministers  may  be  said  to  preach  them 
selves  in  the  following  ways.  (1.) 
When  their  preaching  has  a  primary 
reference  to  their  own  interest ;  and 
when  they  engage  in  it  to  advance  their 
reputation,  or  to  secure  in  some  way 
their  own  advantage.  When  they  aim 
at  exalting  their  authority,  extending 
their  influence,  or  in  any  way  promot- 
ing their  own  welfare.  (2.)  When 
they  proclaim  their  own  opinions  and 
not  the  gospel  of  Christ;  when  they  de- 
rive their  doctrines  from  their  own 
reasonings,  and  not  from  the  Bible. 
(3.)  When  they  put  themselves  for- 
ward ;  speak  much  of  themselves ;  refer 
often  to  themselves;  are  vain  of  their 
powers  of  reasoning,  of  their  eloquence, 
and  of  their  learning,  and  seek  to  make 
these  known  rather  than  the  simple 
truth  of  the  gospel.  In  one  word,  when 
self  is  primary,  and  the  gospel  is   se- 


80 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


condary ;  when  they  prostitute  the  minis- 
try to  gain  popularity ;  to  live  a  life  of 
ease ;  to  be  respected ;  to  obtain  a  liveli- 
hood ;  to  gain  influence ;  to  rule  over  a 
people ;  and  to  make  the  preaching  of 
the  gospel  merely  an  occasion  of  advanc- 
ing themselves  in  the  world. — Such  a 
plan,  it  is  implied  here,  would  lead  to 
dishonest  arts  and  devices,  and  to  trick 
and  stratagem  to  accomplish  the  end  in 
view.  And  it  is  implied  here,  also,  that 
to  avoid  all  such  tricks  and  arts  the  true 
way  is  not  to  preach  ourselves,  but  Jesus 
Christ.  K  But  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord. 
This  Paul  states  to  be  the  only  purpose 
of  the  ministry.  It  is  so  far  the  sole 
design  of  the  ministry  that  had  it  not 
been  to  make  known  the  Lord  Jesus,  it 
would  never  have  been  established  ;  and 
whatever  other  objects  are  secured  by  its 
appointment,  and  whatever  other  truths 
are  to  be  illustrated  and  enforced  by  the 
ministry,  yet,  if  this  is  not  the  primary 
subject,  and  if  every  other  object  is  not 
made  subservient  to  this,  the  design  of 
the  ministry  is  not  secured.  The  word 
"  Christ"  properly  means  the  anointed, 
i.  e.  the  Messiah,  the  anointed  of  God  for 
this  great  office  (see  Note,  Matt.  i.  1) ; 
but  it  is  used  in  the  New  Testament  as 
a  proper  name,  the  name  that  was  ap- 
propriate to  Jesus.  Still  it  may  be  used 
with  a  reference  to  the  fact  of  the  Mes- 
siahship,  and  not  merely  as  a  proper 
name,  and  in  this  place  it  may  mean 
that  they  preached  Jesus  as  the  Messiah, 
or  the  Christ,  and  defended  his  claims 
to  that  high  appointment.  The  word 
"Lord"  also  is  used  to  designate  him 
(Mark  xi.  3.  John  xx.  25) ;  and  when 
it  stands  by  itself  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, it  denotes  the  Lord  Jesus  (Note, 
Acts  i.  24)  ;  but  it  properly  denotes  one 
who  has  rule  or  authority,  or  proprietor- 
ship ;  and  it  is  used  here  not  merely  as 
a  part  of  the  appropriate  title  of  the  Sa- 
viour, but  with  reference  to  the  fact 
that  he  had  the  supreme  headship,  or 
lordship  over  the  church  and  the  world. 
This  important  passage,  therefore, 
means,  that  they  made  it  their  sole  busi- 
ness to  make  known  Jesus  the  Messiah, 
or  the  Christ,  as  the  supreme  head  and 
Lord  of  people ;  i.  e.  to  set  forth  the 


Messiahship  and  the  lordship  of  Jesus 
of  Nazareth,  appointed  to  these  high 
offices  by  God.  To  do  this,  or  to  preach 
Jesus  Christ  the  Lord,  implies  the  fol- 
lowing things.  (1.)  To  prove  that  he 
is  the  Messiah  so  often  predicted  in  the 
Old  Testament,  and  so  long  expected 
by  the  Jewish  people.  To  do  this  was 
a  very  vital  part  of  the  work  of  the 
ministry  in  the  time  of  the  apostles,  and 
was  essential  to  their  success  in  all  their 
attempts  to  convert  the  Jews ;  and  to  do 
this  will  be  no  less  important  in  all 
attempts  to  bring  the  Jews  now  or 
in  future  times  to  the  knowledge  of  the 
truth.  No  man  can  be  successful 
among  them  who  is  not  able  to  prove 
that  Jesus  is  the  Messiah. — It  is  not 
indeed  so  vital  and  leading  a  point 
now  in  reference  to  those  to  whom  the 
ministers  of  the  gospel  usually  preach ; 
and  it  is  probable  that  the  importance 
of  this  argument  is  by  many  overlooked, 
and  that  it  is  not  urged  as  it  should  be 
by  those  who  "  preach  Christ  Jesus  the 
Lord."  It  involves  the  whole  argu- 
ment for  the  truth  of  Christianity.  It 
leads  to  all  the  demonstrations  that  this 
religion  is  from  God  ;  and  the  establish- 
ment of  the  proposition  that  Jesus  is  the 
Messiah,  is  one  of  the  most  direct  and 
certain  ways  of  proving  that  his  religion 
is  from  heaven.  For  (a)  It  contains 
the  argument  from  the  fulfilment  of  the 
prophecies — one  of  the  main  evidences 
of  the  truth  of  revelation;  and  (b)  It 
involves  an  examination  of  all  the  evi- 
dences that  Jesus  gave  that  he  was  the 
Messiah  sent  from  God,  and  of  course 
an  examination  of  all  the  miracles  that 
he  wrought  in  attestation  of  his  divine 
mission.  The  first  object  of  a  preacher, 
therefore,  is  to  demonstrate  that  Jesus  is 
sent  from  God  in  accordance  with  the 
predictions  of  the  prophets.  (2.)  To 
proclaim  the  truths  that  he  taught.  To 
make  known  his  sentiments,  and  his 
doctrines,  and  not  our  own.  This  in- 
cludes, of  course,  all  that  he  taught 
respecting  God,  and  respecting  man; 
all  that  he  taught  respecting  his  own 
nature,  and  the  design  of  his  coming , 
all  that  he  taught  respecting  the  charac- 
ter of  the  human  heart,  and  about  hu- 


AD.  60.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


81 


man  obligation  and  duty ;  all  that  he 
taught  respecting  death,  the  judgment, 
and  eternity — respecting  an  eternal 
heaven,  and  an  eternal  hell.  To  ex- 
plain, enforce,  and  vindicate  his  doc- 
trines, is  one  great  design  of  the  minis- 
try ;  and  were  there  nothing  else,  this 
would  be  a  field  sufficiently  ample  to 
employ  the  life ;  sufficiently  glorious  to 
employ  the  best  talents  of  man.  The 
minister  of  the  gospel  is  to  teach  the 
sentiments  and  doctrines  of  Jesus  Christ, 
in  contradistinction  from  all  his  own 
sentiments,  and  from  all  the  doctrines 
of  mere  philosophy.  He  is  not  to  teach 
science,  or  mere  morals,  but  he  is  to 
proclaim  and  defend  the  doctrines  of  the 
Redeemer.  (3.)  He  is  to  make  known 
the  facts  of  the  Saviour's  life.  He  is  to 
show  how  he  lived — to  hold  up  his  ex- 
ample in  all  the  trying  circumstances  in 
which  he  was  placed.  For  he  came  to 
show  by  his  life  what  the  law  required  ; 
and  to  show  how  men  should  live. 
And  it  is  the  office  of  the  Christian 
ministry,  or  a  part  of  their  work  in 
preaching  "  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord,"  to 
show  how  he  lived,  and  to  set  forth  his 
self-denial,  his  meekness,  his  purity,  his 
blameless  life,  his  spirit  of  prayer,  his 
submission  to  the  divine  will,  his  pa- 
tience in  suffering,  his  forgiveness  of 
his  enemies,  his  tenderness  to  the  af- 
flicted, the  weak,  and  the  tempted; 
and  the  manner  of  his  death.  Were 
this  all,  it  would  be  enough  to  employ 
the  whole  of  a  minister's  life,  and  to 
command  the  best  talents  of  the  world. 
For  he  was  the  only  perfectly  pure  mo- 
del ;  and  his  example  is  to  be  followed 
by  all  his  people,  and  his  example  is 
designed  to  exert  a  deep  and  wide  in- 
fluence on  the  world.  Piety  flourishes 
just  in  proportion  as  the  pure  example 
of  Jesus  Christ  is  kept  before  a  people; 
and  the  world  is  made  happier  and 
better  just  as  that  example  is  kept  con- 
stantly in  view.  To  the  gay  and  the 
thoughtless,  the  ministers  of  the  gospel 
are  to  show  how  serious  and  calm  was 
the  Redeemer;  to  the  worldly-minded, 
to  show  how  he  lived  above  the  world ; 
to  the  avaricious,  how  benevolent  he 
was ;  to  the  profane  and  licentious,  how 


pure  he  was ;  to  the  tempted,  how  he 
endured  temptation ;  to  the  afflicted,  how 
patient  and  resigned  ;  to  the  dying,  how 
he  died  : — to  all,  to  show  how  holy,  and 
heavenly-minded,  and  prayerful,  and 
pure  he  was  ;  in  order  that  they  may  be 
won  to  the  same  purity,  and  be  prepared 
to  dwell  with  him  in  his  kingdom.  (4.) 
To  set  forth  the  design  of  his  death.  To 
show  why  he  came  to  die ;  and  what 
was  the  great  object  to  be  effected  by 
his  sufferings  and  death.  To  exhibit, 
therefore,  the  sorrows  of  his  life ;  to 
describe  his  many  trials ;  to  dwell  upon 
his  sufferings  in  the  garden  of  Geth- 
semane,  and  on  the  cross.  To  show 
why  he  died,  and  what  was  to  be  the 
influence  of  his  death  on  the  destiny  of 
man.  To  show  how  it  makes  an  atone- 
ment for  sin  ;  how  it  reconciles  God  to 
man  ;  how  it  is  made  efficacious  in  the 
justification  and  the  sanctification  of 
the  sinner.  And  were  there  nothing 
else,  this  would  be  sufficient  to  employ 
all  the  time,  and  the  best  talents  in  the 
ministry.  I  or  the  salvation  of  the  soul 
depends  on  the  proper  exhibition  of  the 
design  of  the  death  of  the  Redeemer. 
There  is  no  salvation  but  through  his 
blood ;  and  hence  the  nature  and  design 
of  his  atoning  sacrifice  is  to  be  exhi- 
bited to  every  man,  and  the  offers  of 
mercy  through  that  death  to  be  pressed 
upon  the  attention  of  every  sinner.  (5.) 
To  set  forth  the  truth  and  the  design 
of  his  resurrection.  To  prove  that  he 
rose  from  the  dead,  and  that  he  ascend- 
ed to  heaven ;  and  to  show  the  influence 
of  his  resurrection  on  our  hopes  and 
destiny.  The  whole  structure  of  Chris- 
tianity is  dependent  on  making  out  the 
fact  that  he  rose ;  and  if  he  rose,  all  the 
difficulties  in  the  doctrine  of  the  resur- 
rection of  the  dead  are  removed  at  once, 
and  his  people  will  also  rise.  The  in- 
fluence of  that  fact,  therefore,  on  our 
hopes  and  on  our  prospects  for  eternity, 
is  to  be  shown  by  the  ministry  of  the 
gospel;  and  were  there  nothing  else, 
this  would  be  ample  to  command  all 
the  time,  and  the  best  talents  of  the 
ministry.  (6.)  To  proclaim  him  as 
"  Lord."  This  is  expressly  specified  i* 
the  passage  before  us.     "  For  we  preach 


82 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


Christ  Jesus  the  Loiid  ;"  we  proclaim 
him  as  the  Lord.  That  is,  he  is  to  be 
preached  as  having  dominion  over  the 
conscience;  as  the  supreme  Ruler  in 
his  Church ;  as  above  all  councils,  and 
synods,  and  conferences,  and  all  human 
authority  ;  as  having  a  right  to  legislate 
for  his  people  ;  a  right  to  prescribe  their 
mode  of  worship ;  a  right  to  define  and 
determine  the  doctrines  which  they 
shall  believe.  He  is  to  be  proclaimed 
also  as  ruling  over  all,  and  as  exalted 
in  his  mediatorial  character  over  all 
worlds,  and  as  having  all  things  put  be- 
neath his  feet.  Ps.  ii.  6.  Isa.ix.6,7.  Matt 
xxviii.  1 8.  John  xvii.  2.  Eph.  i.  20.  Heb. 
ii.  8.  ^  And  ourselves  your  servants, 
&c.  So  far  as  we  make  any  mention 
of  ourselves,  it  is  to  declare  that  we  are 
your  servants,  and  that  we  are  bound  to 
promote  your  welfare  in  the  cause  and 
for  the  sake  of  the  Redeemer.  That  is, 
they  were  their  servants  in  all  things  in 
which  they  could  advance  the  interests 
of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom  among 
them.  The  doctrine  is,  that  they  re- 
garded themselves  as  under  obligation 
not  to  seek  their  own  interest,  or  to 
build  up  their  own  reputation  and  cause, 
but  to  seek  the  welfare  of  the  church ; 
and  promote  its  interests,  as  a  servant 
does  that  of  his  master.  They  should 
not  seek  to  lord  it  over  God's  heritage, 
and  to  claim  supreme  and  independent 
authority.  They  were  not  masters  but 
servants.  The  church  at  large  was  the 
master,  and  they  were  its  servants.  This 
implies  the  following  things.  (1.)  That 
the  time  of  ministers  belongs  to  the 
church,  and  should  be  employed  in  its 
welfare.  It  is  not  their  own ;  and  it  is 
not  to  be  employed  in  farming,  or  in 
speculating,  or  in  trafficking,  or  in 
idleness,  or  in  lounging,  or  in  unpro- 
fitable visiting,  or  in  mere  science,  or 
in  reading  or  making  books  that  will 
not  advance  the  interests  of  the  church. 
The  time  of  the  ministry  is  not  for  ease, 
or  ambition,  or  self-indulgence,  but  is  to 
promote  the  interests  of  the  body  of 
Christ.  So  Paul  felt,  and  so  he  lived. 
(2.)  Their  talents  belong  to  the  church. 
All  their  original  talents,  and  all  that 
they  can  acquire,  should   be  honestly 


devoted  to  the  welfare  of  the  church  of 
the  Redeemer.  (3.)  Their  best  efforts  and 
plans,  the  avails  of  their  best  thoughts 
and  purposes,  belong  to  the  church,  and 
should  be  honestly  devoted  to  it.  Their 
strength,  and  vigour,  and  influence 
should  be  devoted  to  it,  as  the  vigour, 
and  strength,  and  talent,  and  skill  of ,  a 
servant  belong  to  the  master.  See  Ps. 
cxxxvii.  5,  6.  The  language  of  the 
ministry,  as  of  every  Christian,  should  be: 

I  love  thy  church,  O  God, 
Her  walls  before  thee  stand, 

Dear  as  the  apple  of  thine  eye, 
And  graven  on  thy  hand. 

If  e'er  to  bless  thy  sons 

My  voice  or  hands  deny, 
These  hands  let  useful  skill  forsake, 

This  voice  in  silence  die. 

If  e'er  my  heart  forget 

Her  welfare  or  her  wo, 
Let  every  joy  this  heart  forsake, 

And  every  grief  o'erflow. 

For  her  my  tears  shall  fall, 
For  her  my  prayers  ascend, 

To  her  my  cares  and  toils  be  given. 
Till  toils  and  cares  shall  end. 

And  it  implies,  (4.)  That  they  are  the 
servants  of  the  church  in  time  of  trial, 
temptation,  and  affliction.  They  are  to 
devote  themselves  to  the  comfort  of  the 
afflicted.  They  are  to  be  the  guide  to 
the  perplexed.  They  are  to  aid  the 
tempted.  They  are  to  comfort  those 
that  mourn,  and  they  are  to  sustain  and 
console  the  dying.  They  are  to  regard 
themselves  as  the  servants  of  the  church 
to  accomplish  these  great  objects ;  and 
are  to  be  willing  to  deny  themselves, 
and  to  take  up  their  cross,  and  to  con- 
secrate their  time  to  the  advancement 
of  these  great  interests.  And  they  are, 
in  all  respects,  to  devote  their  time,  and 
talents,  and  influence  to  the  welfare  of 
the  church,  with  as  much  single-mind- 
edness  as  the  servant  is  to  seek  the 
interest  of  his  master.  It  was  in  this 
way  eminently  that  Paul  was  favoured 
with  the  success  with  which  God 
blessed  him  in  the  ministry ;  and  so 
every  minister  will  be  successful,  just 
in  proportion  to  the  single-mindedness 
with  which  he  devotes  himself  to  the 
work  of  preaching  Jesus  Christ  thb 
Lord. 


A.  D.  60.] 


6  For  God,  who  commanded  ° 

a  Ge.  1.  3. 


CHAPTER  IV.  83 

the  liofht  to  shine  out  of  darkness, 


6.  For  God,  who  commanded,  &c. 
The  design  of  this  verse  seems  to  be,  to 
give  a  reason  why  Paul  and  his  fellow- 
apostles  did  not  preach  themselves,  but 
Jesus  Christ  the  Lord.  ver.  5.  That 
reason  was,  that  their  minds  had  been 
so  illuminated  by  that  God  who  had 
commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of 
darkness,  that  they  had  discerned  the 
glory  of  the  divine  perfections  shining 
in  and  through  the  Redeemer,  and  they 
therefore  gave  themselves  to  the  work 
of  making  him  known  among  men. 
The  doctrines  which  they  preached  they 
had  not  derived  from  men  in  any  form. 
They  had  not  been  elaborated  by  human 
reasoning  or  science,  nor  had  they  been 
imparted  by  tradition.  They  had  been 
communicated  directly  by  the  source  of 
all  light — the  true  God — who  had 
shined  into  the  hearts  that  were  once 
benighted  by  sin.  Having  been  thus 
illuminated,  they  had  felt  themselves 
bound  to  go  and  make  known  to  others 
the  truths  which  God  had  imparted  to 
them.  \  Who  commanded  the  light, 
&c.  Gen.  i.  3.  God  caused  it  to  shine 
by  his  simple  command.  He  said  "  let 
there  be  light,  and  there  was  light." 
The  fact  that  it  was  produced  by  his 
saying  so  is  referred  to  here  by  Paul  by 
nis  use  of  the  phrase  (o  tlvrlv)  "  Who 
saying,"  or  speaking  the  light  to  shine 
from  darkness.  The  passage  in  Genesis 
is  adduced  by  Longinus  as  a  striking 
instance  of  the  sublime,  t  Hath  shined 
in  our  hearts.  Marg.  "It  is  he  who 
hath."  This  is  more  in  accordance 
with  the  Greek,  and  the  sense  is, 
'  The  God  who  at  the  creation  bade 
the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  is  he 
who  has  shined  into  our  hearts ;  or  it  is 
the  same  God  who  has  illuminated  us, 
who  commanded  the  light  to  shine  at 
the  creation.'  Light  is  everywhere  in 
the  Bible  the  emblem  of  knowledge, 
purity,  and  truth ;  as  darkness  is  the 
emblem  of  ignorance,  error,  sin,  and 
wretchedness.  See  Note,  John  i.  4,  5. 
And  the  sense  here  is,  that  God  had 
removed  this  ignorance,  and  poured  a 


flood  of  light  and  truth  on  their  minds. 
This  passage  teaches,  therefore,  the 
following  important  truths  in  regard  to 
Christians — since  it  is  as  applicable  to 
all  Christians,  as  it  was  to  the  apostles. 
(1.)  That  the  mind  is  by  nature  igno- 
rant and  benighted — to  an  extent  which 
may  be  properly  compared  with  the 
darkness  which  prevailed  before  God 
commanded  the  light  to  shine.  Indeed, 
the  darkness  which  prevailed  before  the 
light  was  formed,  was  a  most  striking 
emblem  of  the  darkness  which  exists  in 
the  mind  of  man  before  it  is  enlightened 
by  revelation,  and  by  the  Holy  Spirit. 
For  (a)  In  all  minds  by  nature  there  is 
deep  ignorance  of  God,  of  his  law,  and 
his  requirements  ;  and  (b)  This  is  often 
greatly  deepened  by  the  course  of  life 
which  men  lead;  by  their  education;  or 
by  their  indulgence  in  sin,  and  by  their 
plans  of  life ;  and  especially  by  the  in- 
dulgence of  evil  passions.  The  ten- 
dency of  man  if  left  to  himself  is  to 
plunge  into  deeper  darkness,  and  to 
involve  his  mind  more  entirely  in  the 
obscurity  of  moral  midnight.  "  Light 
is  come  into  the  world,  and  men  loved 
darkness  rather  than  light,  because  their 
deeds  were  evil."  John  iii.  19.  (2.) 
This  verse  teaches  the  fact,  that  the 
minds  of  Christians  are  illuminated. 
They  are  enabled  to  see  things  as  they 
are.  This  fact  is  often  taught  in  the 
Scriptures.  See  1  John  ii.  20.  1  Cor. 
ii.  12 — 15.  They  have  different  views 
of  things  from  their  fellow-men,  and 
different  from  what  they  once  had. 
They  perceive  a  beauty  in  religion 
which  others  do  not  see,  and  a  glory  in 
truth,  and  in  the  Saviour,  and  in  the 
promises  of  the  gospel,  which  they  did 
not  see  before  they  were  converted. 
This  does  not  mean  (a)  That  they  are 
superior  in  their  powers  of  understand- 
ing to  other  men — for  the  reverse  is 
often  the  fact ;  nor  (b)  That  the  effect 
of  religion  is  at  once  to  enlarge  their 
own  intellectual  powers,  and  make  them, 
different  from  what  they  were  before  in 
this  respect.  But  it  means  that  they  have 


84 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


1  hath  shined  in  our  hearts,  to 
give  the  light  of  the  knowledge 


it  is  he  who  hath. 


clear  and  consistent  views ;  they  look  at 
things  as  they  are ;  they  perceive  a  beauty 
in  religion  and  in  the  service  of  God  which 
they  did  not  before.  They  see  a  beauty  in 
the  Bible,  and  in  the  doctrines  of  the  Bible, 
which  thoy  did  not  before,  and  which  sin- 
ners do  not  see.  The  temperate  man  will 
see  a  beauty  in  temperance,  and  in  an  ar- 
gument for  temperance,  which  the  drunk- 
ard will  not ;  the  benevolent  man  will  see  a 
beauty  in  benevolence  which  the  churl 
will  not;  and  so  of  honesty,  truth,  and 
chastity.  And  especially  will  a  man  who 
\&  reformed  from  intemperance,  impurity, 
dishonesty,  and  avarice,  see  a  beauty  in  a 
virtuous  life  which  he  did  not  before  see. 
There  is  indeed  no  immediate  and  direct 
enlargement  of  the  intellect ;  but  there  is 
an  effect  on  the  heart  which  produces  an 
appropriate  and  indirect  effect  on  the  un- 
derstanding. It  is  at  the  same  time  true, 
that  the  practice  of  virtue,  that  a  pure 
heart,  and  that  the  cultivation  of  piety  ail 
tend  to  regulate,  strengthen,  and  expand 
the  intellect,  as  the  ways  of  vice  and  the 
indulgence  of  evil  passions  and  propensi- 
ties tend  to  enfeeble,  paralyze,  darken, 
and  ruin  the  understanding;  so  that, 
other  things  being  equal,  the  man  of 
most  decided  virtue,  and  most  calm  and 
elevated  piety,  will  be  the  man  of  the 
clearest  and  best  regulated  mind.  His 
powers  will  be  most  assiduously,  care- 
fully, and  conscientiously  cultivated, 
and  he  will  feel  himself  bound  to  make 
the  most  of  them. — The  influence  of 
piety  in  giving  light  to  the  mind  is 
often  strikingly  manifested  among  un- 
lettered and  ignorant  Christians.  It 
often  happens,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  that 
they  have  by  far  clearer,  and  more  just 
and  elevated  views  of  truth  than  men 
of  the  most  mighty  intellects,  and  most 
highly  cultivated  by  science  and  adorned 
with  learning,  but  who  have  no  piety ; 
and  a  practical  acquaintance  with  their 
own  hearts,  and  a  practical  experience 
of  the  power  of  religion  in  the  days  of 
temptation  and  trial  is  a  better  en- 
lightener  of  the  mind  on  the  subject  of 


of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face 
of  Jesus  Christ. 


religion  than  all  the  learning  of  the 
schools.  (3.)  This  verse  teaches,  that 
it  is  the  same  God  who  enlightens  the 
mind  of  the  Christian  that  commanded 
the  light  at  first  to  shine.  He  is  the 
source  of  all  light.  He  formed  the 
light  in  the  natural  world  ;  he  gives  all 
light  and  truth  on  all  subjects  to  the 
understanding ;  and  he  imparts  all  cor- 
rect views  of  truth  to  the  heart.  Light 
is  not  originated  by  man ;  and  man  on 
the  subject  of  religion  no  more  creates 
the  light  which  beams  upon  his  be- 
nighted mind  than  he  created  the  light 
of  the  sun  when  it  first  shed  its  beams 
over  the  darkened  earth.  "  All  truth  is 
from  the  sempiternal  source  of  light  di- 
vine ;"  and  it  is  no  more  the  work  of  man 
to  enlighten  the  mind,  and  dissipate  the 
darkness  from  the  soul  of  a  benighted 
sinner,  than  it  was  of  man  to  scatter  the 
darkness  that  brooded  over  the  creation, 
or  than  he  can  now  turn  the  shades  of 
midnight  to  noonday.  All  this  work 
lies  beyond  the  proper  province  of  man ; 
and  is  all  to  be  traced  to  the  agency  of 
God — the  great  fountain  of  light.  (4.) 
It  is  taught  here  that  it  is  the  same 
power  that  gives  light  to  the  mind  of 
the  Christian  which  at  first  commanded 
the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness.  It 
requires  the  exertion  of  the  same  Omni- 
potence ;  and  the  change  is  often  as 
remarkable,  and  surprising. — Nothing 
can  be  conceived  to  be  more  grand  than 
the  first  creation  of  light — when  by  one 
word  the  whole  solar  system  was  in  a 
blaze.  And  nothing  in  the  moral  world 
is  more  grand  than  when  by  a  word 
God  commands  the  light  to  beam  on  the 
soul  of  a  benighted  sinner.  Night  is  at 
once  changed  to  day  ;  and  all  things  are 
seen  in  a  blaze  of  glory.  The  works 
of  God  appear  different;  the  word  of 
God  appears  different ;  and  a  new  as- 
pect of  beauty  is  diffused  over  all  things. 
— If  it  be  asked  in  what  wax  God 
thus  imparts  light  to  the  mind,  we  may 
reply,  (1.)  By  his  written  and  preached 
word.     All  spiritual  and  saving  light  to 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


85 


the  minds  of  men  has  come  through  his 
revealed  truth.  Nor  does  the  Spirit  of 
God  now  give  or  reveal  any  light  to 
the  mind  which  is  not  to  be  found  in 
the  word  of  God,  and  which  is  not  im- 
parted through  that  medium.  (2.) 
God  makes  use  of  his  providential  deal- 
ings to  give  light  to  the  minds  of  men. 
They  are  then,  by  sickness,  disappoint- 
ment, and  pain,  made  to  see  the  folly 
and  vanity  of  the  things  of  this  world, 
and  to  see  the  necessity  of  a  better  por- 
tion. (3.)  It  is  done  especially  and 
mainly  by  the  influences  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  It  is  directly  by  his  agency  that 
the  heart  becomes  affected,  and  the  mind 
enlightened.  It  is  his  province  in  the 
world  to  prepare  the  heart  to  receive  the 
truth ;  to  dispose  the  mind  to  attend  to 
it;  to  remove  the  obstructions  which 
existed  to  its  clear  perception  ;  to  enable 
the  mind  clearly  to  see  the  beauty  of 
truth,  and  of  the  plan  of  salvation 
through  a  Redeemer.  And  whatever 
may  be  the  means  which  may  be  used, 
it  is  still  true  that  it  is  only  by  the  Spirit 
of  God  that  men  are  ever  brought  to  see 
the  truth  clearly  and  brightly.  The 
same  Spirit  that  inspired  the  prophets 
and  apostles  also  illuminates  the  minds 
of  men  now,  removes  the  darkness 
from  their  minds,  and  enables  them 
clearly  to  discover  the  truth  as  it  is  in 
Jesus.  See  Notes,  1  Cor.  ii.  10 — 15. 
t  To  give  the  light  of  the  knowledge 
of  the  glory  of  God.  This  shows  the 
object,  or  the  effect  of  enlightening  the 
mind.  It  is  that  Christians  may  behold 
the  divine  glory.  The  meaning  is,  that 
it  is  for  the  purpose  of  enlightening  and 
instructing  them  concerning  the  know- 
ledge of  the  glory  of  God. — Bloomfield. 
Doddridge  renders  it,  "  the  lustre  of  the 
knowledge  of  God's  glory."  Tindal, 
"  to  give  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of 
the  glorious  God."  The  sense  is,  that 
the  purpose  of  his  shining  into  their 
hearts  was  to  give  light  {jr^z  ipurtcrjuov) 
i.  e.  unto  the  enlightening ;  and  the  pur- 
pose of  that  light  was  to  acquaint  them 
with  the  knowledge  of  the  divine  glory. 
\  In  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ.  That 
is,  that  they  might  obtain  the  knowledge 
of  the  divine  glory  as  it  shines  in  the 


face  of  Jesus  Christ;  or  as  it  is  reflected 
on  the  face,  or  the  person  of  the  Re- 
deemer.— There  is  undoubted  allusion 
here  to  what  is  said  of  Moses  (ch.  iii. 
13)  when  the  divine  glory  was  reflected 
on  his  face,  and  produced  such  a  splen- 
dour and  magnificence  that  the  children 
of  Israel  could  not  steadfastly  look  upon 
it.  The  sense  here  is,  that  in  the  face 
or  the  person  of  Jesus  Christ  the  glory 
of  God  shone  clearly,  and  the  divinity 
appeared  without  a  vail.  The  divine 
perfections,  as  it  were,  illuminated  him, 
as  the  face  of  Moses  was  illuminated ; 
or  they  shone  forth  through  him,  and 
were  seen  in  him.  The  word  rendered 
"  face"  here  (^ot^ttoi')  may  mean  either 
face  or  person.  See  Note,  ch.  ii.  10. 
The  sense  is  not  materially  affected 
whichever  translation  is  preferred.  It 
is,  that  the  divine  perfections  shone  in 
and  through  the  Redeemer.  This  re- 
fers doubtless  to  the  following  truths. 
(1.)  That  the  glory  of  the  divine  nature 
is  seen  in  him,  since  he  is  "  the  bright- 
ness of  his  glory,  and  the  express  image 
of  his  person."  Heb.  i.  3.  And  it  is  in 
and  through  him  that  the  glory  of  the 
divine  perfections  are  made  known.  (2.) 
That  the  glory  of  the  divine  attributes 
are  made  known  through  him,  since  it 
is  through  him  that  the  work  of  creation 
was  accomplished  (John  i.  3.  Col.  i. 
16)  ;  and  it  is  by  him  that  the  mercy 
and  goodness  of  God  have  been  mani- 
fested to  men.  (3.)  That  the  glory  of 
the  divine  moral  character  is  seen 
through  him,  since  when  on  earth  he 
manifested  the  embodied  divine  perfec- 
tions; he  showed  what  God  is  when 
incarnate ;  he  lived  as  became  the  in- 
carnate God — he  was  as  pure  and  holy 
in  human  nature  as  God  is  in  the 
heavens.  And  there  is  not,  that  we 
know  of,  one  of  the  divine  attributes  or 
perfections  which  has  not  at  some  period, 
or  in  some  form,  been  evinced  by  Jesus 
Christ.  If  it  be  the  prerogative  of  God 
to  be  eternal,  he  was  eternal.  Isa.  ix.  6. 
Rev.  i.  8.  18.  If  it  be  the  prerogative 
of  God  to  be  the  creator,  he  was  also 
the  creator  (Joh»  i.  3)  ;  if  to  be  omni- 
scient, he  was  omniscient  (Matt.  xi.  27 
Luke  x.  22) ;  if  to  be  omnipresent,  he 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


7  But  we  have  this  treasure 


is  omnipresent  (Matt,  xviii.  20)  ;  if  to 
be  almighty,  he  was  almighty  (Isa.  ix. 
6)  ;  if  to  raise  the  dead,  to  give  life,  he 
did  it  (John  v.  21  ;  xii.  43,  44);  if  to 
still  waves  and  tempests,  he  did  it 
(Mark  iv.  39)  ;  if  to  be  full  of  benevo- 
lence, to  be  perfectly  holy,  to  be  with- 
out a  moral  stain  or  spot,  then  all  this 
is  found  in  Jesus  Christ.  And  as  the 
wax  bears  the  perfect  image  of  the  seal 
— perfect  not  only  in  the  outline,  and 
in  the  general  resemblance,  but  in  the 
filling  up — in  all  the  lines,  and  features, 
and  letters  on  the  seal,  so  it  is  with  the 
Redeemer.  There  is  not  one  of  the 
divine  perfections  which  has  not  the 
counterpart  in  him,  and  if  the  glory  of 
the  divine  character  is  seen  at  all,  it 
will  be  seen  in  and  through  him. 

7.  But  we  have  this  treasure.  The 
treasure  of  the  gospel ;  the  rich  and  in- 
valuable truths  which  they  were  called 
to  preach  to  others.  The  word  "  trea- 
sure" is  applied  to  those  truths  on  ac- 
count of  their  inestimable  worth.  Paul 
in  the  previous  verses  had  spoken  of 
the  gospel,  the  knowledge  of  Jesus 
Christ,  as  full  of  glory,  and  infinitely 
precious.  This  rich  blessing  had  been 
committed  to  him  and  his  fellow-la- 
bourers, to  dispense  it  to  others,  and  to 
diffuse  it  abroad.  His  purpose  in  this 
and  the  following  verses  is,  to  show 
that  it  had  been  so  intrusted  to  them  as 
to  secure  all  the  glory  of  its  propagation 
to  God,  and  so  also  as  to  show  its  un- 
speakable value.  For  this  purpose,  he 
not  only  affirms  that  it  is  a  treasure,  but 
says  that  it  had  been  so  intrusted  to 
them  as  to  show  the  power  of  God  in 
its  propagation ;  that  it  had  showed  its 
value  in  sustaining  them  in  their  many 
trials;  and  they  had  showed  their 
sense  of  its  worth  by  being  willing  to 
endure  all  kinds  of  trial  in  order  to 
make  it  every  where  known,  ver.  8 — 11. 
The  expression  here  is  similar  to  that 
which  the  Saviour  uses  when  he  calls 
the  gospel  "the  pearl  of  great  price." 
Matt.  xiii.  46.  ^f  In  earthen  vessels. 
This  refers  to  the  apostles  and  ministers 


in  earthen  vessels,  that  the  ex 


of  religion,  as  weak  and  feeble;  as 
having  bodies  decaying  and  dying ;  aa 
fragile,  and  liable  to  various  accidents, 
and  as  being  altogether  unworthy  to 
hold  a  treasure  so  invaluable ;  as  if 
valuable  diamonds  and  gold  were  placed 
in  vessels  of  earth  of  coarse  composi- 
tion, easily  broken,  and  liable  to  decay. 
The  word  vessel  (a-KiZo^  means  properly 
any  utensil  or  instrument ;  and  is  ap- 
plied usually  to  utensils  of  household 
furniture  or  hollow  vessels  for  contain- 
ing things.  Luke  viii.  16.  John  xix.  29. 
It  is  applied  to  the  human  body,  as 
made  of  clay,  and  therefore  frail  and 
feeble,  with  reference  to  its  containing 
any  thing,  as,  e.  g.,  treasure.  Comp. 
Note  on  Rom.  ix.  22,  23.  The  word 
rendered  earthen,  (ctn^a/yc/?)  means 
that  which  is  made  of  shells  (from 
iVT£*jc/vcy),  and  then  burnt  clay,  proba- 
bly because  vessels  were  at  first  made 
of  burnt  shells.  It  is  fitted  well  to  re- 
present the  human  body ;  frail,  fragile, 
and  easily  reduced  again  to  dust.  The 
purpose  of  Paul  here  is,  to  show  that  it 
was  by  no  excellency  of  his  nature  that 
the  gospel  was  originated ;  it  was  in 
virtue  of  no  vigour  and  strength  which 
he  possessed  that  it  was  propagated ; 
but  that  it  had  been,  of  design,  com- 
mitted by  God  to  weak,  decaying,  and 
crumbling  instruments,  in  order  that  it 
might  be  seen  that  it  was  by  the  power 
of  God  that  such  instruments  were  sus- 
tained in  the  trials  to  which  they  were 
exposed,  and  in  order  that  it  might  be 
manifest  to  all  that  it  was  not  originated 
and  diffused  by  the  power  of  those  to 
whom  it  was  intrusted.  The  idea  is, 
that  they  were  altogether  insufficient 
of  their  own  strength  to  accomplish 
what  was  accomplished  by  the  gospel. 
Paul  uses  a  metaphor  similar  to  this  in 
2  Tim.  ii.  20.  1  That  the  excellency 
of  the  power.  An  elegant  expression, 
denoting  the  exceeding  great  power. 
The  great  power  referred  to  here  was 
that  which  was  manifested  in  connexion 
with  the  labours  of  the  apostles — the 
power  of  healing  the  sick,  raising  the 


A.D.60.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


87 


cellency  a  of  the  power  may  be 
of  God,  and  not  of  us. 


a  1  Co.  2.  5. 


dead,  and  casting  out  devils ;  the  power 
of  bearing  persecution  and  trial,  and  the 
power  of  carrying  the  gospel  over  sea  and 
land,  in  the  midst  of  danger,  and  in 
spite  of  all  the  opposition  which  men 
could  make  whether  as  individuals  or  as 
combined  ;  and  especially  the  power  of 
converting  the  hearts  of  sinners,  of 
humbling  the  proud,  and  leading  the 
guilty  to  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  the 
hope  of  heaven.  The  idea  is,  that  all 
this  was  manifestly  beyond  human 
strength ;  and  that  God  had  of  design 
chosen  weak  and  feeble  instruments  in 
order  that  it  might  be  everywhere  seen 
that  it  was  done  not  by  human  power 
but  by  his  own.  The  instrumentality 
employed  was  altogether  disproportion- 
ate in  its  nature  to  the  effect  produced. 
^  May  be  of  God.  May  evidently 
appear  to  be  of  God;  that  it  may  be 
manifest  to  all  that  it  is  God's  power, 
and  not  ours.  It  was  one  great  pur- 
pose of  God  that  this  should  be  kept 
clearly  in  view.  And  it  is  still  done. 
God  takes  care  that  this  shall  be  appa- 
rent. For,  (1.)  It  is  always  true, 
whoever  is  employed,  and  however 
great  may  be  the  talents,  learning,  or 
zeal  of  those  who  preach,  that  it  is  by 
the  power  of  God  that  men  are  convert- 
ed. Such  a  work  cannot  be  accom- 
plished by  man.  It  is  not  by  might  or 
by  strength ;  and  between  the  conversion 
of"  a  proud,  haughty,  and  abandoned 
sinner  and  the  power  of  him  who  is 
made  the  instrument,  there  is  such  a 
manifest  disproportion,  that  it  is  evident 
it  is  the  work  of  God.  The  conversion 
of  the  human  heart  is  not  to  be  ac- 
complished by  man.  (2.)  Ministers 
are  frail,  imperfect,  and  sinful,  as  they 
were  in  the  time  of  Paul.  When  the 
imperfections  of  ministers  are  consider- 
ed; when  their  frequent  errors,  and 
their  not  unfrequent  moral  obliquities 
are  contemplated;  when  it  is  remem- 
bered how  far  many  of  them  live  from 
what  they  ought  to,  and  how   few  of 


8   We  are  troubled  b  on  every 
side,  yet  not  distressed  ;   we  are 

b  c.  7.  5. 


them  live  in  any  considerable  degree  as 
becometh  the  followers  of  the  Redeem- 
er, it  is  wonderful  that  God  blesses  their 
labours  as  he  does  ;  and  the  matter  of 
amazement  is  not  that  no  more  are  con- 
verted under  their  ministry,  but  it  is 
that  so  many  are  converted,  or  that  any 
are  converted ;  and  it  is  manifest  that 
it  is  the  mere  power  of  God.  (3.)  He 
often  makes  use  of  the  most  feeble,  and 
unlearned,  and  weak  of  his  servants  to 
accomplish  the  greatest  effects.  It  is 
not  splendid  talents,  or  profound  learn- 
ing, or  distinguished  eloquence  that  is 
always  or  even  commonly  most  suc- 
cessful. Often  the  ministry  of  such  is 
entirely  barren;  while  some  humble 
and  obscure  man  shall  have  constant 
success,  and  revivals  shall  attend  him 
wherever  he  goes.  It  is  the  man  of 
faith,  and  prayer,  and  self-denial  that  is 
blessed ;  and  the  purpose  of  God  in  the 
ministry,  as  in  every  thing  else,  is  to 
"  stain  the  pride  of  all  human  glory" 
and  to  show  that  he  is  all  in  all. 

8.  We  are  troubled.  We  the  apos- 
tles. Paul  here  refers  to  some  of  the 
trials  to  which  he  and  his  fellow- 
labourers  were  subjected  in  making 
known  the  gospel.  The  design  for 
which  he  does  it  seems  to  be  to  show 
them,  (1.)  What  they  endured  in 
preaching  the  truth;  (2.)  To  show  the 
sustaining  power  of  that  gospel  in  the 
midst  of  afflictions ;  and,  (3.)  To  con- 
ciliate their  favour,  or  to  remind  them 
that  they  had  endured  these  things  on 
their  account,  ver.  12 — 15.  Perhaps 
one  leading  design  was  to  recover  the 
affections  of  those  of  the  Corinthians 
whose  hearts  had  been  alienated  from 
him,  by  showing  them  how  much  he 
had  endured  on  their  account.  For 
this  purpose  he  freely  opens  his  heart  to 
them,  and  tenderly  represents  the  many 
and  grievous  pressures  and  hardships 
to  which  love  to  souls,  and  theirs  among 
the  rest,  had  exposed  him. — Doddridge. 
The  whole  passage  is  one  of  the  most 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


perplexed,  but  not  *  in  despair ; 

»  or,  nut  altogether  without  help  or 


pathetic  and  beautiful  to  be  found  in 
the  New  Testament.  The  word  ren- 
dered troubled  (d-hiSoutvot,  from  $-Kifia>) 
may  have  reference  to  wrestling,  or  to 
the  contests  in  the  Grecian  games.  It 
properly  means,  to  press,  to  press 
together ;  then  to  press  as  in  a  crowd 
where  there  is  a  throng  (Mark  iii.  9)  ; 
then  to  compress  together  (Matt.  vii.  14)  ; 
and  then  to  oppress,  or  compress  with 
evils,  to  distress,  to  afflict.  2  Thess.  i.  6. 
2  Cor.  i.  6.  Here  it  may  mean,  that  he 
was  encompassed  with  trials,  or  placed 
in  the  midst  of  them,  so  that  they 
pressed  upon  him  as  persons  do  in  a 
crowd,  or,  possibly,  as  a  man  was  close 
pressed  by  an  adversary  in  the  games. 
He  refers  to  the  fact  that  he  was  called 
to  endure  a  great  number  of  trials  and 
afflictions.  Some  of  those  trials  he  re- 
fers to  in  ch.  vii.  5.  "  When  we  were 
come  into  Macedonia,  our  flesh  had  no 
rest,  but  we  were  troubled  on  every 
side ;  without  were  fightings,  within 
were  fears."  ^  On  every  side.  In 
every  respect.  In  every  way.  We  are 
subjected  to  all  kinds  of  trial  and  afflic- 
tion. %  Yet  not  distressed.  This  by 
no  means  expresses  the  force  of  the 
original ;  nor  is  it  possible  perhaps  to 
express  it  in  a  translation.  Tindal 
renders  it,  "  yet  we  are  not  without  our 
shift."  The  Greek  word  here  used 
(<rrevc,%u^'ju&Gi)  has  a  relation  to  the 
word  which  is  rendered  "  troubled." 
It  properly  means  to  crowd  into  a  nar- 
row place ;  to  straiten  as  to  room ;  to 
be  so  straitened  as  not  to  be  able  to  turn 
one's  self.  And  the  idea  is,  that  though 
he  was  close  pressed  by  persecutions 
and  trials,  yet  he  was  not  so  hemmed 
in  that  he  had  no  way  to  turn  himself; 
his  trials  did  not  wholly  prevent  motion 
and  action.  He  was  not  so  closely 
pressed  as  a  man  would  be  who  was  so 
straitened  that  he  could  not  move  his 
body,  or  stir  hand  or  foot.  He  had 
still  resources;  he  was  permitted  to 
move  ;  the  energy  of  his  piety,  and  the 
vigour  of  his  soul  could  not  be  entirely 
cramped  and  impeded  by  the  trials  which 


9  Persecuted,  but  not  forsak- 
en ;  cast  down,  but  not  destroyed; 


encompassed  him.  The  Syriac  renders  it, 
"In  all  things  we  are  pressed,  but  are 
not  suffocated."  The  idea  is,  he  was* 
not  wholly  discouraged,  and  dishearten- 
ed, and  overcome.  He  had  resources 
in  his  piety  which  enabled  him  to  bear 
up  under  these  trials,  and  still  to  engage 
in  the  work  of  preaching  the  gospel. 
|  Weareperplrxed  (uTtgovjuivct).  This 
word  (from  a7rc^,  without  resource, 
which  is  derived  from  st,  priv.,  and  ?rogos, 
way,  or  exit)  means  to  be  without  re- 
source; to  know  not  what  to  do;  to 
hesitate ;  to  be  in  doubt  and  anxiety,  as 
a  traveller  is,  who  is  ignorant  of  the 
way,  or  who  has  not  the  means  of 
prosecuting  his  journey.  It  means 
here,  that  they  were  often  brought  into 
circumstances  of  great  embarrassment, 
where  they  hardly  knew  what  to  do,  or 
what  course  to  take.  They  were  sur- 
rounded by  foes;  they  were  in  want; 
they  were  in  circumstances  which  they 
had  not  anticipated,  and  which  greatly 
perplexed  them.  ^  But  not  in  despair. 
In  the  margin,  "  not  altogether  without 
help  or  means."  Tindal  renders  this, 
'*'  We  are  in  poverty,  but  not  utterly 
without  somewhat."  In  the  word  here 
used,(i{;x7r&govjutvci)  the  preposition  is  in- 
tensive or  emphatic,  and  means  utterly, 
quite.  The  word  means  to  be  utterly 
without  resource ;  to  despair  altogether ; 
and  the  idea  of  Paul  here  is,  that  they 
were  not  left  entirely  without  resource. 
Their  wants  were  provided  for;  their 
embarrassments  were  removed  ;  their 
grounds  of  perplexity  were  taken  away; 
and  unexpected  strength  and  resources 
were  imparted  to  them.  When  they 
did  not  know  what  to  do ;  when  all  re- 
sources seemed  to  fail  them,  in  some 
unexpected  manner  they  would  be  re- 
lieved and  saved  from  absolute  despair 
How  often  does  this  occur  in  the  lives 
of  all  Christians !  And  how  certain  is 
it,  that  in  all  such  cases  God  will  inter- 
pose by  his  grace  and  aid  his  people,  and 
save  them  from  absolute  despair. 

9.  Persecuted.       Often   persecuted 
persecuted  in  all   places.     The  "  Acts 


4.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


89 


10  Always  beariug  °  about  in 

a  Ga.  6.  17. 


of  the  Apostles"  show  how  true  this 
was.  %  But  not  forsaken.  Not  de- 
serted ;  not  left  by  God.  Though  per- 
secuted by  men,  yet  they  experienced 
the  fulfilment  of  the  divine  promise  that 
h )  would  never  leave  or  forsake  them. 
God  always  interposed  to  aid  them ; 
aiways  saved  them  from  the  power  of 
their  enemies;  always  sustained  them 
in  the  time  of  persecution.  It  is  still 
true.  His  people  have  been  often  per- 
secuted. Yet  God  has  often  interposed 
to  save  them  from  the  hands  of  their 
enemies ;  and  where  he  has  not  saved 
them  from  their  hands,  and  preserved 
their  fives,  yet  he  has  never  left  them, 
but  has  sustained,  upheld,  and  comforted 
them  even  in  the  dreadful  agonies  of 
death,  t  Cast  down.  Thrown  down 
by  our  enemies,  perhaps  in  allusion  to 
the  contests  of  wrestlers,  or  of  gladia- 
tors. %  But  not  destroyed.  Not  killed. 
They  rose  again  ;  they  recovered  their 
strength ;  they  were  prepared  for  new 
conflicts.  They  surmounted  every 
difficulty,  and  were  ready  to  engage  in 
new  strifes,  and  to  meet  new  trials  and 
persecutions. 

10.  Always  bearing  about  in  the 
body.  The  expression  here  used  is  de- 
signed to  show  the  great  perils  to  which 
Paul  was  exposed.  And  the  idea  is, 
that  he  had  on  his  body  the  marks,  the 
stripes  and  marks  of  punishment  and 
persecution,  which  showed  that  he  was 
exposed  to  the  same  violent  death  which 
the  Lord  Jesus  himself  endured.  Comp. 
Gal.  vi.  17  :  "I  bear  in  my  body  the 
marks  of  the  Lord  Jesus."  It  is  a  strong 
energetic  mode  of  expression,  to  denote 
the  severity  of  the  trials  to  which  he 
was  exposed,  and  the  meaning  is,  that 
his  body  bore  the  marks  of  his  being 
exposed  to  the  same  treatment  as  the 
Lord  Jesus  was ;  and  evidence  that  he 
was  probably  yet  to  die  in  a  similar 
manner  under  the  hands  of  persecutors. 
Comp.  Col.  i.  24.  ^  The  dying  of  the 
Lord  Jesus.  The  death  ;  the  violent 
death.  A  death  similar  to  that  of  the 
Lord  Jesus.     The  idea  is,  that  he  was 


the  body  the  dying  of  the  Lord 


always  exposed  to  death,  and  always 
suffering  in  a  manner  that  was  equiva- 
lent to  dying.  The  expression  is  par- 
allel to  what  he  says  in  1  Cor.  xv.  31. 
"  I  die  daily  f  and  in  2  Cor.  xi.  23, 
where  he  says,  "in  deaths  oft."  It  does 
not  mean  that  he  bore  about  literally 
the  dying  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  but  that 
he  was  exposed  to  a  similar  death,  and 
had  marks  on  his  person  which  showed 
that  he  was  always  exposed  to  the  same 
violent  death.  This  did  not  occur  once 
only,  or  at  distant  intervals,  but  it  oc- 
curred constantly,  and  wherever  he  was 
it  was  still  true  that  he  was  exposed  to 
violence,  and  liable  to  suffer  in  the 
same  manner  that  the  Lord  Jesus  did, 
U  That  the  life  also  of  Jesus,  &c.  This 
passage  has  received  a  considerable 
variety  of  interpretation.  Grotius  ren- 
ders it,  "  such  a  life  as  was  that  of  Christ, 
immortal,  blessed,  heavenly."  Locke 
"  That  also  the  life  of  Jesus,  risen  from 
the  dead  may  be  made  manifest  bj'  the 
energy  that  accompanies  my  preaching 
in  this  frail  body."  Clarke  supposes 
that  it  means,  that  he  might  be  able  in 
this  manner  to  show  that  Christ  was 
risen  from  the  dead.  But  perhaps, 
Paul  does  not  refer  to  one  single  thing 
in  the  life  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  but  means 
that  he  did  this  in  order  that  in  all 
things  the  same  life,  the  same  kind  of 
living  which  characterized  the  Lord 
Jesus  might  be  manifested  in  him;  or 
that  he  resembled  him  in  his  sufferings 
and  trials,  in  order  that  in  all  things  he 
might  have  the  same  life  in  his  body. 
Perhaps,  therefore,  it  may  include  the 
following  things  as  objects  at  which  the 
apostle  aimed.  (1.)  A  desire  that  his 
life  might  resemble  that  of  the  Lord 
Jesus.  That  there  might  be  the  same 
self-denial;  the  same  readiness  to  suffer; 
the  same  patience  in  trials ;  the  same 
meekness,  gentleness,  zeal,  ardour,  love 
to  God,  and  love  to  men  evinced  in  his 
body  which  was  in  that  of  the  Lord 
Jesus.  Thus  understood,  it  means  that 
he  placed  the  Lord  Jesus  before  him  a9 
the  model  of  his  life,  and  deemed  it  an 


90 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60 


Jesus,  that a  the  life  also  of  Jesus 
might  be  made  manifest  in  our 
body. 

1 1   For  we  which  live   are  * 
alway  delivered  unto  death  for 

a  2  Ti.  2.  11,  12.     b  1  Co.  15.  31,  49. 


object  to  be  attained  even  by  great  self- 
denial  and  sufferings  to  be  conformed 
to  him.  (2.)  A  desire  to  attain  to  the 
same  life  in  the  resurrection  which  the 
Lord  Jesus  had  attained  to.  A  desire 
to  be  made  like  him,  and  that  in  his  body 
which  bore  about  the  dying  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  he  might  asjain  live  after  death  as 
the  Lord  Jesus  did.  Thus  understood, 
it  implies  an  earnest  wish  to  attain  to 
the  resurrection  of  the  dead  and  accords 
with  what  he  says  in  Phil.  iii.  8 — 11, 
which  may  perhaps  be  considered  as 
Paul's  own  commentary  on  this  passage, 
which  has  been  so  variously,  and  so 
little  understood  by  expositors.  "  Yea, 
doubtless,  and  I  count  all  things  but 
loss,  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge 
of  Jesus  Christ  my  Lord ;  for  whom  I 
have  suffered  the  loss  of  all  things,  and 
do  count  them  but  dung  that  I  may 
win  Christ.  That  I  may  know  him, 
and  the  power  of  his  resurrection,  and 
the  fellowship  of  his  sufferings,  being 
made  conformable  unto  his  death  ;  if  by 
any  means  I  might  attain  unto  the  re- 
surrection of  the  dead."  Comp.  Col.  i. 
24.  It  intimates  Paul's  earnest  desire 
and  longing  to  be  made  like  Christ  in 
the  resurrection  (comp.  Phil.  iii.  21)  ; 
his  longing  to  rise  again  in  the  last  day 
(comp.  Acts  xxvi.  7)  ;  his  sense  of  the 
importance  of  the  doctrine  of  the  resur- 
rection and  his  readiness  to  suffer  any 
thing  if  he  might  at  last  attain  to  the 
resurrection  of  the  just,  and  be  ready 
to  enter  with  the  Redeemer  into  a 
world  of  glory.  The  attainment  of  this 
is  the  high  object  before  the  Christian, 
and  to  be  made  like  the  Redeemer  in 
heaven,  to  have  a  body  like  his,  is  the 
grand  purpose  for  which  they  should 
live ;  and  sustained  by  this  hope  they 
should  be  willing  to  endure  any  trials, 
and  meet  any  sufferings,  if  they  may 


Jesus'  sake,  that  the  life  also  of 
Jesus  might  be  made  manifest  in 
our  mortal  flesh. 

12  So  then  c  death  workethin 
us,  but  life  in  you. 

c  c.  13.  9. 


come  to  that  same  "  life"  and  blessed- 
ness above. 

1 1.  For  we  which  live.  Those  of  us, 
the  apostles  and  ministers  of  the  Re- 
deemer who  still  survive.  James  the 
brother  of  John  had  been  put  to  death 
(Acts  xii.  2) ;  and  it  is  probable  also 
that  some  other  of  the  apostles  had  been 
also.  This  verse  is  merely  explanatory 
of  the  previous  verse.  %  Are  ahvay 
delivered  unto  death.  Exposed  con- 
stantly to  death.  This  shows  what  is 
meant  in  ver.  10,  by  bearing  about  in 
the  body  the  dying  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 
See  Note  on  1  Cor.  xv.  31.  If  In  our 
mortal  flesh.  In  our  body.  In  our 
life  on  earth ;  and  in  our  glorified  body 
in  heaven.     See  Note  on  ver.  10. 

12.  So  then  death  worheth  in  us. 
We  are  exposed  to  death.  The  preach- 
ing of  the  gospel  exposes  us  to  trials 
which  may  be  regarded  as  death  work- 
ing in  us.  Death  has  an  energy  over 
us  (ivigyurai,  is  at  work,  is  active,  or 
operates)  ;  it  is  constantly  employed  in 
inflicting  pains  on  us,  and  subjecting  us 
to  privation  and  trials.  This  is  a  strong 
and  emphatic  mode  of  saying  that  they 
were  always  exposed  to  death.  We  are 
called  to  serve  and  glorify  the  Redeem- 
er, as  it  were,  by  repeated  deaths  and 
by  constantly  dying.  ^  But  life  in  you. 
You  live  as  the  effect  of  our  being  con- 
stantly exposed  to  death.  You  reap  the 
advantage  of  all  our  exposure  to  trials, 
and  of  all  our  sufferings.  You  are  com- 
paratively safe  ;  are  freed  from  this  ex- 
posure to  death  ;  and  will  receive  eternal 
life  as  the  fruit  of  our  toils,  and  exposures. 
Life  here  may  refer  either  to  exemption 
from  danger  and  death ;  or  it  may  refer 
to  the  life  of  religion ;  the  hopes  of 
piety ;  the  prospect  of  eternal  salvation. 
To  me  it  seems  most  probable  that  Paul 
means  to  use  it  in  the  latter  sense,  and 


A.  D.60.J 


CHAPTER  IV. 


91 


13  We  having  the  same  a  spirit 
of  faith,   according  as  it  is  writ- 


a2Pe.  1. 


b  Ps.  116.  10. 


that  he  designs  to  say  that  while  he  was 
exposed  to  death  and  called  to  endure 
constant  trial,  the  effect  would  be  that 
they  would  obtain,  in  consequence  of 
his  sufferings,  the  blessedness  of  eternal 
life.  Comp.  ver.  15.  Thus  understood, 
this  passage  means,  that  the  sufferings 
and  self-denials  of  the  apostles  were  for 
the  good  of  others,  and  would  result  in 
their  benefit  and  salvation ;  and  the  de- 
sign of  Paul  here  is  to  remind  them  of 
his  sufferings  in  their  behalf,  in  order 
to  conciliate  their  favour  and  bind  them 
more  closely  to  him  by  the  remembrance 
of  his  sufferings  on  their  account. 

13.  We  having  the  same  spirit  of 
faith.  The  same  spirit  that  is  express- 
ed in  the  quotation  which  he  is  about 
to  make ;  the  same  faith  which  the 
psalmist  had.  We  have  the  very  spirit 
of  faith  which  is  expressed  by  David. 
The  sense  is,  we  have  the  same  spirit 
of  faith  which  he  had  who  said,  "  I  be- 
lieved,'' <fec.  The  phrase  "  spirit  of 
faith,"  means  substantially  the  same  as 
faith  itself;  a  believing  sense  or  im- 
pression of  the  truth,  1  According  as 
it  is  written.  This  passage  is  found  in 
Ps.  cxvi.  10.  When  the  psalmist  ut- 
tered the  words,  he  was  greatly  afflicted. 
See  ver.  3.  6 — 8.  In  these  circumstances, 
he  prayed  to  God,  and  expressed  con- 
fidence in  him,  and  placed  all  his  reli- 
ance on  him.  In  his  affliction  he  spoke 
to  God;  he  spoke  of  his  confidence  in 
him;  he  proclaimed  his  reliance  on 
him ;  and  his  having  spoken  in  this 
manner  was  the  result  of  his  belief,  or 
of  his  putting  confidence  in  God.  Paul, 
in  quoting  this,  does  not  mean  to  say 
that  the  psalmist  had  any  reference  to 
the  preaching  of  the  gospel ;  nor  does 
he  mean  to  say  that  his  circumstances 
were  in  all  respects  like  those  of  the 
psalmist.  1  he  circumstances  resembled 
each  other  only  in  these  respects,  (1.) 
That  Paul,  like  the  psalmist,  was  in 
circumstances   of  trial   and   affliction; 


have  I  spoken ;  we  also  believe 
and  therefore  speak  ; 

14  Knowing  c  that  he  which 


c  c.  5.  1—4. 


and,  (2.)  That  the  language  which  both 
used  was  that  which  was  prompted  by 
faith — faith,  which  led  them  to  give 
utterance  to  the  sentiments  of  their 
hearts  ;  the  psalmist  to  utter  his  confi- 
dence in  God,  and  the  hopes  by  which 
he  was  sustained,  and  Paul  to  utter  his 
belief  in  the  glorious  truths  of  the  gos- 
pel ;  to  speak  of  a  risen  Saviour  and  to 
show  forth  the  consolations  which  were 
thus  set  before  men  in  the  gospel.  The 
sentiments  of  both  were  the  language  of 
faith.  Both,  in  afflictions,  uttered  the 
language  of  faith  ;  and  Paul  uses  here, 
as  he  often  does,  the  language  of  the 
Old  Testament,  as  exactly  expressing 
his  feelings,  and  the  principles  by  which 
he  was  actuated.  *[  We  also  believe, 
&c.  We  believe  in  the  truths  of  the 
gospel;  we  believe  in  God,  in  the 
Saviour,  in  the  atonement,  in  the  re- 
surrection, &c.  The  sentiment  is,  that 
they  had  a  firm  confidence  in  these 
things,  and  that,  as  the  result  of  that 
confidence  they  boldly  delivered  their 
sentiments.  It  prompted  them  to  give 
utterance  to  their  feelings.  "  Out  of  the 
abundance  of  the  heart,"  said  the  Sa- 
viour, "  the  mouth  speaketh."  Matt.  xii. 
34.  No  man  should  attempt  to  preach 
the  gospel  who  has  not  a  firm  belief  of 
its  truths;  and  he  who  does  believe  its 
truths  will  be  prompted  to  make  them 
known  to  his  fellow-men.  All  success- 
ful preaching  is  the  result  of  a  firm  and 
settled  conviction  of  the  truth  of  the 
gospel;  and  when  such  a  conviction 
exists,  it  is  natural  to  give  utterance  to 
the  belief,  and  such  an  expression  will 
be  attended  with  happy  influences  on 
the  minds  of  other  men.  See  Note  on 
Acts  iv.  20. 

11.  Knowing.  Being  fully  confi- 
dent ;  having  the  most  entire  assurance. 
It  was  the  assured  hope  of  the  resurrec- 
tion which  sustained  them  in  all  their 
trials.  This  expression  denotes  the 
full  and  unwavering  belief,  in  the  minds 


99 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


raised  up  the  Lord  Jesus,  shall 
raise  up  us  also  by  Jesus,  and 
shall  present  us  with  you. 

15  For  a  all   things    are  for 
your  sakes,    that  the    abundant 

a  1  Co.  3.  21,  22. 


of  the  apostles,  that  the  doctrines  which 
they  preached  were  true.  They  knew 
that  they  were  revealed  from  heaven, 
and  that  all  the  promises  of  God  would 
be  fulfilled.  1  Shall  raise  up  us  also. 
All  Christians.  In  the  hope  of  the  re- 
surrection they  were  ready  to  meet 
trials,  and  even  to  die.  Sustained  by 
this  assurance,  the  apostles  went  forth 
amidst  persecutions  and  opposition,  for 
they  knew  that  their  trials  would  soon 
end,  and  that  they  would  be  raised  up 
in  the  morning  of  the  resurrection,  to  a 
world  of  eternal  glory.  ^  By  Jesus. 
By  the  power  or  the  agency  of  Jesus. 
Christ  will  raise  up  the  dead  from  their 
graves.  John  v.  25 — 29.  *f  And  shall 
present  us  with  you.  Will  present  us 
before  the  throne  of  glory  with  exceed- 
ing joy  and  honour.  He  will  present 
us  to  God  as  those  who  have  been  re- 
deemed by  his  biood.  He  will  present 
us  in  the  courts  of  heaven,  before  the 
throne  of  the  eternal  Father,  as  his 
ransomed  people ;  as  recovered  from  the 
ruins  of  the  fall ;  as  saved  by  the  merits 
of  his  blood.  They  shall  not  only  be 
raised  up  from  the  dead;  but  they  shall 
be  publicly  and  solemnly  presented  to 
God  as  his,  as  recovered  to  his  service, 
and  as  having  a  title  in  the  covenant  of 
grace  to  the  blessedness  of  heaven. 

1 5.  For  all  things  are  for  your  sakes. 
All  these  things ;  these  glorious  hopes, 
and  truths,  and  prospects ;  these  self- 
denials  of  the  apostles,  and  these  provi- 
sions of  the  plan  of  mercy.  ^  For 
your  sakes.  On  your  account.  They 
are  designed  to  promote  your  salvation. 
They  are  not  primarily  for  the  welfare 
of  those  who  engage  in  these  toils  and 
self-denials;  but  the  whole  arrangement 
and  execution  of  the  plan  of  salvation, 
and  all  the  self-denial  evinced  by  those 
who  are  engaged  in  making  that  plan 
known,  are  in  order  that  you  might  be 


grace b  might,  through  the  thanks- 
giving of  many,  redound  to  the 
glory  of  God. 

16  For  which  cause  c  we  faint 
not;    but  though   our    outward 

b  c.  8. 19.  c  1  Co.  15.  58. 


benefited.  One  object  of  Paul  in  this 
statement,  doubtless,  is,  to  conciliate 
their  favour,  and  remove  the  objections 
which  had  been  made  to  him  by  a  fac- 
tion in  the  church  at  Corinth.  ^  That 
the  abundant  grace.  Grace  abounding, 
or  overflowing.  The  rich  mercy  of 
God  that  should  be  manifested  by  these 
means.  It  is  implied  here,  that  grace 
would  abound  by  means  of  these  labours 
and  self-denials  of  the  apostles.  The 
grace  referred  to  here  is  that  which 
would  be  conferred  on  them  in  conse- 
quence of  these  labours.  ^  Through 
the  thanksgiving  of  many.  That  many 
may  have  occasion  of  gratitude  to  God ; 
that  by  these  labours  more  persons  may 
be  led  to  praise  him.  It  was  an  object 
with  Paul  so  to  labour  that  as  many  as 
possible  might  be  led  to  praise  God,  and 
have  occasion  to  thank  him  to  all  eter- 
nity. %  Redound  to  the  glory  of  God. 
That  God  may  have  augmented  praise ; 
that  his  glory  in  the  salvation  of  men 
may  abound.  The  sentiment  of  the 
passage  is,  that  it  would  be  for  the  glory 
of  God  that  as  many  as  possible  should 
be  brought  to  give  praise  and  thanks- 
givings to  him  ;  and  that,  therefore,  Paul 
endeavoured  to  make  as  many  converts 
as  possible.  He  denied  himself;  he 
welcomed  toil ;  he  encountered  enemies ; 
he  subjected  himself  to  dangers ;  and 
he  sought  by  all  means  possible  to  bring 
as  many  as  could  be  brought  to  piaise 
God.  The  word  *' redound"  (V^^ti/a) 
here  means  abound,  or  be  abundant; 
and  the  sense  is,  that  the  overflowing 
grace  thus  evinced  in  the  salvation  oj 
many  would  so  abound  as  to  promote 
the  glory  of  God. 

16.  For  which  cause.  With  such 
an  object  in  view,  and  sustained  by 
such  elevated  purposes  and  desires 
The  sense  .s,  that  the  purpose  of  trying 
to  save  as  many  a*  possible  would  make 


A  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


93 


man  perish,  yet  the  inward a  man 
is  renewed  day  by  day. 

a  Ro.  7.  22. 

toil  easy,  privations  welcome,  and  would 
be  so  accompanied  by  the  grace  of  God, 
as  to  gird  the  soul  with  strength,  and 
fill  it  with  abundant  consolations,  f  We 
faint  not.  For  an  explanation  of  the 
word  here  used,  see  Note  on  ver.  1. 
We  are  not  exhausted,  desponding,  or 
disheartened.  We  are  sustained,  en- 
couraged, emboldened  by  having  such 
an  object' in  view.  1  But  though  our 
outward  man  perish.  By  outward 
man,  Paul  evidently  means  the  body. 
By  using  the  phrases,  "  the  outward 
man,"  and  the  "  inward  man,"  he  shows 
that  he  believed  that  man  was  made  up 
of  two  parts,  body  and  soul.  He  was 
no  materialist.  He  has  described  two 
parts  as  constituting  man,  so  distinct, 
that  while  the  one  perishes,  the  other  is 
renewed;  while  the  one  is  enfeebled, 
the  other  is  strengthened;  while  the 
one  grows  old  and  decays,  the  other  re- 
news its  youth  and  is  invigorated.  Of 
course,  the  soul  is  not  dependent  on  the 
body  for  its  vigour  and  strength,  since 
it  expands  while  the  body  decays ;  and 
of  course  the  soul  may  exist  independ- 
ently of  the  body,  and  in  a  separate 
state.  1  Perish.  Grows  old ;  becomes 
weak  and  feeble ;  loses  its  vigour  and 
elasticity  under  the  many  trials  which 
we  endure,  and  under  the  infirmities  of 
advancing  years.  It  is  a  characteristic 
of  the  "  outer  man,"  that  it  thus  perish- 
es. Great  as  may  be  its  vigour,  yet  it 
must  decay  and  die.  It  cannot  long 
bear  up  under  the  trials  of  life,  and  the 
wear  and  tear  of  constant  action,  but 
must  soon  sink  to  the  grave,  f  Yet 
the  inward  man.  The  soul;  the  un- 
decaying,  the  immortal  part,  f  Is  re- 
newed. Is  renovated,  strengthened,  in- 
vigorated. His  powers  of  mind  ex- 
panded ;  his  courage  became  bolder;  he 
had  clearer  views  of  truth  ;  he  had  more 
faith  in  God.  As  he  drew  nearer  to 
the  grave  and  to  heaven,  his  soul  was 
more  raised  above  the  world  and  he 
was  more  filled  with  the  joys  and  tri- 


17  For  b  our  light  affliction, 
which    is    but  for    a   moment, 

b  Ro.  8.  18,  34. 

umphs  of  the  gospel.  The  understand- 
ing and  the  heart  did  not  sympathize 
with  the  suffering  and  decaying  body  ; 
but,  while  that  became  feeble,  the  soul 
acquired  new  strength,  and  was  fitting 
for  its  flight  to  the  eternal  world.  This 
verse  is  an  ample  refutation  of  the  doc- 
trine of  the  materialist,  and  proves  that 
there  is  in  man  something  that  is  dis- 
tinct from  decaying  and  dying  matter, 
and  that  there  is  a  principle  which  may 
gain  augmented  strength  and  power, 
while  the  body  dies.  Comp.  Note,  Rom. 
vii.  22.  Tf  Day  by  day.  Constantly. 
There  was  a  daily  and  constant  increase 
of  inward  vigour.  God  imparted  to 
him  constant  strength  in  his  trials,  and 
sustained  him  with  the  hopes  of  heaven, 
as  the  body  was  decaying,  and  tending 
to  the  grave.  The  sentiment  of  this 
verse  is,  that  in  an  effort  to  do  good, 
and  to  promote  the  salvation  of  man,  the 
soul  will  be  sustained  in  trials,  and  will 
be  comforted  and  invigorated  even  when 
the  body  is  weary,  grows  old,  decays, 
and  dies.  It  is  the  testimony  of  Paul 
respecting  his  own  experience;  and  it 
is  a  fact  which  has  been  experienced 
by  thousands  in  their  efforts  to  do  good, 
and  to  save  the  souls  of  men  from  death. 
17.  For  our  light  affliction.  This 
verse,  with  the  following,  is  designed 
to  show  further  the  sources  of  conso- 
lation and  support  which  Paul  and 
his  fellow-labourers  had  in  their  many 
trials.  Bloomfield  remarks  on  this  pas- 
sage, that  "  in  energy  and  beauty  of  ex- 
pression, it  is  little  inferior  to  any  in 
Demosthenes  himself,  to  whom,  indeed, 
and  to  Thucydides '  in  his  orations,  the 
style  of  the  apostle,  when  it  rises  to  the 
oratorical,  bears  no  slight  resemblance." 
The  passage  abounds  with  intensive  and 
emphatic  expressions,  and  manifests  that 
the  mind  of  the  writer  was  labouring  to 
convey  ideas  which  language,  even  after 
all  the  energy  of  expression  which  he 
could  command,  would  very  imperfectly 
communicate.     The  trials  which  Paul 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60 


worketh  for  us  a  far  more  exceed- 


endured,  to  many  persons  would  have 
seemed  to  be  any  thing  else  but  light. 
They  consisted  of  want,  and  danger, 
and  contempt,  and  stoning,  and  toil, 
and  weariness,  and  the  scorn  of  the 
world,  and  constant  exposure  to  death 
by  land  or  by  sea.  See  ver.  7 — 10. 
comp.  ch.  xi.  23 — 27.  Yet  these  trials, 
though  continued  through  many  years, 
and  constituting,  as  it  were,  his  very 
life,  he  speaks  of  as  the  lightest  con- 
ceivable thing  when  compared  with  that 
eternal  glory  which  awaited  him.  He 
strives  to  get  an  expression  as  emphatic 
as  possible  to  show  that  in  his  estima- 
tion they  were  not  worthy  to  be  named 
in  comparison  with  the  eternal  weight 
of  glory.  It  is  not  sufficient  to  say  that 
the  affliction  was  "  light"  or  was  a 
mere  trifle ;  but  he  says  that  it  was  to 
endure  but  for  a  moment.  Though 
trials  had  followed  him  ever  since  he 
began  to  make  known  the  Redeemer, 
and  though  he  had  the  firmest  expecta- 
tion that  they  would  follow  him  to  the 
end  of  life  and  everywhere  (Acts  xx. 
23),  yet  all  this  was  a  momentary  trifle 
compared  with  the  eternal  glory  before 
him.  The  word  rendered  "light" 
(«a*<^cv)  means  that  which  is  easy  to 
bear,  and  is  usually  applied  to  a  burden. 
See  Matt.  xi.  30.  Comp.  2  Cor.  i.  17. 
If  Which  is  but  for  a  moment.  The 
Greek  word  here  used  (jra^styTMtci) 
occurs  nowhere  else  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment. It  is  an  adverb,  from  t-jrUst, 
euros,  and  means  properly,  at  this  very 
instant;  immediately.  Here  it  seems 
to  qualify  the  word  "  light,"  and  to  be 
used  in  the  sense  of  momentary,  tran- 
sient. Bloomfield  renders  it,  "  for  the 
at  present  lightness  of  our  affliction." 
Doddridge,  "  for  this  momentary  light- 
ness of  our  affliction,  which  passes  off 
bo  fast,  and  leaves  so  little  impression 
that  it  may  be  called  levity  itself."  The 
apostle  evidently  wished  to  express  two 
ideas  in  as  emphatic  a  manner  as  possi- 
ble; first,  that  the  affliction  was  light, 
and,  secondly,  that  it  was  transient, 
momentary,    and  soon  passing  away. 


ing  and  eternal  weight  of  glory  ; 


His  object  is  to  contrast  this  with  the 
glory  that  awaited  him,  as  being  heavy, 
and  as  being  also  eternal.  %  Worketh 
for  us.  See  Note,  ver.  12.  Will  pro- 
duce, will  result  in.  The  effect  of  these 
afflictions  is  to  produce  eternal  glory. 
This  they  do,  (1.)  By  their  tendency  to 
wean  us  from  the  world ;  (2.)  To  purify 
the  heart,  by  enabling  us  to  break  off 
from  the  sins  on  account  of  which  God 
afflicts  us;  (3.)  By  disposing  us  to  look 
to  God  for  consolation  and  support  in 
our  trials;  (4.)  By  inducing  us  to  con- 
template the  glories  of  the  heavenly 
world,  and  thus  winning  us  to  seek 
heaven  as  our  home;  and,  (5.)  Because 
God  has  graciously  promised  to  reward 
his  people  in  heaven  as  the  result  of 
their  bearing  trials  in  this  life.  It  is  by 
affliction  that  he  purifies  them  (Isa. 
xlviii.  1 0)  ;  and  by  trial  that  he  takes 
their  affections  from  the  objects  of  time 
and  sense,  and  gives  them  a  relish  for 
the  enjoyments  which  result  from  the 
prospect  of  perfect  and  eternal  glory. 
t  A  far  more  exceeding  (k*3-'  0^0^- 
\m  tk  vTrt^Qzxvv).  There  is  not  to  be 
found  anywhere  a  more  energetic  ex 
pression  than  this.  The  word  (j>s§/3s- 
a»,  here  used  (whence  our  word  hy- 
perbole) means  properly  a  throwing, 
casting,  or  throwing  beyond.  In  the 
New  Testament  it  means  excess,  ex- 
cellence, eminence.  See  ver.  7.  "  The 
excellency  of  the  power."  The  phrase 
K&iiTritfe^M  means  exceedingly,  super- 
eminently. Rom.  vii.  13.  1  Cor.  xii.  31. 
2  Cor.  i.  8.  Gal.  i.  13.  This  expression 
would  have  been  by  itself  intensive  in  a 
high  degree.  But  this  was  not  sufficient 
to  express  Paul's  sense  of  the  glory 
which  was  laid  up  for  Christians.  It 
was  not  enough  for  him  to  use  the  ordi- 
nary highest  expression  for  the  superla- 
tive to  denote  the  value  of  the  object  in 
his  eye.  He  therefore  coins  an  ex- 
pression, and  adds  tU  vTr^oxm.  It  is 
not  merely  eminent ;  but  it  is  eminent 
unto  eminence ;  excess  unto  excess ;  a 
hyperbole  unto  hyperbole — one  hyper- 
bole heaped  on  another ;  and  the   ex 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


95 


18  While  we  look  not  at  the 


pression  means  that  it  is  "exceeding 
exceedingly"  glorious ;  glorious  in  the 
highest  possible  degree.  —  Robinson. 
Mr.  Slade  renders  it,  "  infinitely  exceed- 
ing." The  expression  is  the  Hebrew 
forra  of  denoting  the  highest  superla- 
tive* and  it  means  that  all  hyperboles 
fail  of  expressing  that  eternal  glory 
which  remains  for  the  just.  It  is  infi- 
nite and  boundless.  You  may  pass 
from  one  degree  to  another;  from  one 
sublime  height  to  another  ;  but  still  an 
infinity  remains  beyond.  Nothing  can 
describe  the  uppermost  height  of  that 
glory;  nothing  can  express  its  infini- 
tude. If  Eternal.  This  stands  in  con- 
trast with  the  affliction  that  is  for  a  mo- 
ment (7r*£xvrix.u.).  The  one  is  mo- 
mentary, transient;  so  short,  even  in 
the  longest  life,  that  it  may  be  said  to 
be  an  instant ;  the  other  has  no  limits  to 
its  duration.  It  is  literally  everlasting. 
•J  Weight  (/3a£o?).  This  stands  opposed 
to  the  (tKxipgov)  light  affliction.  That 
was  so  light  that  it  was  a  trifle.  It  was 
easily  borne.  It  was  like  the  most 
light  and  airy  objects,  which  constitute 
no  burden.  It  is  not  even  here  called 
a  burden,  or  said  to  be  heavy  in  any 
degree.  This  is  so  heavy  as  to  be 
a  burden.  Grotius  thinks  that  the 
image;  is  taken  from  gold  or  silver  ar- 
ticles, that  are  solid  and  heavy,  compar- 
ed with  those  that  are  mixed  or  plated. 
But  why  may  it  not  refer  to  the  insignia 
of  glory  and  honour;  a  robe  heavy 
with  gold,  or  a  diadem  or  crown, 
heavy  with  gold  or  diamonds :  glory  so 
rich,  so  profuse  as  to  be  heavy  ]  The 
affliction  was  light ;  but  the  crown,  the 
robe,  the  adornings  in  the  glorious  world 
were  not  trifles,  or  baubles,  but  solid, 
substantial,  weighty.  We  apply  the 
word  weighty  now  to  that  which  is 
valuable  and  important,  compared  with 
that  which  is  of  no  value,  probably  be- 
cause the  precious  metals  and  jewels  are 
heavy ;  and  it  is  by  them  that  we  usually 
estimate  the  value  of  objects.  If  Of 
glory  (Sofyc).  The  Hebrew  word  nu3 
denotes  weight  as  well  as  glory.     And 


things  which  are  seen,  but  at  the 


perhaps  Paul  had  that  use*  of  the  word 
in  his  eye  in  this  strong  expression.  It 
refers  here  to  the  splendour,  magnifi- 
cence, honour,  and  happiness  of  the 
eternal  world. — In  this  exceedingly  in- 
teresting passage,  which  is  worthy  of 
the  deepest  study  of  Christians,  Paul 
has  set  in  most  beautiful  and  emphatic 
contrast  the  trials  of  this  life  and  the 
glories  of  heaven.  It  may  be  profitable 
to  contemplate  at  a  single  glance  the 
view  which  he  had  of  them,  that  they 
may  be  brought  distinctly  before  the 
mind. 

THE    OSTE  IS 

1.  Affliction,  Shifts. 

2.  Light,  tKupgcv. 

3.  For  a  moment,  rrdt£*v7rix,x. 

the  otheh  is,  by  contrast, 

(1.)  Glory,  Jog*. 

(2.)  Weight,  £^9f. 
(3.)  Eternal,  m^vm. 
(4.)  Eminent,  or  excellent,  -txS-'  jJjregjSi- 

>.yiv. 
(5.)  Infinitely  excellent,  eminent  in  the 

highest  degree,  tl;  t/s-reg/2oA»i\ 

So  the  account  stands  in  the  view  of 
Paul;  and  with  this  balance  in  favour 
of  the  eternal  glory,  he  regarded  afflic- 
tions as  mere  trifles,  and  made  it  the 
grand  purpose  of  his  life  to  gain  the 
glory  of  the  heavens.  What  wise  man, 
looking  at  the  account,  would  not  do 
likewise  1 

18.  While  we  look,  &c.  Or,  rather, 
we  not  looking  at  the  things  which  are 
seen.  The  design  of  this  is,  to  show  in 
what  way  the  afflictions  which  they  en- 
dured became  in  their  view  light  and 
momentary.  It  was  by  looking  to  the 
glories  of  the  future  world,  and  thus 
turning  away  the  attention  from  the 
trials  and  sorrows  of  this  life.  If  we 
look  directly  at  our  trials;  if  the  mind 
is  fixed  wholly  on  them,  and  we  think 
of  nothing  else,  they  often  appear  heavy 
and  long.  Even  comparatively  light 
and  brief  sufferings  will  appear  to  be 
exceedingly   difficult  to  bear.     But  if 


96 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


things  which  are  not  a  seen  :  for 
the  things  which  are  seen  are 

*   a  He.  11.  1. 


we  can  turn  away  the  mind  from  them 
and  contemplate  future  glory ;  if  we 
can  compare  them  with  eternal  blessed- 
ness, and  feel  that  they  will  introduce 
us  to  perfect  and  everlasting  happiness, 
they  will  appear  to  be  transitory,  and 
will  be  easily  borne.  And  Taul  here 
has  stated  the  true  secret  of  bearing 
trials  with  patience.  It  is  to  look  at  the 
things  which  are  unseen.  To  anticipate 
the  glories  of  the  heavenly  world.  To 
fix  the  eye  on  the  eternal  happiness 
which  is  beyond  the  grave ;  and  to  re- 
flect how  short  these  trials  are,  compared 
with  the  eternal  glories  of  heaven  ;  and 
how  short  they  will  seem  to  be  when 
we  are  there.  *J  The  things  which  are 
seen.  The  things  here  below;  the 
things  of  this  life — poverty,  want,  care, 
persecution,  trial,  &c.  *|  The  things 
which  are  not  seen.  The  glories  of 
heaven.  Comp.  Heb.  xi.  1.  1  The 
things  which  are  seen  are  temporal. 
This  refers  particularly  to  the  things 
which  they  suffered.  But  it  is  as  true 
of  all  things  here  below.  Wealth,  plea- 
sure, fame,  the  three  idols  which  the 
people  of  this  world  adore,  are  all  to  en- 
dure but  for  a  little  time.  They  will  all 
soon  vanish  away.  So  it  is  with  pain,  and 
sorrow,  and  tears.  All  that  we  enjoy, 
and  all  that  we  suffer  here,  must  soon 
vanish  and  disappear.  The  most 
splendid  palace  will  decay ;  the  most 
costly  pile  will  moulder  to  dust;  the 
most  magnificent  city  will  fall  to  ruins  ; 
the  most  exquisite  earthly  pleasures  will 
soon  come  to  an  end ;  and  the  most 
extended  possessions  can  be  enjoyed 
but  a  little  time.  So  the  acutest  pain 
will  soon  be  over ;  the  most  lingering 
disease  will  soon  cease ;  the  evils  of 
the  deepest  poverty,  want,  and  suffering 
will  soon  be  passed.  There  is  nothing 
on  which  the  eye  can  fix,  nothing  that 
the  heart  can  desire  here,  which  will  not 
60on  fade  away  ;  or,  if  it  survives,  it  is 
temporary  in  regard  to  us.  We  must 
•oon  leive  it  to  others ;  and  if  enjoyed, 


temporal ;  but  the  things  which 
are  not  seen  are  eternal. 


it  will  be  enjoyed  while  our  bodies  are 
slumbering  in  the  grave,  and  our  souls 
engaged  in  the  deep  solemnities  of 
eternity.  How  foolish  then  to  make 
these  our  portion,  and  to  fix  our  affec- 
tions supremely  on  the  things  of  this 
life  !  How  foolish  also  to  be  very  deeply 
affected  by  the  trials  of  this  life,  which 
at  the  furthest  can  be  endured  but  a 
little  longer  before  we  shall  be  forever 
beyond  their  reach !  f  The  things 
which  are  not  seen  are  eternal.  Every 
thing  which  pertains  to  that  state  be- 
yond the  grave.  (1.)  God  is  eternal; 
not  to  leave  us  as  our  earthly  friends  do. 
(2.)  The  Saviour  is  eternal — to  be  our 
everlasting  friend.  (3.)  The  compan- 
ions and  friends  there  are  eternal.  The 
angels  who  are  to  be  our  associates,  and 
the  spirits  of  the  just  with  whom  we 
shall  live,  are  to  exist  forever.  The 
angels  never  die  ;  and  the  pious  dead 
shall  die  no  more.  There  shall  be  then 
no  separation,  no  death-bed,  no  grave, 
no  sad  vacancy  and  loss  caused  by  the 
removal  of  a  much-loved  friend.  (4.) 
The  joys  of  heaven  are  eternal.  There 
shall  be  no  interruption  ;  no  night ;  no 
cessation  ;  no  end.  Heaven  and  all  its 
joys  shall  be  everlasting ;  and  he  who 
enters  there  shall  have  the  assurance 
that  those  joys  shall  endure  and  increase 
while  eternal  ages  shall  roll  away. 
(5.)  It  may  be  added,  also,  that  the 
woes  of  hell  shall  be  eternal.  They  are 
now  among  the  things  which  to  us 
"  are  not  seen ;"  and  they,  as  well  as 
the  joys  of  heaven,  shall  have  no  end. 
Sorrow  there  shall  never  cease ;  the  soul 
shall  there  never  die ;  the  body  that 
shall  be  raised  up  "  to  the  resurrection 
of  damnation"  shall  never  again  ex- 
pire.— And  when  all  these  things  are 
contemplated,  well  might  Paul  say  of 
the  things  of  this  life — the  sorrows, 
trials,  privations,  and  persecutions  which 
he  endured,  that  they  were  "light," 
and  were  "  for  a  moment"  How  soon 
will  they   pass  away ;  how  soon  shall 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


97 


we  all  be  engaged  amidst  the  unchang- 
ing and  eternal  realities  of  the  things 
which  are  not  seen ! 

REMARKS. 

1.  Ministers  of  the  gospel  have  no 
cause  to  faint  or  to  be  discouraged  ver. 
1.  Whatever  may  be  the  reception  of 
their  message,  and  whatever  the  trials 
to  which  they  may  be  subjected,  yet 
there  are  abundant  sources  of  consola- 
tion and  support  in  the  gospel  which 
they  preach.  They  have  the  conscious- 
ness that  they  preach  a  system  of  truth ; 
that  they  are  proclaiming  that  which 
God  has  revealed  ;  and,  if  they  are  faith- 
ful, that  they  have  his  smiles  and  appro- 
bation. Even,  therefore,  if  men  reject, 
and  despise  their  message,  and  if  they 
are  called  to  endure  many  privations 
and  trials,  they  should  not  faint.  It  is 
enough  for  them  that  they  proclaim  the 
truth  which  God  loves,  and  that  they 
meet  with  his  approbation  and  smiles. 
Trials  will  come  in  the  ministry  as 
everywhere  else,  but  there  are  also 
peculiar  consolations.  There  may  be 
much  opposition  and  resistance  to  the 
message,  but  we  should  not  faint  or  be 
discouraged.  We  should  do  our  duty, 
and  commit  the  result  to  God. 

2.  The  gospel  should  be  embraced 
by  those  to  whom  it  comes,  ver.  2.  If 
it  has  their  reason  and  conscience  in  its 
favour,  then  they  should  embrace  it 
without  delay.  They  are  under  the 
most  sacred  obligation  to  receive  it,  and 
to  become  decided  Christians.  Every 
man  is  bound,  and  may  be  urged  to 
pursue,  that  course  which  his  conscience 
approves  ;  and  the  gospel  may  thus  be 
pressed  on  the  attention  of  all  to  whom 
it  comes. 

3.  If  men  wish  peace  of  conscience, 
they  should  embrace  the  gospel,  ver.  2. 
They  can  never  find  it  elsewhere.  No 
man's  conscience  is  at  peace  from  the 
fact  that  he  does  not  repent,  and  love 
God  and  obey  his  gospel.  His  heart 
may  love  sir. ;  but  his  conscience  cannot 
approve  it.  That  is  at  peace  only  in 
doing  the  wcrk  of  God ;  and  that  can 
find  self-approbation  only  when  it  sub- 
mits to  him,  and  embraces  the  gospel 

i 


of  his  Son.  Then  the  conscience  is  at 
ease.  No  man  ever  yet  had  a  troubled 
conscience  from  the  fact  that  he  had 
embraced  the  gospel,  and  was  an  humble 
and  decided  Christian.  Thousands  and 
millions  have  had  a  troubled  conscience 
from  the  fact  that  they  have  neglected 
it.  No  man  on  a  death-bed  ever  had  a 
troubled  conscience  because  he  em- 
braced religion  too  early  in  life.  Thou- 
sands and  millions  have  been  troubled 
when  they  came  to  die,  because  they 
neglected  it  so  long,  or  rejected  it 
altogether.  No  man  when  death  ap- 
proaches has  a  troubled  conscience 
because  he  has  lived  too  much  devoted 
to  God  the  Saviour,  and  been  too  active 
as  a  Christian.  But  O  how  many  have 
been  troubled  then  because  they  have 
been  worldly-minded,  and  selfish,  and 
vain,  and  proud  !  The  conscience  gives 
peace  just  in  proportion  as  we  serve 
God  faithfully ;  nor  can  all  the  art  of 
man  or  Satan  give  peace  to  one  con- 
science in  the  ways  of  sin,  and  in  the 
neglect  of  the  soul. 

4.  Ministers  should  preach  the  truth 
— the  simple  truth — and  nothing  but 
the  truth,  ver.  2.  They  should  make 
use  of  no  false  art,  no  deception,  no 
trick,  no  disguise.  They  should  be 
open,  sincere,  plain,  pure  in  all  their 
preaching,  and  in  their  manner  of  life. 
Such  was  the  course  of  the  Saviour; 
such  the  course  of  Paul;  and  such  a 
course  only  will  God  approve  and  bless. 

5.  This  is  a  deluded  world,  ver.  4.  It 
is  blinded  and  deceived  by  him  who  is 
here  called  the  "god  of  this  world." 
Satan  rules  in  the  hearts  of  men ;  and 
he  rules  by  deceiving  them,  and  in  order 
to  deceive  them.  Every  thing  which 
operates  to  prevent  men  from  embracing 
the  gospel  has  a  tendency  to  blind  the 
mind.  The  man  who  is  seeking  wealth 
as  his  only  portion,  is  blinded  and  de- 
ceived in  regard  to  its  value.  The  man 
who  is  pursuing  the  objects  of  ambition 
as  his  main  portion,  is  deceived  in  regard 
to  the  true  value  of  things.  And  he,  or 
she,  who  pursues  pleasure  as  the  main 
business  of  life,  is  deceived  in  regard  to 
the  proper  value  of  objects.  It  is  im- 
possible to  conceive  of  a  world  more 


98 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  1). 


deluded  than  this.  We  can  conceive 
of  a  world  more  sinful,  and  more  mi- 
erable,  and  such  is  hell ;  but  there  is 
not  delusion  and  deception  there. 
Things  are  seen  as  they  are  ;  and  no  one 
is  deceived  in  regard  to  his  character  or 
prospects  there.  But  here,  every  im- 
penitent man  is  deceived  and  blinded. 
He  is  deceived  about  his  own  character; 
about  the  relative  value  of  objects ; 
about  his  prospects  for  eternity  ;  about 
death,  the  judgment,  heaven,  hell.  On 
none  of  these  points  has  he  any  right 
apprehension ;  and  on  none  is  it  pos- 
sible for  any  human  power  to  break  the 
deep  delusion,  and  to  penetrate  the 
darkness  of  his  mind. 

6.  Men  are  in  danger,  ver.  4.  They 
are  under  deep  delusion,  and  they  tread 
■unconcerned  near  to  ruin.  They  walk 
in  darkness — blinded  by  the  god  of  this 
world,  and  are  very  near  a  precipice, 
and  nothing  will  rouse  them  from  their 
condition.  It  is  like  children  gathering 
flowers  near  a  deep  gulf,  when  the 
pursuit  of  one  more  flower  may  carry 
them  too  far,  and  they  will  fall  to  rise 
no  more.  The  delusion  rests  on  every 
unsanctificd  mind ;  and  it  needs  to  re- 
main but  a  little  longer,  and  the  soul 
will  be  lost.  That  danger  deepens  every 
day  and  every  hour.  If  it  is  continued 
but  a  little  longer  it  will  be  broken  in 
upon  by  the  sad  realities  of  death, 
judgment,  and  hell.  But  then  it  will 
be  too  late.  The  soul  will  be  lost — 
deluded  in  the  world  of  probation ; 
sensible  of  the  truth  only  in  the  world 
of  despair. 

7.  Satan  will  practise  every  device 
and  art  possible  to  prevent  the  gospel 
from  shining  upon  the  hearts  of  men. 
That  light  is  painful  and  hateful  to  his 
eyes,  and  he  will  do  all  that  can  be  done 
to  prevent  its  being  diffused.  Every 
art  which  long  tried  ingenuity  and  skill 
can  devise,  will  be  resorted  to;  every 
power  which  he  can  put  forth  will  be 
exeited.  If  he  can  blind  the  minds  of 
men,  he  will  do  it.  If  men  can  be 
hoodwinked,  and  gulled,  it  will  be  done. 
If  error  can  be  made  to  spread,  and  be 
embraced— error  smooth,  plausible, 
cunning — it  will  be  diffused.    Ministers 


will  be  raised  up  to  preach  it  and  th* 
press  will  be  employed  to  accomplish  it 
If  sinners  can  be  deceived,  and  made  to 
remain  at  ease  in  their  sins,  by  novels 
and  seductive  poetry ;  by  books  false  in 
sentiments,  and  perverse  in  moral;},  the 
press  will  be  made  to  groan  under  the 
works  of  fiction.  If  theatres  are  neces- 
sary to  cheat  and  beguile  men,  they 
will  ~be  reared ;  and  the  song,  and  thi 
dance,  the  ball,  and  the  splendid  part} 
will  alike  contribute  to  divert  the  atten 
tion  from  the  cross  of  Christ,  the  wort} 
of  the  soul,  and  the  importance  of  h 
preparation  to  die.  No  art  has  been 
spared,  or  will  be  spared  to  deceive 
men ;  and  the  world  is  full  of  the  device* 
of  Satan  to  hoodwink  and  blind  the 
perishing,  and  lead  them  down  to  hell. 

8.  Yet,  Satan  is  not  alone  to  blame 
for  this.  He  does  all  he  can,  and  he  has 
consummate  skill  and  art.  Yet,  let  not 
the  deluded  sinner  take  comfort  to  him- 
self because  Satan  is  the  tempter,  and 
because  he  is  deluded.  The  bitterness 
of  death  is  not  made  sweet  to  a  young 
man  because  he  has  been  deluded  by 
the  arts  of  the  veteran  in  temptation ; 
and  the  fires  of  hell  will  not  burn  any 
the  less  fiercely  because  the  sinner  suf- 
fered himself  to  be  deluded,  and  chose 
to  go  there  through  the  ball-room  or 
the  theatre.  The  sinner  is,  after  all, 
voluntary  in  his  delusions.  He  does, 
or  he  might,  know  the  truth.  He  goes 
voluntarily  to  the  place  of  amusement ; 
voluntarily  forms  the  plans  of  gain  and 
ambition  which  deceive  and  ruin  the 
soul ;  goes  voluntarily  to  the  theatre, 
and  to  the  haunts  of  vice ;  and  chooses 
this  course  in  the  face  of  many  warn- 
ings, and  remonstrances.  Who  is  to 
blame  if  he  is  lost  ]    Who  but  himself? 

9.  Sinners  should  be  entreated  to 
rouse  from  this  delusive  and  false 
security.  They  are  now  blinded,  and 
deceived.  Life  is  too  short  and  too  un- 
certain to  be  playing  such  a  game  as 
the  sinner  does.  There  are  too  many 
realities  here  to  make  it  proper  to  pass 
life  amidst  deceptions  and  delusions. 
Sin  is  real,  and  danger  is  real,  and  death 
is  real,  and  eternity  is  real ;  and  man 
should   rouse  from  his  delusions,  and 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


99 


look  upon  things  as  they  are.  Soon  he 
will  be  on  a  bed  of  death,  and  then  he 
will  look  over  the  follies  of  his  life. 
Soon  he  will  be  at  the  judgment  bar, 
and  from  that  high  and  awful  place  look 
on  the  past  and  the  future,  and  see 
things  as  they  are.  But,  alas !  it  will  be 
too  late  then  to  repair  the  errors  of  a 
life ;  and  amidst  the  realities  of  those 
scenes,  all  that  he  may  be  able  to  do, 
will  be  to  sigh  unavailingly  that  he 
suffered  himself  to  be  deluded,  deceived, 
and  destroyed  in  the  only  world  of  pro- 
bation, by  the  trifles  and  baubles  which 
the  great  deceiver  placed  before  him  to 
beguile  him  of  heaven,  and  to  lead  him 
down  to  hell ! 

10.  The  great  purpose  of  the  ministry 
is  to  make  known  in  any  and  every  way 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  ver.  5.  To  this, 
the  ministers  of  the  gospel  are  to  devote 
themselves.  It  is  not  to  cultivate  farms ; 
to  engage  in  traffic ;  to  shine  in  the 
social  circle;  to  be  distinguished  for 
learning  ;  to  become  fine  scholars  ;  to  be 
profoundly  versed  in  science;  or  to  be 
distinguished  as  authors,  that  they  are 
set  apart ;  but  it  is  in  every  way  pos- 
sible to  make  known  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  Whatever  other  men  do,  or 
not  do ;  however  the  world  may  choose 
to  be  employed,  their  work  is  simple  and 
plain,  and  it  is  not  to  cease  or  be  inter- 
mitted till  death  shall  close  their  toils. 
Neither  by  the  love  of  ease,  of  wealth, 
or  pleasure  are  they  to  turn  aside  from 
their  work,  or  to  forsake  the  vocation  to 
which  God  has  called  them. 

11.  We  see  the  responsibility  of  the 
ministry,  ver.  5.  On  the  ministry  de- 
volves the  work  of  making  the  Saviour 
known  to  a  dying  world.  If  they  will 
not  do  it,  the  world  will  remain  in  igno- 
rance of  the  Redeemer  and  will  perish. 
If  there  is  one  soul  to  whom  they 
might  make  known  the  Saviour,  and  to 
whom  they  do  not  make  him  known, 
that  soul  will  perish,  and  the  respo?ui- 
bility  will  rest  on  the  minister  of  the 
Lord  Jesus.  And,  O  !  how  great  is  this 
responsibility  !  And  who  is  sufficient 
for  these  things  1 

12.  Ministers  of  the  gospel  should 
submit  to  any  self-denial  in  order  that 


they  may  do  good.  Their  Master  did ; 
and  Paul  and  the  other  apostles  did.  It 
is  sufficient  for  the  disciple  that  he  be  as 
the  master;  and  the  ministers  of  the 
gospel  should  regard  themselves  as  set 
apart  to  a  work  of  self-denial,  and  called 
to  a  life  of  toil,  like  their  Lord.  Their 
rest  is  in  heaven,  not  on  the  earth. 
Their  days  of  leisure  and  repose  are  to 
be  found  in  the  skies  when  their  work 
is  done,  and  not  in  a  world  perishing  in 
sin. 

13.  The  ministry  is  a  glorious  work, 
ver.  5.  What  higher  honour  is  there 
on  earth  than  to  make  known  a  Re- 
deemer 1  What  pleasure  more  exquisite 
can  there  be  than  to  speak  of  pardon  to 
the  guilty  1  What  greater  comfort  than 
to  go  to  the  afflicted  and  bind  up  their 
hearts;  to  pour  the  balm  of  peace  into 
the  wounded  spirit,  and  to  sustain  and 
cheer  the  dying  1  The  ministry  has  its 
own  consolations  amidst  all  its  trials ; 
its  own  honour  amidst  the  contempt  and 
scorn  with  which  it  is  often  viewed  by 
the  world. 

14.  The  situation  of  man  would  have 
been  dreadful  and  awful  had  it  not  been 
for  the  light  which  is  imparted  by  reve- 
lation, and  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  ver.  6. 
Man  would  have  ever  remained  like  the 
dark  night  before  God  said  "  let  there 
be  light;"  and  his  condition  would  have 
been  thick  darkness,  where  not  a  ray  of 
light  would  have  beamed  on  his  be- 
nighted way.  Some  idea  of  what  this 
was,  and  would  have  continued  to  be, 
we  have  now  in  the  heathen  world, 
where  thick  darkness  reigns  over  nations, 
though  it  has  been  somewhat  broken  in 
upon  by  the  dim  light  which  tradition 
has  diffused  there. 

15.  God  has  power  to  impart  light  to 
the  most  dark  and  benighted  mind. 
There  is  no  one  to  whom  he  cannot 
reveal  himself  and  make  his  truth 
known,  ver.  6.  With  as  much  ease  as 
he  commanded  light  to  shine  out  of 
darkness  at  first  can  he  command  the 
pure  light  of  truth  to  shine  on  the  mind9 
of  men ;  and  on  minds  most  beclouded 
by  sin  he  can  cause  the  sun  of 
righteousness  to  shine  with  healing  in 
his  beams. 


00 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  CO 


16.  We  should  implore  the  enlight- 
ening influence  of  the  Spirit  of  truth. 
ver.  6.  If  God  is  the  source  of  light, 
we  should  seek  it  at  his  hands.  Nothing 
to  man  is  so  valuahle  as  the  light  of 
truth  ;  nothing  of  so  much  worth  as  the 
knowledge  of  the  true  God;  and  with 
the  deepest  solicitude,  and  the  most 
fervent  prayer,  should  we  seek  the  en- 
lightening influences  of  his  Spirit,  and 
the  guidance  of  his  grace. 

17.  There  is  no  true  knowledge  of 
God  except  that  which  shines  in  the 
face  of  Jesus  Christ,  ver.  6.  He  came 
to  make  known  the  true  God.  He  is 
the  exact  image  of  God.  He  resembles 
him  in  all  things.  And  he  who  does 
not  love  the  character  of  Jesus  Christ, 
therefore,  does  not  love  the  character  of 
God  ;  he  who  does  not  seek  to  be  like 
Jesus  Christ,  does  not  desire  to  be  like 
God.  He  who  does  not  bear  the  image 
of  the  Redeemer,  does  not  bear  the 
image  of  God.  To  be  a  moral  man 
merely,  therefore,  is  not  to  be  like  God. 
To  be  amiable,  and  honest,  merely,  is 
not  to  be  like  God.  Jesus  Christ,  the 
image  of  God,  was  more  than  this.  He 
was  religious.  He  was  holy.  He  was, 
as  a  man,  a  man  of  prayer,  and  filled 
with  the  love  of  God,  and  was  always 
submissive  to  his  holy  will.  He  sought 
his  honour  and  glory  ;  and  he  made  it 
the  great  purpose  of  his  life  and  death  to 
make  known  his  existence,  perfections, 
and  name.  To  imitate  him  in  this  is  to 
have  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God ; 
and  no  man  is  like  God  who  does  not 
bear  the  image  of  the  Redeemer.  No 
man  is  like  God,  therefore,  who  is  not  a 
Christian.  Of  course,  no  man  can  be 
prepared  for  heaven  who  is  not  a  friend 
and  follower  of  Jesus  Christ. 

IS.  God  designs  to  secure  the  pro- 
motion of  his  own  glory  in  the  manner 
in  which  religion  is  spread  in  the  world, 
ver.  7.  For  this  purpose,  and  with  this 
view,  he  did  not  commit  it  to  angels, 
nor  has  he  employed  men  of  rank,  or 
wealth,  or  profound  scientific  attain- 
ments to  be  the  chief  instruments  in  its 
propagation.  He  has  committed  it  to 
frail,  mortal  men ;  and  often  to  men  of 
humble  rank,  and  even  humble  attain- 


ments— except  attainments  in  piety.  In 
fitting  them  for  their  work  his  grace  is 
manifest ;  and  in  all  the  success  which 
attends  their  labours  it  is  apparent  that 
it  is  by  the  mere  grace  and  mercy  of  God 
that  it  is  done. 

19.  We  see  what  our  religion  has 
cost.  ver.  8,  9.  Its  extension  in  the 
world  has  been  everywhere  connected 
with  sufferings,  and  toil,  and  tears.  It 
began  in  the  labours,  sorrows,  self- 
denials,  persecutions,  and  dying  agonies 
of  the  Son  of  God ;  and  to  introduce  it 
to  the  world  cost  his  life.  It  was  spread 
by  the  toils,  and  sacrifices,  and  suffer- 
ings of  the  apostles.  It  was  kept  up  by 
the  dying  groans  of  martyrs.  It  has 
been  preserved  and  extended  on  earth 
by  the  labours  and  prayers  of  the  Re- 
formers, and  amidst  scenes  of  persecu- 
tion everywhere,  and  it  is  now  extend- 
ing through  the  earth  by  the  sacrifices 
of  those  who  are  willing  to  leave  country 
and  home ;  to  cross  oceans  and  deserts ; 
and  to  encounter  the  perils  of  barbarous 
climes,  that  they  may  make  it  known 
to  distant  lands.  If  estimated  by  what 
it  has  cost,  assuredly  no  religion,  no 
blessing  is  so  valuable  as  Christianity. 
It  is  above  all  human  valuation  ;  and  it 
should  be  a  matter  of  unfeigned  thank- 
fulness to  us  that  God  has  been  pleased 
to  raise  up  men  who  have  been  willing 
to  suffer  so  much  that  it  might  be  per- 
petuated and  extended  on  the  earth; 
and  we  should  be  willing  also  to  imitate 
their  example,  and  deny  ourselves,  that 
we  may  make  its  inestimable  blessings 
known  to  those  who  are  now  destitute. 
To  us,  it  is  worth  all  it  has  cost — all  the 
blood  of  apostles  and  martyrs ;  to  others, 
also,  it  would  be  worth  all  that  it  would 
cost  to  send  it  to  them.  How  can  we  bet- 
ter express  our  sense  of  its  worth,  and  oui 
gratitude  to  the  dying  Redeemer,  and 
our  veneration  for  the  memory  of  self- 
denying  apostles  and  martyrs,  than  by 
endeavouring  to  diffuse  the  religion  for 
which  they  died  all  over  the  world  ? 

20.  We  have  in  this  chapter  an  illus- 
tration of  the  sustaining  power  of  reli- 
gion in  trials,  ver.  8,  9.  The  friends 
of  Christianity  have  been  called  to  en 
dure  every  form  of  suffering.     Poverty 


A..  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


101 


want,  tears,  stripes,  imprisonments,  and 
deaths  have  been  their  portion.  They 
have  suffered  under  every  form  of  tor- 
ture which  men  could  inflict  on  them. 
And  yet  the  power  of  religion  has  never 
failed  them.  It  has  been  amply  tried  ; 
and  has  shown  itself  able  to  sustain 
them  always,  and  to  enable  them 
always  to  triumph.  Though  troubled, 
they  have  not  been  so  close  pressed  that 
they  had  no  room  to  turn  ;  though  per- 
plexed, they  have  not  been  without 
some  resource ;  though  persecuted  by 
men,  they  have  not  been  forsaken  by 
God  ;  though  thrown  down  in  the  con- 
flict, yet  they  have  recovered  strength, 
and  been  prepared  to  renew  the  strife, 
and  to  engage  in  new  contentions  with 
the  foes  of  God.  Who  can  estimate  the 
value  of  a  religion  like  this]  Who 
does  not  see  that  it  is  adapted  to  man  in 
a  state  of  trial,  and  that  it  furnishes  him 
with  just  what  he  needs  in  this  world  ! 

21.  Christianity  will  live.  ver.  8,  9. 
Nothing  can  destroy  it.  All  the  power 
that  could  be  brought  to  bear  on  it  to 
blot  it  from  the  earth  has  been  tried,  and 
yet  it  survives.  No  new  attempt  to 
destroy  it  can  prevail;  and  it  is  now 
settled  that  this  religion  is  to  live  to  the 
end  of  time.  It  has  cost  much  to  obtain 
this  demonstration ;  but  it  is  worth  all 
it  has  cost,  and  the  sufferings  of  apostles 
and  martyrs,  therefore,  have  not  been 
for  naught. 

22.  Christians  should  be  willing  to 
endure  any  thing  in  order  that  they 
may  become  like  Christ  on  earth,  and 
be  like  him  in  heaven,  ver.  10.  It  is 
worth  all  their  efforts,  and  all  their  self- 
denials.  It  is  the  grand  object  before 
us ;  and  we  should  deem  no  sufferings 
too  severe,  no  self-denial  or  sacrifice  too 
great,  if  we  may  become  like  him  here 
below,  and  may  live  with  him  above, 
ver.  10,  11. 

23.  In  order  to  animate  us  in  the 
work  to  which  God  has  called  us ;  to 
encourage  us  in  our  trials ;  and  to 
prompt  us  to  a  faithful  discharge  of  our 
duties,  especially  those  who  like  Paul 
are  called  to  preach  the  gospel,  we 
should  have,  like  him,  the  following 
views  and  feelings — views  and  feelings 


adapted  to  sustain  us  in  all  our  trials, 
and  to  uphold  us  in  all  the  conflicts  of 
life.  (1.)  A  firm  and  unwavering  be- 
lief of  the  truth  of  the  religion  which  we 
profess,  and  of  the  truth  which  we  make 
known  to  others,  ver.  12.  No  man  can 
preach  successfully,  and  no  man  can  do 
much  good,  whose  mind  is  vacillating 
and  hesitating;  who  is  filled  with 
doubts,  and  who  goes  timidly  to  work, 
or  who  declares  that  of  which  he  has  no 
practical  acquaintance,  and  no  deep-felt 
conviction,  and  who  knows  not  whereof 
he  affirms.  A  man  to  do  good  must 
have  a  faith  which  never  wavers;  a 
conviction  of  truth  which  is  constant ;  a 
belief  settled  like  the  everlasting  hills, 
which  nothing  can  shake  or  overturn. 
With  such  a  conviction  of  the  truth  of 
Christianity,  and  of  the  great  doctrines 
which  it  inculcates,  he  cannot  but  speak 
of  it,  and  make  known  his  convictions. 
He  that  believes  that  men  are  in  fact 
in  danger  of  hell,  will  tell  them  of  it; 
he  that  believes  there  is  an  awful  bar 
of  judgment,  will  tell  them  of  it ;  he  that 
believes  that  the  Son  of  God  became  in- 
carnate and  died  for  men,  will  tell  them 
of  it ;  he  that  believes  that  there  is  a 
heaven,  will  invite  them  to  it.  And  one 
reason  why  professing  Christians  are  so 
reluctant  to  speak  of  these  things,  is, 
that  they  have  no  very  settled  and  defi- 
nite conviction  of  their  truth,  and  no 
correct  view  of  their  relative  importance. 
(2.)  We  should  have  a  firm  assurance 
that  God  has  raised  up  the  Lord  Jesus, 
and  that  we  also  shall  be  raised  from 
the  dead.  ver.  14.  The  hope  and  ex- 
pectation of  the  resurrection  of  the  dead 
was  one  of  the  sustaining  principles 
which  upheld  Paul  in  his  labours,  and 
to  attain  to  this  was  one  of  the  grand 
objects  of  his  life.  Acts  xxiii.  6.  Phil, 
iii.  11.  Under  the  influence  of  this 
hope  and  expectation,  he  was  willing  to 
encounter  any  danger,  and  to  endure 
any  trial.  The  prospect  of  being  raised 
up  to  eternal  life  and  glory  was  all  that 
was  needful  to  make  trials  welcome,  and 
to  uphold  him  in  the  midst  of  privation 
and  toils.  And  so  we,  if  we  are  assured 
i  of  this  great  truth,  shall  welcome  trial 
1  also,  and  shall  be  able  to  endure  afflic- 


102 


II.   CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


tions  and  persecutions.  They  will  soon 
be  ended,  and  the  eternal  glory  in  the 
morning  of  the  resurrection  shall  be 
more  than  a  compensation  for  all  that 
we  shall  endure  in  this  life.  (3.)  We 
should  have  a  sincere  desire  to  promote 
the  glory  of  God,  and  to  bring  as  many 
as  possible  to  join  in  his  praise,  and  to 
celebrate  his  saving  mercy,  ver.  15.  It 
was  this  which  sustained  and  animated 
Paul;  and  a  man  who  has  this  as  the 
leading  object  of  his  life,  and  his  great 
purpose  and  aim,  will  be  willing  to 
endure  much  trial,  to  suffer  much  per- 
secution, and  to  encounter  many  dan-  j 
gers.  No  object  is  so  noble  as  that  of 
endeavouring  to  promote  the  divine 
glory ;  and  he  who  is  influenced  by  that 
will  care  little  how  many  sufferings  he 
is  called  to  endure  in  this  life. 

24.  Christians  should  have  such  a 
belief  of  the  truth  of  their  religion  as  to 
be  willing  to  speak  of  it  at  all  times,  and 
in  all  places,  ver.  13.  If  we  have  such 
a  belief  we  shall  be  willing  to  speak,  of 
it.  We  cannot  help  it.  We  shall  so  see 
its  value,  and  so  love  it,  and  our  hearts 
will  be  so  full  of  it,  and  we  shall  see  so 
much  the  danger  of  our  fellow-men,  that 
we  shall  be  instinctively  prompted  to  go 
to  them  and  warn  them  of  their  danger, 
and  tell  them  of  the  glories  of  the  Re- 
deemer. 

25.  Christians  may  expect  to  be  sup- 
ported and  comforted  in  the  trials  and 
toils  of  life.  ver.  16.  The  "  outward 
man"  will  indeed  perish  and  decay. 
The  body  will  become  feeble,  weary, 
jaded,  decayed,  decrepit.  It  will  be 
filled  with  pain,  and  will  languish  un- 
der disease,  and  will  endure  the  mortal 
agony,  and  will  be  corrupted  in  the 
tomb.  But  the  "inward  man"  will  be 
renewed.  The  faith  will  be  invigorated, 
the  hope  become  stronger,  the  intellect 
brighter,  the  heart  better,  the  whole 
soul  be  more  like  God.  While  the 
body,  therefore,  the  less  important  part, 
decays  and  dies,  the  immortal  part  shall 
live  and  ripen  for  glory.  Of  what  con- 
sequence is  it,  therefore,  how  soon  or 
how  much  the  body  decays ;  or  when, 
and  where,  and  how  it  dies.  Let  the 
immortal  part  be  preserved,  let  that  live, 


and  all  is  well.  And  while  this  is  done, 
we  should  not,  we  shall  not  "  faint." 
We  shall  be  sustained  ;  and  shall  find 
the  consolations  of  religion  to  be  fitted 
to  all  our  wants,  and  adapted  to  all  the 
necessities  of  our  condition  as  weak,  and 
frail,  and  dying  creatures. 

26.  We  learn  from  this  chapter  how 
to  bear  affliction  in  a  proper  manner. 
ver.  17,  18.  It  is  by  looking  at  eternity 
and  comparing  our  trials  with  the  eter- 
nal weight  of  glory  that  awaits  us.  In 
themselves  afflictions  often  seem  heavy 
and  long.  Human  nature  is  often  ready 
to  sink  under  them.  The  powers  of  the 
body  fail,  and  the  mortal  frame  is  crush- 
ed. The  day  seems  long  while  we 
suffer ;  and  the  night  seems  often  to 
be  almost  endless.  Deut.  xxviii.  67. 
But  compared  with  eternity  how  short 
are  all  these  trials !  Compared  with  the 
weight  of  glory  which  awaits  the  be- 
liever, what  a  trifle  are  the  severest 
sufferings  of  this  life.  Soon  the  ran- 
somed spirit  will  be  released,  and  will 
be  admitted  to  the  full  fruition  of  the 
joys  of  the  world  above.  In  that  world 
all  these  sorrows  will  seem  like  the 
sufferings  of  childhood,  that  we  have 
now  almost  forgotten,  and  that  now 
seem  to  us  like  trifles. 

27.  We  should  not  look  to  the  things 
which  are  seen  as  our  portion,  ver.  17, 
18.  They  are  light  in  their  cbaracter, 
and  are  soon  to  fade  away.  Our  great 
interests  are  beyond  the  grave.  There 
all  is  weighty,  and  momentous,  and 
eternal.  Whatever  great  interests  we 
have  are  there.  Eternity  is  stamped 
upon  all  the  joys  and  all  the  sorrows 
which  are  beyond  this  life.  Here  all  is 
temporary,  changing,  decaying,  dying. 
There  all  is  fixed,  settled,  unchanging, 
immortal.  It  becomes  us  then  as  ra- 
tional creatures  to  look  to  that  world, 
to  act  with  reference  to  it,  to  feel  and 
act  as  if  we  felt  that  all  our  interests 
were  there.  Were  this  life  all,  every 
thing  in  relation  to  us  would  be  trifling. 
But  when  we  remember  that  there  is  an 
eternity ;  that  we  are  near  it ;  and  that 
our  conduct  here  is  to  determine  our 
character  and  destiny  there,  life  becomes 
invested  with  infinite  importance.  Who 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


103 


CHAPTER  V. 
TpOR   we   know,    that   if  our 
•*■     earthly  house  of  this  taber- 

can  estimate  the  magnitude  of  the  in- 
terests at  stake  1  Who  can  appreciate 
aright  the  importance  of  every  step  we 
take,  and  every  plan  we  form  7 

28.  All  here  below  is  temporary,  de- 
caying, dying,  ver.  17,  18.  Afflictions 
are  temporary.  They  are  but  for  a  mo- 
ment, and  will  soon  be  passed  away. 
Our  sorrows  here  will  soon  be  ended. 
The  last  sigh  on  earth  will  soon  be 
heaved;  the  last  tear  will  have  fallen 
on  the  cheek ;  the  last  pain  will  have 
shot  across  the  seat  of  life  !  The  last 
pang  of  parting  with  a  beloved  friend 
will  soon  have  been  endured ;  and  the 
last  step  which  we  are  to  take  in  "  the 
valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,"  will 
soon  have  been  trod.  And  in  like  man- 
ner we  shall  soon  have  tasted  the  last 
cup  of  earthly  joy.  All  our  comforts 
here  below  will  soon  pass  from  us. 
Our  friends  will  die.  Our  sources  of 
happiness  will  be  dried  up.  Our  health 
will  fail,  and  darkness  will  come  over 
our  eyes,  and  we  shall  go  down  to  the 
dead.  AH  our  property  must  be  left, 
and  all  our  honours  be  parted  with 
forever.  In  a  little  time — O,  how  brief! 
we  shall  have  gone  from  all  these,  and 
shall  be  engaged  in  the  deep  and  awful 
solemnities  of  the  unchanging  world. 
How  vain  and  foolish,  therefore,  the 
attachment  to  earthly  objects!  How 
important  to  secure  an  interest  in  that 
future  inheritance  which  shall  never 
fade  away  ! 

29.  Let  it  not  be  inferred,  however, 
that  all  affliction  shall  be  light,  and  for 
a  moment,  or  that  all  earthly  trial  shall 
of  course  work  out  a  far  more  exceed- 
ing and  eternal  weight  of  glory.  There 
are  sorrows  beyond  the  grave  compared 
with  which  the  most  heavy  and  most 
protracted  woes  this  side  the  tomb,  are 
"light,"  and  are.  "but  for  a  moment." 
And  there  are  sorrows  in  this  life,  deep 
and  prolonged  afflictions — which  by  no 
means  tend  to  prepare  the  soul  for  the 
"far  more  exceeding  land  eternal  weight 


nacle  a  were  dissolved,  we  have 
a  building  of  God,  an  house  b  not 

a  Job  4.  19.  2  Pe.  1.13, 14.      b  1  Pe.  1.  4. 


of  glory."  Such  are  those  afflictions 
where  there  is  no  submission  to  the  will 
of  God ;  where  there  is  murmuring,  re- 
pining, impatience,  and  increased  re- 
bellion ;  where  there  is  no  looking  to 
God  for  comfort,  and  no  contemplation 
of  eternal  glory.  Such  are  those  afflic- 
tions where  men  look  to  philosophy,  or 
to  earthly  friends  to  comfort  them ;  or 
where  they  plunge  deeper  into  the  busi- 
ness, the  gayety,  or  the  vices  of  the 
world,  to  drown  their  sorrows  and  to 
obliterate  the  sense  of  their  calamities. 
This  is  "  the  sorrow  of  the  world  which 
worketh  death."  2  Cor.  vii.  10.  In 
afflictions,  therefore,  it  should  be  to  us  a 
matter  of  deep  and  anxious  solicitude 
to  know  whether  we  have  the  right 
feelings,  and  whether  we  are  seeking 
the  right  sources  of  consolation.  And 
in  such  seasons  it  shall  be  the  subject 
of  our  deep  and  earnest  prayer  to  God 
that  our  trials  may,  by  his  grace,  be 
made  to  work  out  for  us  "  a  far  more 
exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory." 
All  are  afflicted;  all  suffer  in  various 
ways  ;  and  all  may  find  these  trials  ter- 
minate in  eternal  blessedness  beyond 
the  grave. ' 

CHAPTER  V. 
This  chapter  is  closely  connected 
with  the  former,  and  indeed  has  been 
improperly  separated  from  it,  as  is  mani- 
fest from  the  word  "  For"  (>«§)  with 
which  it  commences.  It  contains  a 
further  statement  of  reasons  for  what 
had  been  said  in  the  previous  chapter. 
The  main  subject  there  was  the  minis- 
try ;  the  honesty  and  fidelity  with 
which  Paul  and  his  fellow-labourers 
toiled  (ver.  1 — 3)  ;  the  trials  and  dan- 
gers which  they  encountered  in  the 
work  of  the  ministry  (ver.  7 — 12)  ;  and 
the  consolations  and  supports  which 
they  had  in  its  various  trials,  ver.  13 — 18. 
This  chapter  contains  a  continuation  of 
the  same  subject,  and  a  further  state- 
ment of  the  motives  which  prompted 
them  to  their  work,  and  of  the  supports 


104 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60 


made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the 
heavens. 

which  upheld  them  in  the  arduous  du- 
ties to  which  they  were  called.  It  is  a 
chapter  full  of  exquisite  beauties  of 
sentiment  and  of  language,  and  as  well 
adapted  to  give  consolation  and  support 
to  all  Christians  now  as  it  is  to  minis- 
ters; and  the  sentiments  are  as  well 
adapted  to  sustain  the  humblest  believer 
in  his  trials  as  they  were  to  sustain  the 
apostles  themselves.  The  following  are 
the  points  of  consolation  and  support, 
and  reasons  for  their  zeal  and  self-denial, 
to  which  the  apostle  refers. 

1.  They  had  the  assured  prospect  of 
the  resurrection,  and  of  eternal  life, 
ver.  1 — 4.  The  body  might  decay, 
and  be  worn  out;  it  might  sigh  and 
groan,  but  they  had  a  better  home,  a 
mansion  of  eternal  rest  in  the  heavens. 
It  was  their  earnest  desire  to  reach 
heaven ;  though  not  such  a  desire  as 
to  make  them  unwilling  to  endure  the 
toils  and  trials  which  God  should  ap- 
point to  them  here  below,  but  still  an 
earnest,  anxious  wish  to  reach  safely 
their  eternal  home  in  the  skies.  In  the 
prospect  of  their  heavenly  home,  and 
their  eternal  rest,  they  were  willing  to 
endure  all  the  trials  which  were  ap- 
pointed to  them. 

2.  God  had  appointed  them  to  this ; 
he  had  fitted  them  for  these  trials ;  he 
had  endowed  them  with  the  graces  of 
his  Spirit;  and  they  were,  therefore, 
willing  to  be  absent  from  the  body,  and 
to  be  present  with  the  Lord.  ver.  5 — 8. 
They  had  such  a  view  of  heaven  as 
their  home  that  they  were  willing  at 
any  time  to  depart  and  enter  the  world 
of  rest,  and  they  did  not,  therefore, 
shrink  from  the  trials  and  dangers  which 
would  be  likely  soon  to  bring  them 
there. 

3.  They  had  a  deep  and  constant 
conviction  that  they  must  soon  appear 
before  the  judgment  seat  of  Christ,  ver. 
9 — 1 1.  They  laboured  that  they  might 
be  accepted  by  him  (ver.  9) ;  they 
knew  that  they  must  give  a  solemn 
account  to  him  (ver.  1 0)  ;  they  had  a 


2  For    in    this    we    groan,  ° 

a  Ro.  8.  23. 


clear  view,  and  a  deep  impression  of 
the  awful  terrors  of  that  day,  and  they 
laboured/  therefore,  to  save  as  many  as 
possible  from  the  condemnation  of  the 
great  Judge  of  all,  and  endeavoured  to 
"  persuade"  them  to  be  prepared  for  that 
scene,  ver.  11. 

4.  Though  to  some  they  might  ap- 
pear to  be  under  the  influence  of  im- 
proper excitement,  and  even  to  be  de- 
ranged (ver.  14),  yet  they  were  acting 
only  under  the  proper  influence  of  the 
love  of  Christ,  ver.  14,  15.  They  were 
constrained  and  urged  on  by  his  love ; 
they  knew  that  he  had  died  for  all,  and 
that  all  men  were  dead  in  sin  ;  and 
they  felt  themselves  the  constraining 
influence  of  that  love  prompting  them 
to  deny  themselves,  and  to  devote  their 
all  to  his  service  and  cause. 

5.  Their  views  of  all  things  had  been 
changed,  ver.  16,  17.  They  had 
ceased  to  act  under  the  influences  which 
govern  other  men  ;  but  their  own  hearts 
had  been  changed,  and  they  had  become 
new  creatures  in  Christ,  and  in  their 
lives  they  evinced  the  spirit  which 
should  govern  those  who  were  thus  re- 
newed. 

6.  They  had  been  solemnly  commis- 
sioned by  God  as  his-  ambassadors  in 
this  cause.  They  had  been  sent  to 
make  known  the  terms  and  the  way  of 
reconciliation,  and  they  felt  it  to  be  their 
duty  to  proclaim  those  terms  on  as  wide 
a  scale  as  possible,  and  with  the  utmost 
zeal  and  self-denial.  It  was  God's  glo- 
rious plan  of  reconciliation ;  and  on  the 
ground  of  the  atonement  made  by  the 
Redeemer,  they  could  now  offer  salva- 
tion to  all  mankind,  and  as  all  %ight  be 
saved,  they  felt  themselves  bound  to 
offer  the  terms  of  salvation  to  as  many 
as  possible,  ver.  18 — 21.  The  grand 
argument  for  urging  sinners  to  be  re- 
conciled to  God,  is  the  fact  that  Christ 
has  died  for  their  sins,  and,  therefore,  the 
apostles  apprized  of  this  fact,  sought  to 
urge  as  many  as  possible  to  become  his 
friends,  ver.  21.  • 


A.  D.  60.] 


GHAPTER  V. 


105 


1 .  For  we  know.  We  who  are  en- 
gaged in  the  work  of  the  gospel  minis- 
try. Paul  is  giving  a  reason  why  he 
and  his  fellow-labourers  did  not  become 
weary  and  faint  in  their  work.  The 
reason  was,  that  they  knew  that  even  if 
their  body  should  die,  they  had  an  in- 
heritance reserved  for  them  in  heaven. 
The  expression  "we  know"  is  the  lan- 
guage of  strong  and  unwavering  assur- 
ance. They  had  no  doubt  on  the  sub- 
ject. And  it  proves  that  there  may  be 
the  assurance  of  eternal  life ;  or  such 
evidence  of  acceptance  with  God  as  to 
leave  no  dovibt  of  a  final  admission  into 
heaven.  This  language  was  often  used 
by  the  Saviour  in  reference  to  the  truths 
which  he  taught  (John  iii.  11 ;  iv.  22)  ; 
and  it  is  used  by  the  sacred  writers  in 
regard  to  the  truths  which  they  record- 
ed, and  in  regard  to  their  own  personal 
piety.  John  xxi.  24 ;  I  John  ii.  3.  5. 
18;  iii.  2.  14.  19.  24;  iv.  6.  13;  v.  2. 
15.  19,  20.  t  That  if  our  earthly 
house.  The  word  "earthly"  here 
(iTriyuog)  stands  opposed  to  "  heavenly," 
or  to  the  "  house  eternal  (iv  rote  oygz- 
>.>??)  in  the  heavens."  The  word  pro- 
perly means  '  upon  earth,  terrestrial,  be- 
longing to  the  earth,  or  on  the  earth,' 
and  is  applied  to  bodies  ( I  Cor.  xv.  40)  ; 
to  earthly  things  (John  iii.  12)  ;  to  earth- 
ly, or  worldly  wisdom,  James  iii.  15. 
The  word  house  here  refers  doubtless  to 
the  body,  as  the  habitation,  or  the  dwell- 
ing-place of  the  mind  or  soul.  The 
soul  dwells  in  it  as  we  dwell  in  a  house, 
or  tent.  ^  Of  this  tabernacle.  This 
word  means  a  booth,  or  tent — a  mov- 
able dwelling.  The  use  of  the  word 
here  is  not  a  mere  redundancy,  but  the 
idea  which  Paul  designs  to  convey  is, 
doubtless,  that  the  body — the  house  of 
the  soul — was  not  a  permanent  dwell- 
ing-place, but  was  of  the  same  nature 
as  a  booth  or  tent,  that  was  set  up  for  a 
temporary  purpose,  or  that  was  easily 
taken  down  in  migrating  from  one  place 
to  another.  It  refers  here  to  the  body 
as  the  frail  and  temporary  abode  of  the 
soul.  It  is  not  a  permanent  dwelling; 
a  fixed  habitation,  but  is  liable  to  be 
taken  down  at  any  moment,  and  was 
fitted  up  with  that  view.     Tindal  ren- 


ders it,  '  if  our  earthly  mansion  wherein 
we  now  dwell."  The  Syriac  renders 
it,  "  for  we  know  that  if  our  house  on 
earth,which  is  our  body,  were  dissolved." 
The  idea  is  a  beautiful  one,  that  the 
body  is  a  mere  unfixed,  movable  dwell- 
ing-place ;  liable  to  be  taken  down  at 
any  moment,  and  not  designed,  any 
more  than  a  tent  is,  to  be  a  permanent 
habitation.  |  Were  dissolved  (jc*tix- 
xud-f?).  This  word  means  properly  to 
disunite  the  parts  of  any  thing;  and  is 
applied  to  the  act  of  throwing  down,  or 
destroying  a  building.  It  is  applied  here 
to  the  body,  regarded  as  a  temporary 
dwelling  that  might  be  taken  down,  and 
it  refers,  doubtless,  to  the  dissolution  of 
the  body  in  the  grave.  The  idea  is, 
that  if  this  body  should  moulder  back  to 
dust,  and  be  resolved  into  its  original 
elements ;  or  if  by  great  zeal  and  labour 
it  should  be  exhausted  and  worn  out. 
Language  like  this  is  used  by  Eliphaz, 
the  Temanite,  in  describing  the  body  of 
man.  "  How  much  less  in  those  that 
dwell  in  houses  of  clay,"  &c.  Job  iv.  19. 
Comp.  2  Pet.  i.  13,  14.  1  We  have  a 
building  of  God.  Robinson  (Lexicon) 
supposes  that  it  refers  to  "the  future 
spiritual  body  as  the  abode  of  the  soul." 
Some  have  supposed  that  it  refers  to 
some  "celestial  vehicle"  with  which 
God  invests  the  soul  during  the  inter- 
mediate state.  But  the  Scripture  is  si- 
lent about  any  such  celestial  vehicle. 
It  is  not  easy  to  tell  what  was  the  pre- 
cise idea  which  Paul  here  designed  to 
convey.  Perhaps  a  few  remarks  may 
enable  us  to  arrive  at  the  meaning. 
(1.)  It  was  not  to  be  temporary  ;  not  a 
tent  or  tabernacle  that  could  be  taken 
down.  (2.)  It  was  to  be  eternal  in  the 
heavens.  (3.)  It  was  to  be  such  as  to 
constitute  a  dwelling ;  a  clothing,  or 
such  a  protection  as  should  keep  the 
soul  from  being  "  naked."  (4.)  It  was 
to  be  such  as  should  constitute  "  life" 
in  contradistinction  from  "mortality." 
These  things  will  better  agree  with  the 
supposition  of  its  referring  to  the  future 
body  of  the  saints  than  any  thing  else  ; 
and  probably  the  idea  of  Paul  is,  that 
the  body  there  will  be  incorruptible  and 
immortal.      When  he  says  it  is  a  "  build- 


106 


11.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


earnestly  desiring  to  be  clothed 


ing  of  God"  (a  e*v),  ne  evidently 
means  that  it  is  made  by  God ;  that  he 
is  the  architect  of  that  future  and  eternal 
dwelling.  Macknight  and  some  others, 
however,  understood  this  of  the  man- 
sions which  God  has  fitted  up  for  his 
people  in  heaven,  and  which  the  Lord 
Jesus  has  gone  to  prepare  for  them. 
Comp.  John  xiv.  2.  But  see  Note  on 
ver.  3.  1  An  house.  A  dwelling ;  an 
abode;  that  is,  according  to  the  inter- 
pretation above,  a  celestial,  pure,  im- 
mortal body ;  a  body  that  shall  have 
God  for  its  immediate  author,  and  that 
shall  be  fitted  to  dwell  in  heaven  forever. 
^  Not  made  with  hands.  Not  con- 
structed by  man  ;  a  habitation  not  like 
those  svhich  are  made  by  human  skill, 
and  which  are  therefore  easily  taken 
down  or  removed,  but  one  that  is  made 
by  God  himself.  This  does  not  imply 
that  the  "  earthly  house"  which  is  to  be 
superseded  by  that  in  heaven  is  made 
with  hands,  but  the  idea  is,  that  the 
earthly  dwelling  has  things  about  it 
which  resemble  that  which  is  made  by 
man,  or  as  if  it  were  made  with  hands ; 
i.  e.  it  is  temporary,  frail,  easily  taken 
down  or  removed.  But  that  which  is 
in  heaven  is  permanent,  fixed,  eternal, 
as  if  made  by  God.  ^  Eternal  in  the 
heavens.  Immortal;  to  live  forever. 
The  future  body  shall  never  be  taken 
down  or  dissolved  by  death.  It  is 
eternal,  of  course,  only  in  respect  to  the 
future,  and  not  in  respect  to  the  past. 
And  it  is  not  only  eternal,  but  it  is  to 
abide  forever  in  the  heavens — in  the 
world  of  glory.  It  is  never  to  be  sub- 
jected to  a  dwelling  on  the  earth ;  never  to 
be  in  a  world  of  sin,  suffering,  and  death. 
2.  For  in  this.  In  this  tent,  taber- 
nacle, or  dwelling.  In  our  body  here. 
Tf  We  groan.  Comp.  Note  Rom.  viii. 
22.  The  sense  is,  that  we  are  subject- 
ed to  so  many  trials  and  afflictions  in 
the  present  body ;  that  the  body  is  sub- 
jected to  so  many  pains  and  to  so  much 
suffering,  as  to  maite  us  earnestly  desire 
to  be  invested  with  that  body  which 
shall  be  free  from  all  susceptibility  to 


upon  with  our  house  which  is 
from  heaven  : 


suffering.  \  Earnestly  desiring  to  be 
clothed  upon  with  our  house,  &c.  There 
is  evidently  here  a  change  of  the  meta- 
phor which  gives  an  apparent  harshness 
to  the  construction.  One  idea  of  the 
apostle  is,  that  the  body  here,  and  the 
spiritual  body  hereafter,  is  a  house  or  a 
dwelling.  Here  he  speaks  of  it  as  a 
garment  which  may  be  put  on  or  laid  off; 
and  of  himself  as  earnestly  desiring  to 
put  on  the  immortal  clothing  or  vestment 
which  was  in  heaven.  Both  these  figures 
are  common  in  ancient  writings,  and  a 
change  in  this  manner  in  the  popular  style 
is  not  unusual.  The  Pythagoreans  com- 
pared the  body  to  a  tent,  or  hut  for  the 
soul ;  the  Platonists  liken  it  to  a  vest- 
ment.— Bloomjield.  The  Jews  speak 
of  a  vestment  to  the  soul  in  this  world 
and  the  next.  They  affirm  that  the 
soul  had  a  covering  when  it  was  under 
the  throne  of  God,  and  before  it  was 
clothed  with  the  body.  This  vestment 
they  say  was  "  the  image  of  God"  which 
was  lost  by  Adam.  After  the  fall,  they 
say,  Adam  and  all  his  posterity  were 
regarded  as  naked.  In  the  future  world 
they  say  the  good  will  be  clothed  with  a 
vestment  for  the  soul  which  they  speak 
of  as  lucid  and  radiant,  and  such  as  no 
one  on  earth  can  attain. — Schoettgen. 
But  there  is  no  reason  to  think  that 
Paul  referred  to  any  such  trifles  as  the 
Jews  have  believed  on  this  subject.  He 
evidently  regarded  man  as  composed  of 
body  and  soul.  The  soul  was  the  more 
important  part,  and  the  body  constituted 
its  mere  habitation  or  dwelling.  Yet  a 
body  was  essential  to  the  idea  of  the 
complete  man ;  and  since  this  was  frail 
and  dying,  he  looked  forward  to  a  union 
with  the  body  that  should  be  eternal  in 
the  heavens,  as  a  more  desirable  and 
perfect  habitation  of  the  soul.  Mr 
Locke  has  given  an  interpretation  of 
this  in  which  he  is  probably  alone,  but 
which  has  so  much  appearance  of 
plausibility  that  it  is  not  improper  to  re- 
fer to  it  He  supposes  that  this  whole 
passage  has  reference  to  the  fact  that  at 
the  coming  of  the  Redeemer  the  body 


A.  D.  60.]  CHAPTER  V. 

3  If  so  be  that  being  clothed 
we  shall  not  be  found  naked.  a 

a  Re.  3.  18:  16.  15. 


will  be  changed  without  experiencing 
death  (comp.  1  Cor.  xv.  51,  52)  ;  that 
Paul  expected  that  this  might  soon 
occur;  and  that  he  earnestly  desired  to 
undergo  this  transformation  without  ex- 
periencing the  pains  of  dying.  He 
therefore  paraphrases  it,  "  For  in  this 
tabernacle  I  groan,  earnestly  desiring, 
without  putting  off  this  mortal,  earthly 
body  by  death,  to  have  that  celestial 
body  superinduced,  if  so  be  the  coming 
of  Christ  shall  overtake  me  in  this  life, 
before  I  put  off  this  body."  K  With  our 
house.  The  phrase  •  to  be  clothed  upon 
with  our  house'  seems  to  be  harsh  and 
unusual.  The  sense  is  plain,  however, 
that  Paul  desired  to  be  invested  with 
that  pure,  spiritual,  and  undecaying 
body  which  was  to  be  the  eternal  abode 
of  his  soul  in  heaven.  That  he  speaks 
of  as  a  house  (ou»T»'^5v),a  more  perma- 
nent and  substantial  dwelling  than  a 
tent,  or  tabernacle. 

3.  If  so  be  that  being  clothed.  This 
passage  has  been  interpreted  in  a  great 
many  different  ways.  The  view  of 
Locke  is  given  above.  Rosenmiiller  ren- 
ders it,  "  For  in  the  other  life  we  shall 
not  be  wholly  destitute  of  a  body,  but 
we  shall  have  a  body."  Tindal  renders 
it, "  If  it  happen  that  we  be  found  clothed, 
and  not  naked."  Doddridge  supposes 
it  to  mean,  "since  being  so  clothed 
upon,  we  shall  not  be  found  naked, 
and  exposed  to  any  evil  and  inconve- 
nience, how  entirely  soever  we  may  be 
stripped  of  every  thing  we  can  call  our 
own  here  below."  Hammond  explains 
it  to  mean,  "  If,  indeed,  we  shall,  happily, 
be  among  the  number  of  those  faithful 
Christians,  who  will  be  found  clothed 
upon,  not  naked."  Various  other  ex- 
positions may  be  seen  in  the  larger  com- 
mentaries. The  meaning  is  probably 
this:  (1.)  The  word  "clothed"  refers 
to  the  future  spiritual  body  of  believers  ; 
the  eternal  habitation  in  which  they 
shall  reside.  (2.)  The  expression  im- 
plies an  earnest  lesire  of  Paul  to  be  thus 


107 


4  For  we  that  are  in  this  ta- 
bernacle do  groan,  being  burden- 
ed:  not  for  that   we  would  be 


invested  with  that  body.  (3.)  It  is  the 
language  of  humility  and  of  deep  solici- 
tude, as  if  it  were  possible  that  they 
might  fail,  and  as  if  it  demanded  their 
utmost  care  and  anxiety  that  they  might 
thus  be  clothed  with  the  spiritual  body 
in  heaven.  (4.)  It  means  that  in  that 
future  state,  the  soul  will  not  be  naked ; 
i.  e.  destitute  of  any  body,  or  covering. 
The  present  body  will  be  laid  aside.  It 
will  return  to  corruption,  and  the  dis- 
embodied Spirit  will  ascend  to  God  and 
to  heaven.  It  will  be  disencumbered 
of  the  body  with  which  it  has  been  so 
long  clothed.  But  we  are  not  thence 
to  infer  that  it  will  be  destitute  of  a 
body ;  that  it  will  remain  a  naked  soul. 
It  will  be  clothed  there  in  its  appropri- 
ate glorified  body  ;  and  will  have  an 
appropriate  habitation  there.  This  does 
not  imply,  as  Bloomfield  supposes,  that 
the  bodies  of  the  wicked  will  be  desti- 
tute of  any  such  habitation  as  the  glo- 
rified body  of  the  saints  ;  which  may  be 
true — but  it  means  simply  that  the  soul 
shall  not  be  destitute  of  an  appropriate 
body  in  heaven,  but  that  the  union  of 
body  and  soul  there  shall  be  known  as 
well  as  on  earth. 

4.  For  we.  We  who  are  Christians. 
All  Christians.  1  That  are  in  this  ta- 
bernacle. This  frail  and  dying  body. 
Note,  ver.  1.  t  Do  groan.  See  ver.  2. 
This  is  a  further  explanation  of  what  is 
said  in  ver.  2.  It  implies  an  ardent  and 
earnest  desire  to  leave  a  world  of  toil 
and  pain,  and  to  enter  into  a  world  of 
rest  and  glory.  1  Being  burdened. 
Being  borne  down  by  the  toils,  and 
trials,  and  calamities  of  this  life.  See 
Note,  ch.  iii.  7—10.  f  Not  for  that  tue 
ivould  be  unclothed.  Not  that  we  are 
impatient,  and  unwilling  to  bear  these 
burdens  as  long  as  God  shall  appoint. 
Not  that  we  merely  wish  to  lay  aside 
this  mortal  body.  We  do  not  desire  to 
die  and  depart  merely  because  we  suffer 
much,  and  because  the  body  here  is 
subjected  to  great  trials.     This  is  not 


108 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


T A.  D.  60. 


unclothed,  but  clothed  upon,  that 
mortality  a  might  be  swallowed 
up  of  life. 

5  Now  he  that  hath  wrought* 

a  1  Co  15.  53.         b  Is.  29.  23.   Ep.  2.  10. 


the  ground  of  our  wish  to  depart.  We 
are  willing  to  bear  trials.  We  are  not 
impatient  under  afflictions. — The  senti- 
ment here  is,  that  the  mere  fact  that  we 
may  be  afflicted  much  and  long,  should 
not  be  the  principal  reason  why  we 
should  desire  to  depart.  We  should  be 
willing  to  bear  all  this  as  long  as  God 
shall  choose  to  appoint.  The  anxiety 
of  Paul  to  enter  the  eternal  world  was 
from  a  higher  motive  than  a  mere  desire 
to  get  away  from  trouble,  f  But 
clothed  upon.  To  be  invested  with  our 
spiritual  bod)'.  We  desire  to  be  clothed 
with  that  body.  We  desire  to  be  in 
heaven,  and  to  be  clothed  with  immor- 
tality. We  wish  to  have  a  body  that 
shall  be  pure,  undecaying,  ever  glorious. 
It  was  not,  therefore,  a  mere  desire  to 
be  released  from  sufferings ;  it  was  an 
earnest  wish  to  be  admitted  to  the  glories 
of  the  future  world,  and  partake  of  the 
happiness  which  he  would  enjoy  there. 
This  is  one  of  the  reasons  why  Paul 
wished  to  be  in  heaven.  Other  reasons 
he  has  stated  elsewhere.  Thus  in  Phil. 
i.  23  he  says  he  had  "  a  desire  to 
depart  and  to  he  with  Christ."  So  in 
ver.  8  of  this  chapter,  he  says  he  was 
"  willing  rather  to  be  absent  from  the 
body  and  to  be  present  with  the  Lord." 
In  2  Tim.  iv.  6 — 8,  he  speaks  of  the 
"crown  of  righteousness"  laid  up  for 
him  as  a  reason  why  he  was  willing  to 
die.  Tf  That  mortality  might  he  swal- 
lowed up  of  life.  On  the  meaning  of 
the  word  rendered  "swallowed  up" 
(K*T:t7rcd-rj)  see  Note  on  1  Cor.  xv.  54. 
The  meaning  here  is,  that  it  might  be 
completely  absorbed ;  that  it  might  cease 
to  be;  that  there  might  be  no  more  mor- 
tality, but  that  he  might  pass  to  the 
immortal  state — to  the  condition  of  eter- 
nal life  in  the  heavens.  The  body  here 
is  mortal;  the  body  there  will  be  im- 
mortal; and  Paul  desired  to  pass  away 
from  the  mortal  state  to  one  that  shall 


us    for  the   self  same    thing,    z.i 
God,  who  also  hath  given  unto 
us  the  earnest  s  of  the  Spirit. 
6  Therefore    we   are  always 

c  Ep.  1.  14. 


be  immortal,  a  world  where  there  shall 
be  no  more  death.    Comp.  i  Cor.  xv.  53. 

5.  Now  he  that  hath  wrought  us  for 
the  selfsame  thing.  The  phrase  "  self- 
same thing"  here  means  this  very  thing, 
i.  e.  the  thing  to  which  he  had  referred 
— the  preparation  for  heaven,  or  the  hea- 
venly dwelling.  The  word  "wrought" 
here  (je^T^/swa^syo?)  means  that  God 
had  formed,  or  made  them  for  this ;  that 
is,  he  had  by  the  influences  of  the  Spirit, 
and  by  his  agency  on  the  heart,  created 
them,  as  it  were,  for  this,  and  adapted 
them  to  it.  God  has  destined  us  to  this 
change  from  corruption  to  incorruption  ; 
he  has  adapted  us  to  it ;  he  has  formed 
us  for  it.  It  does  not  refer  to  the  origi- 
nal creation  of  the  body  and  the  soul 
for  this  end,  but  it  means  that  God,  by 
his  own  renewing,  and  sanctifying,  and 
sustaining  agency,  had  formed  them  for 
this,  and  adapted  them  to  it.  The  object 
of  Paul  in  stating  that  it  was  done  by 
God,  is  to  keep  this  truth  prominently 
before  the  mind.  It  was  not  by  any 
native  inclination,  or  strength,  or  power 
which  they  had,  but  it  was  all  to  be 
traced  to  God.  Comp.  Eph.  ii.  10. 
1  Who  also  hath  given.  In  addition  to 
the  fitting  for  eternal  glory  he  has  given 
us  the  earnest  of  the  Spirit  to  sustain 
us  here.  We  are  not  only  prepared  to 
enter  into  heaven,  but  we  have  here 
also  the  support  produced  by  the  earnest 
of  the  Spirit.  Tf  The  earnest  of  the 
Spirit.  On  the  meaning  of  this,  see 
Note  on  ch.  i.  22.  He  has  given  to  us 
the  Holy  Spirit  as  the  pledge  or  assur- 
ance of  the  eternal  inheritance. 

6 .  Therefore  we  are  always  confident. 
The  word  here  used  (Bufcvvrts)  means 
to  be  of  good  cheer.  To  have  good 
courage,  to  be  full  of  hope.  The  idea 
is,  that  Paul  was  not  dejected,  cast  down, 
disheartened,  discouraged.  He  was 
cheerful  and  happy.  He  was  patient  in 
his  trials,  and  diligent  in   his   calling 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


109 


confident,  knowing  that,  whilst 
we  are  at  home  in  fne  body,  we 
are  absent  from  the  Lord  ; 


He  was  full  of  hope,  at:.d  of  the  confi- 
dent expectation  of  heaven;  and  this 
filled  him  with  cheerfulness  and  with 
joy.  Tindal  renders  it,  "we  are 
always  of  goud  cheere."  And  this  was 
not  occasional  and  transitory,  it  was 
constant,  it  was  uniform,  it  always 
(7ravTST«)  existed. — This  is  an  instance 
of  the  uniform  cheerfulness  which  will 
be  produced  by  the  assured  prospect  of 
heaven.  It  is  an  instance  too  when  the 
hope  of  heaven  will  enable  a  man  to 
face  danger  with  courage ;  to  endure  toil 
with  patience ;  and  to  submit  to  trials 
in  any  form  with  cheerfulness,  f  Know- 
ing. See  ver.  1.  This  is  another  in- 
stance in  which  the  apostle  expresses 
undoubted  assurance.  ^  Wliilst  we 
are  at  home  in  the  body.  The  word 
here  used  (ivSttjuivvn;)  means  literally  to 
be  among  one's  own  people,  to  be  at 
home ;  to  be  present  in  any  place.  It  is 
here  equivalent  to  saying,  •  while  we 
dwell  in  the  body.'  See  ver.  1.  Dod- 
dridge renders  it,  "sojourning  in  the 
body  ;"  and  remarks  that  it  is  improper 
to  render  it '  at  home  in  the  body,'  since 
it  is  the  apostle's  design  to  intimate  that 
this  is  nut  our  home.  But  Bloomfield 
says  that  the  word  is  never  used  in  the 
sense  of  sojourning.  The  idea  is  not 
that  of  being  "  at  home" — for  this  is  an 
idea  which  is  the  very  opposite  of  that 
which  the  apostle  wishes  to  convey. 
His  purpose  is  not  at  all  to  represent 
the  body  here  as  our  home,  and  the 
original  word  does  not  imply  that.  It 
means  here  simply  to  be  in  the  body ; 
to  be  present  in  the  body ;  that  is,  while 
we  are  in  the  body,  ^  We  are  absent 
from  the  Lord.  The  Lord  Jesus.  See 
Notes,  Acts  i.  24.  Comp.  Phil.  i.  23. 
Here  he  was  in  a  strange  world,  and 
among  strangers.  His  great  desire  and 
purpose  was  to  be  with  the  Lord ;  and 
hence  he  cared  little  how  soon  the  frail 
tabernacle  of  the  body  was  taken  down, 
and  was  cheerful  amidst  all  the  labours 
and  sufferings  that  tended  to  bring  it  to 
10 


7  (For  °  we  walk  by  faith,  not 
by  sight :) 

a  Ro.  8.  24,  25. 

the  grave,  and  to  release  him  to  go  to 
his  eternal  home  where  he  would  be 
present  forever  with  the  Lord. 

7.  For  we  walk.  To  walk,  in  the 
Scriptures  often  denotes  to  live,  to  act, 
to  conduct  in  a  certain  way.  See  Notes 
on  Rom.  iv.  12;  vi.  4.  It  has  reference 
to  the  fact  that  life  is  a  journey,  or  a 
pilgrimage,  and  that  the  Christian  is 
travelling  to  another  country.  The 
sense  here  is,  that  we  conduct  ourselves 
in  our  course  of  life  with  reference  to 
the  things  which  are  unseen,  and  not 
with  reference  to  the  things  which  are 
seen.  *[  By  faith.  In  the  belief  of 
those  things  which  we  do  not  see.  We 
believe  in  the  existence  of  objects  which 
are  invisible,  and  we  are  influenced  by 
them.  To  walk  by  faith,  is  to  live  in 
the  confident  expectation  of  things  that 
are  to  come ;  in  the  belief  of  the  exist- 
ence of  unseen  realities ;  and  suffering 
them  to  influence  us  as  if  they  were 
seen.  The  people  of  this  world  are 
influenced  by  the  things  that  are  seen. 
They  live  for  wealth,  honour,  splendour, 
praise,  for  the  objects  which  this  world 
can  furnish,  and  as  if  there  were  no- 
thing which  is  unseen,  or  as  if  they 
ought  not  to  be  influenced  by  the  things 
which  are  unseen.  The  Christian,  on 
the  contrary,  has  a  firm  conviction  of 
the  reality  of  the  glories  of  heaven ;  of 
the  fact  that  the  Redeemer  is  there ;  of 
the  fact  that  there  is  a  crown  of  glory ; 
and  he  lives,  and  acts  as  if  that  were  all 
real,  and  as  if  he  saw  it  all.  The 
simple  account  of  faith,  and  of  living  by 
faith  is,  that  we  live  and  act  as  if  these 
things,  were  true,  and  suffer  them  to 
make  an  impression  on  our  mind  ac- 
cording to  their  real  nature.  See  Note 
on  Mark  xvi.  16.  It  is  contradistin- 
guished from  living  simply  under  tie 
influence  of  things  that  are  seen.  God 
is  unseen — but  the  Christian  lives,  and 
thinks,  and  acts  as  if  there  were  a  God, 
and  as  if  he  saw  him.  Christ  is  un- 
seen now  by  the  bodily  eye;  but  the 


110 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60 


8  We   aie   confident,  /  say, 


Christian  lives  and  acts  as  if  he  were 
seen,  i  e.  as  if  his  eye  were  known  to 
be  upon  us,  and  as  if  he  was  now  ex- 
alted to  heaven  and  was  the  only 
Saviour.  The  Holy  Spirit  is  unseen ; 
but  he  lives,  and  acts  as  if  there  were 
such  a  Spirit,  and  as  if  his  influences 
were  needful  to  renew,  and  purify  the 
soul.  Heaven  is  unseen  ;  but  the  Chris- 
tian lives,  and  thinks,  and  acts  as  if 
there  were  a  heaven,  and  as  if  he  now 
saw  its  glories.  He  has  confidence  in 
these,  and  in  kindred  truths,  and  he  acts 
as  if  they  were  real. — Could  man  see  all 
these ;  were  they  visible  to  the  naked 
eye  as  they  are  to  the  eye  of  faith,  no 
one  would  doubt  the  propriety  of  living 
and  acting  with  reference  to  them.  But 
if  they  exist,  there  is  no  more  impro- 
priety in  acting  with  reference  to  them 
than  if  they  were  seen.  Our  seeing  or 
not  seeing  them  does  not  alter  their 
nature  or  importance,  and  the  fact  that 
they  are  not  seen  does  not  make  it 
improper  to  act  with  reference  to  them. 
— There  are  many  ways  of  being  con- 
vinced of  the  existence  and  reality  of 
objects  besides  seeing  them  ;  and  it  may 
be  as  rational  to  be  influenced  by  the 
reason,  the  judgment,  or  by  strong  con- 
fidence, as  it  is  to  be  influenced  by  sight. 
Besides,  all  men  are  influenced  by 
things  which  they  have  not  seen.  They 
hope  for  objects  that  are  future.  They 
aspire  to  happiness  which  they  have  not 
yet  beheld.  They  strive  for  honour  and 
wealth  which  are  unseen,  and  which  is 
in  the  distant  future.  They  live,  and 
act — influenced  by  strong  faith  and 
hope — as  if  these  things  were  attainable; 
and  they  deny  themselves,  and  labour, 
and  cross  oceans  and  desert*,  and 
breathe  in  pestilential  air  to  obtain  those 
things  which  they  have  not  seen,  and 
which  to  them  are  in  the  distant  future. 
And  why  should  not  the  Christian  en- 
dure like  labour,  and  be  willing  to  suf- 
fer in  like  manner,  to  gain  the  unseen 
crown  which  is  incorruptible,  and  to 
acquire  the  unseen  wealth  which  the 
moth  does  not  corrupt  1 — And  further 


and 


willing  rather  to  be  absent 

a  I'll.  1.23. 


still,  the  men  of  this  world  strive  for 
those  objects  which  they  have  not  beheld, 
without  any  promise  or  any  assurance 
that  they  shall  obtain  them.  No  being 
able  to  grant  them  has  promised  them ; 
no  one  has  assured  them  that  their  lives 
shall  be  lengthened  out  to  obtain  them. 
In  a  moment  they  may  be  cut  off 
and  all  their  plans  frustrated  ;  or  they 
may  be  utterly  disappointed  and  all  their 
plans  fail ;  or  if  they  gain  the  object,  it 
may  be  unsatisfactory,  and  may  furnish 
no  pleasure  such  as  they  had  antici- 
pated. But  not  so  the  Christian.  He 
has,  (1.)  The  promise  of  life.  (2.)  He 
has  the  assurance  that  sudden  death 
cannot  deprive  him  of  it.  It  at  once 
removes  him  to  the  object  of  pursuit, 
not  from  it.  (3.)  He  has  the  assurance 
that  when  obtained,  it  shall  not  disgust, 
or  satiate,  or  decay,  but  that  it  shall 
meet  all  the  expectations  of  the  soul, 
and  shall  be  eternal.  %  Not  by  sight. 
This  may  mean  either  that  we  are  not 
influenced  by  a  sight  of  these  future 
glories,  or  that  we  are  not  influenced  by 
the  things  which  we  see.  The  main 
idea  is,  that  we  are  not  influenced  and 
governed  by  the  sight.  We  are  not 
governed  and  controlled  by  the  things 
which  we  see,  and  we  do  not  see  those 
things  which  actually  influence  and 
control  us.  In  both  it  is  faith  that  con- 
trols us,  and  not  sight. 

8.  We  are  confident,  ver.  6.  We 
are  cheerful,  and  courageous,  and  ready 
to  bear  our  trial.  Tindal  renders  it, 
"  we  are  of  good  comfort."  f  And  wil- 
ling rather  to  he  absent  from  the  body. 
We  would  prefer  to  die.  The  same 
idea  occurs  in  Phil.  i.  23.  "  Having  a 
desire  to  depart  and  to  be  with  Christ ; 
which  is  far  better."  The  sense  is,  that 
Paul  would  have  preferred  to  die,  and 
to  go  to  heaven,  rather  than  to  remain 
in  a  world  of  sin  and  trial,  t  To  be 
present  with  the  Lord.  The  Lord  Jesus. 
See  Note  on  Acts  i.  24.  Comp.  Phil, 
i.  23.  The  idea  of  Paul  is,  that  the 
Lord  Jesus  would  constitute  the  main 
glory  of  heaven,  and  that  to  be  with 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


Ill 


from  the  body,  and  to  be  present 
with  the  Lord. 

9  Wherefore  we  *  labour,  that, 

*  endeavour. 


jiim  was  equivalent  to  being  in  a  place 
of  perfect  bliss.  He  had  no  idea  of  any 
heaven  where  the  Lord  Jesus  was  not ; 
and  to  be  with  him  was  to  be  in  heaven. 
That  world  where  the  Redeemer  is,  is 
heaven.  This  also  proves  that  the  spirits 
of  the  saints,  when  they  depart,  are  with 
the  Redeemer ;  i.  e.  are  at  once  taken 
to  heaven.  It  demonstrates,  (1.)  That 
they  are  not  annihilated.  (2.)  That 
they  do  not  sleep,  and  remain  in  an  un- 
conscious state,  as  Dr.  Priestley  supposes. 
(3.)  That  they  are  not  in  some  inter- 
mediate state,  either  in  a  state  of  purga- 
tory, as  the  Papists  suppose,  or  a  state 
where  all  the  souls  of  the  just  and  the 
unjust  are  assembled  in  a  common  abode, 
as  many  Protestants  have  supposed;  but, 
(4.)  That  they  dwell  with  Christ; 
they  are  with  the  Lord  (vrgoc  rev  Kuyw). 
They  abide  in  his  presence  ;  they  par- 
take of  his  joy  and  his  glory  ;  they  are 
permitted  to  sit  with  him  in  his  throne. 
Rev.  iii.  21.  The  same  idea  the  Saviour 
expressed  to  the  dying  thief,  when  he 
said,  "  to-day  shalt  thou  be  with  me  in 
paradise."  Luke  xxiii.  43. 

9.  Wherefore  (ais).  In  view  of  the 
facts  stated  above.  Since  we  have  the 
prospect  of  a  resurrection  and  of  future 
glory  ;  since  we  have  the  assurance  that 
there  is  a  house  not  made  with  hands, 
eternal  in  the  heavens ;  and  since  God 
has  given  to  us  this  hope,  and  has 
granted  to  us  the  earnest  of  the  Spirit, 
we  make  it  our  great  object  so  to  live  as 
to  be  accepted  by  him.  f  We  labour. 
The  word  here  used  (pih(j<T(/ucu/u.&*,  from 
9i\o(  and  ri/u»,  loving  honour)  means 
properly  to  love  honour ;  to  be  ambitious. 
This  is  its  usual  classical  signification. 
In  the  New  Testament,  it  means  to  be 
ambitious  to  do  any  thing ;  to  exert  one's 
self;  to  strive,  as  if  from  a  love  or  sense 
of  honour.  As  in  English,  to  make  it 
a  point  of  honour  to  do  so  and  so. — 
Robinson  (Lex.).  See  Rom.  xv.  20. 
1  Thess.  iv.  11.     It  means  here,  that 


whether  present  or  absent,  we 
may  be  accepted  of  him. 

10  For  a  we  must  all  appear  be- 

a  Ro.  14.  10. 

Paul  made  it  a  point  of  constant  effort ; 
it  was  his  leading  and  constant  aim  to 
live  so  as  to  be  acceptable  to  God,  and 
to  meet  his  approbation  wherever  he 
was.  %  Whether  present  or  absent 
Whether  present  with  the  Lord  (ver.  8), 
or  absent  from  him  (ver.  6)  ;  that  is, 
whether  in  this  world  or  the  next; 
whether  we  are  here,  or  removed  to 
heaven.  Wherever  we  are,  or  may  be, 
it  is,  and  will  be  our  main  purpose  and 
object  so  to  live  as  to  secure  his  favour. 
Paul  did  not  wish  to  live  on  earth  re- 
gardless of  his  favour  or  without  evi- 
dence that  he  would  be  accepted  by  him. 
He  did  not  make  the  fact  that  he  was 
absent  from  him,  and  that  he  did  not 
see  him  with  the  bodily  eye,  an  excuse 
for  walking  in  the  ways  of  ambition,  or 
seeking  his  own  purposes  and  ends.  The 
idea  is,  that  so  far  as  this  point  was 
concerned,  it  made  no  difference  with 
him  whether  he  lived  or  died  ;  whether 
he  was  on  earth  or  in  heaven  ;  whether 
in  the  body  or  out  of  the  body  ;  it  was 
the  great  fixed  principle  of  his  nature 
so  to  live  as  to  secure  the  approbation 
of  the  Lord.  And  this  is  the  true  prin- 
ciple on  which  the  Christian  should  act, 
and  will  act.  The  fact  that  he  is  now 
absent  from  the  Lord  will  be  to  him  no 
reason  why  he  should  lead  a  life  of  sin 
and  self-indulgence,  any  more  than  he 
would  if  he  were  in  heaven ;  and  the  fact 
that  he  is  soon  to  be  with  him  is  not  the 
main  reason  why  he  seeks  to  live  so  as 
to  please  him.  It  is  because  this  has 
become  the  fixed  principle  of  the  soul ; 
the  very  purpose  of  the  life  ;  and  this 
principle  and  this  purpose  will  adhere 
to  him,  and  control  him  wherever  he 
may  be  placed,  or  in  whatever  world  he 
may  dwell.  1  We  may  be  accepted  of 
him.  The  phrase  here  used  (lud^nt 
tlvsu)  means  to  be  well-pleasing;  and 
then  to  be  acceptable,  or  approved. 
Rom.  xii.  1 ;  xiv.  18.  Eph.  v.  10.  Phil, 
iv.  18.     Tit.  ii.  9.     The  sense  here  is, 


m 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


fore  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ;    things  done  in  his  body,  accord- 


that  every  one  may  receive  a  the 

a  c.  7.  3. 


ing  to  that  he  hath  done,  whether 
it  be  good  or  bad. 


that  Paul  was  earnestly  desirous  of  so 
living  as  to  please  God,  and  to  receive 
from  him  the  tokens  and  marks  of  his  *■ 
favour.  And  the  truth  taught  in  this 
▼erse  is,  that  this  will  be  the  great  pur-  j 
pose  of  the  Christian's  life,  and  that  it 
makes  no  difference  as  to  the  existence 
and  operation  of  this  principle  whether  \ 
a  man  is  on  earth  or  in  heaven.  He 
will  equally  desire  it,  and  strive  for  it ; 
and  this  is  one  of  the  ways  in  which 
religion  makes  a  man  conscientious  and 
holy  ,  and  is  a  better  guard  and  security 
for  virtue  than  all  human  laws,  and  all  j 
the  restraints  which  can  be  imposed  by 
man. 

'  10.  For  we  must  (/«).  It  is  proper, ' 
fit,  necessary  that  we  should  all  appear  j 
there.  This  fact  to  which  Paul  now  | 
refers,  is  another  reason  why  it  was 
necessary  to  lead  a  holy  life,  and  why 
Paul  gave  himself  with  so  much  dili- 
gence and  self-denial  to  the  arduous 
duties  of  his  office.  There  is  a  neces- 
sity, or  a  fitness  that  we  should  appear 
there  to  give  up  our  account,  for  we  are 
here  on  trial ;  we  are  responsible  moral 
agents ;  we  are  placed  here  to  form 
characters  for  eternity.  Before  we  re- 
ceive our  eternal  allotment  it  is  proper 
that  we  should  render  our  account  of 
the  manner  in  which  we  have  lived,  ' 
and  of  the  manner  in  which  we  have 
improved  our  talents  and  privileges.  In 
the  nature  of  things,  it  is  proper  that  we 
should  undergo  a  trial  before  we  receive 
our  reward,  or  before  we  are  punished  ; 
and  God  has  made  it  necessary  and  cer- 
tain, by  his  direct  and  positive  appoint- 
ment, that  we  should  stand  at  the  bar 
of  the  final  Judge.  See  Rom.  xiv.  10. 
%  All.  Both  Jews  and  Gentiles ;  old  j 
and  young ;  bond  and  free ;  rich  and  j 
poor  ;  all  of  every  class,  and  every  age,  j 
and  every  nation.  None  shall  escape  j 
by  being  unknown;  none  by  virtue  of! 
their  rank,  or  wealth ;  none  because  they  j 
have  a  character  too  pure  to  be  judged,  j 
All  shall  be  arraigned  in  one  vast  assem-  i 


blage,  and  with  reference  to  their  eternal 
doom.  See  Rev.  xx.  12.  Rosenmuller 
supposes  that  the  apostle  here  alludes 
to  an  opinion  that  was  common  among 
the  Jews  that  the  Gentiles  only  would 
be  exposed  to  severe  judgments  in  the 
future  world,  and  that  the  Jews  would 
be  saved  as  a  matter  of  course.  But 
the  idea  seems  rather  to  be,  that  as  the 
trial  of  the  great  day  was  the  most  im- 
portant that  man  could  undergo,  and  as 
all  mast  give  account  there,  Paul  and 
his  fellow-labourers  devoted  themselves 
to  untiring  diligence  and  fidelity  that 
they  might  be  accepted  in  that  great 
day.  1  Appear  (<f>-jLvteu£rMdu).  This 
word  properly  means,  to  make  apparent, 
manifest,  known  ;  to  show  openly,  &c. 
Hero  it  means  that  we  must  be  manifest, 
or  openly  shown  ;  i.  e.  we  must  be  seen 
there,  and  be  publicly  tried.  We  must 
not  only  stand  there,  but  our  character 
will  be  seen,  our  desert  will  be  known, 
our  trial  will  be  public.  All  will  be 
brought  from  their  graves,  and  from 
their  places  of  concealment,  and  will  be 
seen  at  the  judgment  seat.  The  secret 
things  of  the  heart  and  the  life  will  all  be 
made  manifest  and  known.  *f  The  judg- 
ment seat  of  Christ.  The  tribunal  of 
Christ,  who  is  appointed  to  be  the  judge 
of  quick  and  dead.  See  Note  on  John 
v.  25.  Acts  x.  42 ;  xvii.  31.  Christ  is 
appointed  to  judge  the  world  ;  and  for 
this  purpose  he  will  assemble  it  before 
him,  and  assign  to  all  their  eternal  allot- 
ments. See  Matt.  xxv.  «[  That  every 
one  may  receive.  The  word  rendered 
may  receive  (x.c/ui<r»rat)  means  properly 
to  take  care  of,  to  provide  for ;  and  in 
the  New  Testament,  to  bear,  to  bring 
(Luke  vii.  37)  ;  to  acquire,  to  ol  tain,  to 
receive.  This  is  the  sense  here  Every 
individual  shall  take,  receive,  or  bear 
away  the  appropriate  reward  for  the 
transactions  of  this  life  of  probation. 
See  Eph.  vi.  8.  Col.  iii  25.  n  The 
things.  The  appropriate  reward  of  the 
actions  of  this  life.    %  Done  in  his  body 


A  D.60.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


113 


11  Knowing  therefore,  the 
terror  a  of  the  Lord,  we  persuade 
men  ;  but b  we  are  made  manifest 

a  He.  10.  31.  Jude  23.  b  c.  4.  2. 

Literally,  "the  things  by  or  through 
(Jm)  the  body."  Tindal  renders  it,  "  the 
works  of  his  body."  The  idea  is,  that 
every  man  shall  receive  an  appropriate 
reward  for  the  actions  of  this  life.  Ob- 
serve here,  (1.)  That  it  is  the  works 
done  in  or  through  the  body ;  not  which 
the  body  itself  has  done.  It  is  the  mind, 
the  man  that  has  lived  in  the  body,  and 
acted  by  it,  that  is  to  be  judged.  (2.)  it 
is  to  be  for  the  deeds  of  this  life ;  not 
for  what  is  done  after  death.  Men  are 
not  to  be  brought .  into  judgment  for 
what  they  do  after  they  die.  All  beyond 
the  grave  is  either  reward  or  punish- 
ment ;  it  is  not  probation.  The  destiny 
is  to  be  settled  forever  by  what  is  done 
in  this  world  of  probation.  (3.)  It  is 
to  be  for  all  the  deeds  done  in  the  body ; 
for  all  the  thoughts,  plans,  purposes, 
words,  as  well  as  for  all  the  outward 
actions  of  the  man.  All  that  has  been 
thought  or  done  must  come  into  review, 
and  man  must  give  account  for  all. 
t  According  to  that  he  hath  done.  As 
an  exact  retribution  for  all  that  has  been 
done.  It  is  to  be  a  suitable  and  proper 
recompense.  The  retribution  is  to  be 
measured  by  what  has  been  done  in  this 
life.  Rewards  shall  be  granted  to  the 
friends,  and  punishments  to  the  foes  of 
God,  just  in  proportion  to,  or  suitably 
to  their  deeds  in  this  life.  Every  man 
shall  receive  just  what,  under  all  the 
circumstances,  he  ought  to  receive,  and 
what  will  be  impartial  justice  in  the  case. 
The  judgment  will  be  such  that  it  will 
be  capable  of  being  seen  to  be  right ;  and 
such  as  the  universe  at  large,  and  as  the 
individuals  themselves  will  see  ought 
to  be  rendered,  %  Whether  it  be  good 
or  bad.  Whether  the  life  has  been  good 
or  evil.  The  good  will  have  no  wish  to 
escape  the  trial ;  the  evil  will  not  be 
able.  No  power  of  wickedness,  how- 
ever great,  will  be  able  to  escape  from 
the  trial  of  that  day  ,  no  crime  that  has 
been  concealed  in  this  life  will  be  con- 
10* 


unto  God,  and  I  trust  also  are 
made  manifest  in  your  con- 
sciences. 


cealed  there ;  no  transgressor  of  law  who 
may  have  long  escaped  the  punishment 
due  to  his  sins,  and  who  may  have  eva- 
ded all  human  tribunals,  will  be  able  to 
escape  them. 

11.  Knowing  therefore.  We  who 
are  apostles,  and  who  are  appointed  to 
preach  the  gospel,  having  the  fullest  as- 
surance of  the  terrors  of  the  day  of 
judgment,  and  of  the  wrath  of  God,  en- 
deavour to  persuade  men  to  be  prepared 
to  meet  Him,  and  to  give  up  their  ac- 
count. 1  The  terror  of  the  Lord. 
That  is,  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  who  will  be 
seated  on  the  throne  of  judgment,  and 
who  will  decide  the  destiny  of  all  men. 
ver.  10.  Comp.  Matt.  xxv.  The  sense 
is,  knowing  how  much  the  Lord  is  to  be 
feared  ;  what  an  object  of  terror  and 
alarm  it  will  be  to  stand  at  the  judgment 
seat ;  how  fearful  and  awful  will  be  the 
consequences  of  the  trial  of  that  day. 
The  Lord  Jesus  will  be  an  object  of 
terror  and  alarm,  or  it  will  be  a  subject 
inspiring  terror  and  alarm  to  stand  there 
on  that  day  because,  (1.)  He  has  all 
power,  and  is  appointed  to  execute  judg- 
ment; (2.)  Because  all  must  there  give 
a  strict  and  impartial  account  of  all 
that  they  have  done ;  (3.)  Because  the 
wrath  of  God  will  be  shown  in  the  con- 
demnation of  the  guilty.  It  will  be  a  day 
of  awful  wailing  and  alarm  when  all  the 
living  and  the  dead  shall  be  arraigned 
on  trial  with  reference  to  their  eternal 
destiny  ;  and  when  countless  hosts  of 
the  guilty  and  impenitent  shall  be  thrust 
down  to  an  eternal  hell.  Who  can 
describe  the  amazing  terror  of  the  scene  ! 
Who  can  fancy  the  horrors  of  the  hosts 
of  the  guilty  and  the  wretched  who 
shall  then  hear  that  their  doom  is  to  be 
fixed  forever  in  a  world  of  unspeakable 
wo?  The  influence  of  the  knowledge 
of  the  terror  of  the  Lord  on  the  mind 
of  the  apostle  seems  to  have  been  two- 
fold ;  first,  an  apprehension  of  it  as  a 
personal  concern,  and  a  desire  to  escape 


114 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  1).  CO 


12    For  •  we   commend   not  I  behalf,  that  ye  may  have  some- 
ourselves   again   unto   you,  but  |  what  to  answer  them  which  glory 


give  you  occasion  to  glory  on  our 

a  c.  3.  1. 

it,  which  led  him  to  constant  self-denial 
and  toil ;  and  secondly,  a  desire  to  save 
others  from  being  overwhelmed  in  the 
wrath  of  that  dreadful  day.  f  We  per- 
suade men.  We  endeavour  to  persuade 
them  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come  *  to 
be  prepared  to  stand  before  the  judg- 
ment seat,  and  to  be  fitted  to  enter  into 
heaven.  Observe  here  the  peculiarity 
of  the  statement  It  is  not,  we  drive 
men ;  or  we  endeavour  to  alarm  men  ; 
or  we  frighten  men ;  or  we  appeal 
merely  to  their  fears,  but  it  is,  we  per- 
suade men,  we  endeavour  to  induce 
them  by  all  the  arts  of  persuasion  and 
argument  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come. 
The  future  judgment,  and  the  scenes  of 
future  wo,  are  not  proper  topics  for 
mere  declamation.  To  declaim  con- 
stantly on  hell-fire  and  perdition  ;  to 
appeal  merely  to  the  fears  of  men,  is 
not  the  way  in  which  Paul  and  the 
Saviour  preached  the  gospel.  The 
knowledge  that  there  would  be  a  judg- 
ment, and  that  the  wicked  would  be  sent 
to  hell,  was  a  powerful  motive  for  Paul  to 
endeavour  to  "  persuade"  men  to  escape 
from  wrath,  and  was  a  motive  for  the 
Saviour  to  weep  over  Jerusalem,  and 
to  lament  its  folly,  and  its  doom.  Luke 
xix.  41.  But  they  who  fill  their  ser- 
mons with  the  denunciations  of  wrath ; 
who  dwell  on  the  words  hell,  and  dam- 
nation, for  the  purpose  of  rhetoric  or 
declamation,  to  round  a  period,  or  mere- 
ly to  excite  alarm;  and  who  "deal 
damnation  around  the  land"  as  if  they 
rejoiced  that  men  were  to  be  condemn- 
ed, and  in  a  tone  and  manner  as  if  they 
would  be  pleased  to  execute  it,  have 
yet  to  learn  the  true  nature  of  the  way 
to  win  men  to  God,  and  the  proper 
effect  of  those  awful  truths  on  the 
mind.  The  true  effect  is,  to  produce 
tenderness,  deep  feeling,  and  love  ;  to 
prompt  to  the  language  of  persuasion 
and  of  tender  entreaty ;  to  lead  men  to 
weep  over  dying  sinners  rather  than  to 


in  *  appearance,  and  not  in  heart. 

*  in  the  face. 


denounce  them  ;  to  pray  to  God  to  have 
mercy  on  them  rather  tkan  to  use  the 
language  of  severity,  or  to  assume  tones 
as  if  they  would,be  pleased  to  execute 
the  awful  wrath  of  God.  ^  But  we  are 
made  manifest  unto  God.  The  mean- 
ing of  this  is,  probably,  that  God  sees 
that  we  are  sincere  and  upright  in  our 
aims  and  purposes.  He  is  acquainted 
with  our  hearts.  All  our  motives  are 
known  to  him,  and  he  sees  that  it  is  our 
aim  to  promote  his  glory,  and  to  save 
the  souls  of  men.  •  This  is  probably 
said  to  counteract  the  charge  which 
might  have  been  brought  against  him 
by  some  of  the  disaffected  in  Corinth, 
that  he  was  influenced  by  improper 
motives  and  aims.  To  meet  this,  Paul 
says,  that  God  knew  that  he  was  en- 
deavouring to  save  souls,  and  that  he 
was  actuated  by  a  sincere  desire  to  res- 
cue them  from  the  impending  terrors  of 
the  day  of  judgment.  %  And  1  trust 
also,  &c.  And  I  trust  also  you  are 
convinced  of  our  integrity  and  upright- 
ness of  aim.  The  same  sentiment  is 
expressed  in  other  words  in  ch.  iv.  2. 
It  is  an  appeal  which  he  makes  to  them, 
and  the  expression  of  an  earnest  and 
confident  assurance  that  they  knew  and 
felt  that  his  aim  was  upright,  and  his 
purpose  sincere. 

12.  For  toe  eommtxd  not  ourselves 
again  unto  you.  This  refers  to  what 
he  had  said  in  the  previous  verse.  He 
had  there  said  that  he  had  such  a  con- 
sciousness of  integrity  that  he  could  ap- 
peal to  God,  and  that  he  wa.s  persuaded 
that  the  Corinthians  also  approved  his 
course,  or  admitted  that  he  was  influ- 
enced by  right  motives.  He  here  states 
the  reason  why  he  had  said  this.  It 
was  not  to  commend  himself  to  them. 
It  was  not  to  boast  of  his  own  character, 
nor  was  it  in  order  to  secure  their  praise 
or  favour.  Some  might  be  disposed  to 
misrepresent  all  that  Paul  said  of  himself, 
and  to  suppose  that  it  was  said  for  meie 


4.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


115 


13    For  whether  we    be  be- 
side    ourselves,  it  is   to  God  : 

ac.  11.  1,16,17. 

vain-glory,  or  the  love  of  praise.  He 
tells  them,  therefore,  that  his  sole  aim 
was  necessary  self-defence,  and  in  order 
that  they  might  have  the  fullest  evidence 
that  he,  by  whom  they  had  been  con- 
verted, was  a  true  apostle ;  and  that  he 
whom  they  regarded  as  their  friend  and 
father  in  the  gospel  was  a  man  of  whom 
they  need  not  be  ashamed,  f  But  give 
you  occasion.  This  is  a  very  happy 
turn  of  expression.  The  sense  is, '  You 
have  been  converted  under  my  labours. 
You  profess  to  regard  me  as  your  spirit- 
ual father  and  friend.  I  have  no  reason 
to  doubt  of  your  attachment  to  me. 
Yet  you  often  hear  my  name  slandered, 
and  hear  me  accused  of  wanting  the 
evidence  of  being  an  apostle,  and  of 
being  vain-glorious,  and  self-seeking. 
I  know  your  desire  to  vindicate  my 
haracter,  and  to  show  that  you  are  my 
friends,  I,  therefore,  say  these  things 
in  regard  to  myself  in  order  that  you 
may  be  thus  able  to  show  your  respect 
for  me,  and  to  vindicate  me  from  the 
false  and  slanderous  accusations  of  my 
enemies.  Thus  doing,  you  will  be  able 
to  answer  them  ;  to  show  that  the  man 
whom  you  thus  respect  is  worthy  of 
your  confidence  and  esteem.'  1  On 
your  belialf.  For  your  own  benefit,  or 
as  it  were  in  self-vindication  for  adher- 
ing to  me,  and  evincing  attachment  to 
me.  ^  That  ye  may  have  somewhat  to 
answer  them.  That  you  may  be  fur- 
nished with  a  ready  reply  when  you  are 
charged  with  adhering  to  a  man  who 
has  no  claims  to  the  apostleship,  or  who 
is  slandered  in  any  other  way.  ^  Which 
glory  in  appearance.  The  false  teach- 
ers in  Corinth.  Probably  they  boasted 
of  their  rank,  their  eloquence,  their  ta- 
lents, their  external  advantages;  but 
not  in  the  qualities  of  the  heart — in 
sincerity,  honesty,  real  love  for  souls. 
Their  consciences  would  not  allow  them 
to  do  this ;  and  they  knew  themselves 
that  their  boasting  was  mere  vain  pre- 
tence, and   that  there  was  no  real  and 


or  whether  we  be  sober,  it  is  for 
your  cause. 


solid  ground  for  it.  The  margin  is,  "in 
the  face."  The  meaning  is,  probably, 
that  their  ground  of  boasting  was  ex- 
ternal, and  was  such  as  can  be  seen  of 
men,  and  was  not  rather  the  secret  con- 
sciousness of  right,  which  could  exist 
only  in  the  conscience  and  the  heart. 
Paul,  on  the  other  hand,  gloried  mainly 
in  his  sincerity,  his  honesty,  his  desire 
for  their  salvation ;  in  his  conscious 
integrity  before  God ;  and  not  in  any 
mere  external  advantages  or  professions, 
in  his  rank,  eloquence,  or  talent.  Ac- 
cordingly all  his  argument  here  turns  on 
his  sincerity,  his  conscious  uprightness, 
and  his  real  regard  for  their  welfare. 
And  the  truth  taught  here  is,  that  sin- 
cerity and  conscious  integrity  are  more 
valuable  than  any  or  all  external  advan- 
tages and  endowments. 

13.  For  whether  we  be  beside  our 
selves.  This  is  probably  designed  to 
meet  some  of  the  charges  which  the 
false  teachers  in  Corinth  brought  against 
him,  and  to  furnish  his  friends  there 
with  a  ready  answer,  as  well  as  to  show 
them  the  true  principles  on  which  he 
acted,  and  his  real  love  for  them.  It 
is  altogether  probable  that  he  was 
charged  with  being  deranged;  that 
many  who  boasted  themselves  of  pru- 
dence, and  soberness,  and  wisdom,  re- 
garded him  as  acting  like  a  madman.  It 
has  not  been  uncommon,  by  any  means, 
for  the  cold  and  the  prudent ;  for  formal 
professors  and  for  hypocrites  to  regard 
the  warm-hearted  and  zealous  friends 
of  religion  as  maniacs.  Festus  thought 
Paul  was  deranged,  when  he  said, "  Paul, 
thou  art  beside  thyself,  much  learning 
doth  make  thee  mad"  (Acts  xxvi.  24) ; 
and  the  Saviour  himself  was  regarded 
by  his  immediate  relatives  and  friends 
as  beside  himself.  Mark  iii.  21.  And 
at  all  times  there  have  been  many,  both 
in  the  church  and  out  of  it,  who  have 
regarded  the  friends  of  revivals,  and  of 
missions,  and  all  those  who  have  evinced 
any   extraordinary  zeal   in  religion,  as 


116 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


14    For  the  love  of  a  Christ 
constraineth  us  ;  because  we  thus 

a  Ca.  8.  6. 


deranged.  The  object  of  Paul  here  is 
to  show,  whatever  might  be  the  appear- 
ance or  the  estimate  which  they  affixed 
to  his  conduct,  what  were  the  real  prin- 
ciples which  actuated  him.  These  were 
zeal  for  God,  love  to  the  church,  and 
the  constraining  influences  of  the  love 
of  Christ,  ver.  14, 15.  The  word  here 
rendered  "  be  beside  ourselves"  (s^tx- 
/uev,  from  igio-r»(/.i)  means  properly,  to 
put  out  of  place ;  to  be  put  out  of  place ; 
and  then  to  put  out  of  one's  self,  to 
astonish,  to  fill  with  wonder,  Luke 
xxiv.  22.  Acts  viii.  9.  11;  and  then 
to  be  out  of  one's  mind,  to  be  deranged. 
Here  it  means  that  they  were  charged 
with  being  deranged,  or  that  others  es- 
teemed, or  professed  to  esteem  Paul  and 
his  fellow-labourers  deranged.  ^  It  is 
to  God.  It  is  in  the  cause  of  God,  and 
from  love  to  him.  It  is  such  a  zeal  for 
him ;  such  an  absorbing  interest  in  his 
cause  ;  such  love  prompting  to  so  great 
self-denial,  and  teaching  us  to  act  so 
much  unlike  other  men  as  to  lead  them 
to  think  that  we  are  deranged.  The 
doctrine  here  is,  that  there  may  be  such 
a  zeal  for  the  glory  of  God,  such  an 
active  and  ardent  desire  to  promote  his 
honour,  as  to  lead  others  to  charge  us 
with  derangement.  It  does  not  prove 
however  that  a  man  is  deranged  on  the 
subject  of  religion  because  he  is  unlike 
others,  or  because  he  pursues  a  course 
of  life  that  differs  materially  from  that 
of  other  professors  of  religion,  and  from 
the  man  of  the  world.  He  may  be  the 
truly  sane  man  after  all;  and  all  the 
madness  that  may  exist  may  be  where 
there  is  a  profession  of  religion  without 
zeal ;  a  professed  belief  in  the  existence 
of  God  and  in  the  realities  of  eternity, 
that  produces  no  difference  in  the  con- 
duct between  the  professor  and  other 
men ;  or  an  utter  unconcern  about  eter- 
nal realities  when  a  man  is  walking  on 
the  brink  of  death  and  of  hell.  There 
are  few  men  that  become  deranged  by 
religion  ;  there  are  millions  who  act  as 


judge,  that  if  one    died  for  all 
then  h  were  all  dead. 

b  Ro.  5.  15;  14.7,9. 

madmen  who  have  no  religion.  And 
the  highest  instances  of  madness  in  the 
world  are  those  who  walk  over  an  eter- 
nal hell  without  apprehension  or  alarm. 
^  Or  whether  we  be  sober.  Whether 
we  are  sane,  or  of  sound  mind.  Comp. 
Mark  v.  15.  Tindal  renders  this  whole 
passage,  "  For  if  we  be  too  fervent,  to 
God  we  are  too  fervent;  if  we  keep 
measure,  for  our  cause  keep  we  mea- 
sure." The  sense  seems  to  be,  '  if  we 
are  esteemed  to  be  sane,  and  sober- 
minded,  as  we  trust  you  will  admit  us 
to  be,  it  is  for  your  sake.  Whatever 
may  be  the  estimate  in  which  we  are 
held,  we  are  influenced  by  love  to  God, 
and  love  to  man.  In  such  a  cause,  we 
cannot  but  evince  zeal  and  self-denial 
which  may  expose  us  to  the  charge  of 
mental  derangement ;  but  still  we  trust 
that  by  you  we  shall  be  regarded  as 
influenced  by  a  sound  mind.  We  seek 
your  welfare.  We  labour  for  you.  And 
we  trust  that  you  will  appreciate  our 
motives,  and  regard  us  as  truly  sober- 
minded.' 

14.  For  the  love  of  Christ.  In  this 
verse,  Paul  brings  into  view  the  princi- 
ple which  actuated  him ;  the  reason  of 
his  extraordinary  and  disinterested  zeal. 
That  was,  that  he  was  influenced  by 
the  love  which  Christ  had  shown  in 
dying  for  all  men,  and  by  the  argument 
which  was  furnished  by  that  death 
respecting  the  actual  character  and  con- 
dition of  man  (in  this  verse)  ;  and  of 
the  obligation  of  those  who  professed  to 
be  his  true  friends,  ver.  15.  The 
phrase  "  the  love  of  Christ"  (ilybrn  red 
X^/o-Tiu)  may  denote  either  the  love 
which  Christ  bears  toward  us,  and 
which  he  has  manifested,  or  our  love 
towards  him.  In  the  former  sense  the 
phrase  "  the  love  of  God"  is  used  in 
Rom.  v.  8.  2  Cor.  xiii.  13,  and  the 
phrase  "  love  of  Christ"  in  Eph.  iii.  14. 
The  phrase  is  used  in  the  latter  sense 
in  John  xv.  9,  10,  and  Rom.  viii.  35 
It  is  impossible  to  determine  the  sens* 


k.  D.  60 


CHAPTER  V. 


11 


with  certainty,  and  it  is  only  by  the 
view  which  shall  be  taken  of  the  con- 
nexion and  of  the  argument  which  will 
in  any  way  determine  the  meaning. 
Expositors  differ  in  regard  to  it.  It 
seems  to  me  that  the  phrase  here  means 
the  love  which  Christ  had  toward  us. 
Paul  speaks  of  his  dying  for  all  as  the 
reason  why  he  was  urged  on  to  the 
course  of  self-denial  which  he  evinced. 
Christ  died  for  all.  All  were  dead. 
Christ  evinced  his  great  love  for  us,  and 
for  all,  by  giving  himself  to  die ;  and  it 
was  this  love  which  Christ  had  shown 
that  impelled  Paul  to  his  own  acts  of 
love  and  self-denial.  He  gave  himself 
to  his  great  work  impelled  by  that  love 
which  Christ  had  shown  ;  by  the  view 
of  the  ruined  condition  of  man  which 
that  work  furnished ;  and  by  a  desire  to 
emulate  the  Redeemer,  and  to  possess 
the  same  spirit  which  he  evinced. 
If  Constraintth  us  (o-vvixu).  This 
word  (<rvy«^«)  properly  means,  to  hold 
together,  to  press  together,  to  shut  up ; 
then  to  press  on,  urge,  impel,  or  excite. 
Here  it  means,  that  the  impelling,  or 
exciting  motive  in  the  labours  and  self- 
denials  of  Paul,  was  the  love  of  Christ 
— the  love  which  he  had  showed  to  the 
children  of  men.  Christ  so  loved  the 
world  as  to  give  himself  for  it.  His 
love  for  the  world  was  a  demonstration 
that  men  were  dead  in  sins.  And  we, 
being  urged  by  the  same  love,  are 
prompted  to  like  acts  of  zeal  and  self- 
denial  to  save  the  world  from  ruin. 
If  Because  we  thus  judge.  Gr.  '  We 
judging  this;'  that  is,  we  thus  deter- 
mine in  our  own  minds,  or  we  thus 
decide ;  or  this  is  our  firm  conviction 
and  belief — we  come  to  this  conclu- 
sion, ^f  That  if  one  died  for  all.  On 
the  supposition  that  one  died  for  all ;  or 
taking  it  for  granted  that  one  died  for 
all,  then  it  follows  that  all  were  dead. 
The  "  one"  who  died  for  all  here  is  un- 
doubtedly the  Lord  Jesus.  The  word 
"  for"  (v?rtg)  means  in  the  place  of,  in 
Ihe  stead  of.  See  Phil.  13.  ver.  20  of 
this  chapter.  It  means  that  Christ  took 
the  place  of  sinners,  and  died  in  their 
stead;  that  he  endured  what  was  an 
ample  equivalent  for  all  the  punishment 


which  would  be  inflicted  if  they  were 
to  suffer  the  just  penalty  of  the  law 
that  he  endured  so  much  suffering,  and 
that  God  by  his  great  substituted  sor- 
rows made  such  an  expression  of  his 
hatred  of  sin,  as  to  answer  the  same  end 
in  expressing  his  sense  of  the  evil  of  sin, 
and  in  restraining  others  from  trans- 
gression, as  if  the  guilty  were  personally 
to  suffer  the  full  penalty  of  the  law.  If 
this  was  done,  of  course,  the  guilty 
might  be  pardoned  and  saved,  since  all 
the  ends  which  could  be  accomplished 
by  their  destruction  have  been  accom- 
plished by  the  substituted  sufferings  of 
the  Lord  Jesus.  See  Notes  on  Rom. 
iii.  25,  26,  where  this  subject  is  consi- 
dered at  length. — The  phrase  '  for  all,' 
(j/rsg  TavTm)  obviously  means  for  all 
mankind ;  for  every  man.  This  is  an 
exceedingly  important  expression  in  re- 
gard to  the  extent  of  the  atonement 
which  the  Lord  Jesus  made,  and  while 
it  proves  that  his  death  was  vicarious, 
i.  e.  in  the  place  of  others,  and  for  their 
sakes,  it  demonstrates  also  that  the 
atonement  was  general,  and  had,  in 
itself  considered,  no  limitation,  and  no 
particular  reference  to  any  class  or  con- 
dition of  men ;  and  no  particular  appli- 
cability to  one  class  more  than  to  an- 
other. There  was  nothing  in  the  nature 
of  the  atonement  that  limited  it  to  any 
one  class  or  condition ;  there  was  nothing 
in  the  design  that  made  it,  in  itself,  any 
more  applicable  to  one  portion  of  man- 
kind than  to  another.  And  whatever 
may  be  true  in  regard  to  the  fact  as  to 
its  actual  applicability,  or  in  regard  to 
the  purpose  of  God  to  apply  it,  it  is 
demonstrated  by  this  passage  that  his 
death  had  an  original  applicability  to 
all,  and  that  the  merits  of  that  death 
were  sufficient  to  save  all.  The  argu- 
ment in  favour  of  the  general  atonement 
from  this  passage,  consists  in  the  follow 
ing  points.  (1.)  That  Paul  assume* 
this  as  a  matter  that  was  well-known, 
indisputable,  and  universally  admitted, 
that  Christ  died  for  all.  He  did  not 
deem  it  necessary  to  enter  into  the  argu- 
ment to  prove  it,  nor  even  to  state  it 
formally.  It  was  so  well  known,  and 
so  universally  admitted,  that  he  made  it 


118 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60 


a  first  principle — an  elementary  posi- 
tion— a  maxim  on  which  to  base  an- 
other important  doctrine — to  wit,  that 
all  were  dead.  It  was  a  point  which  he 
assumed  that  no  one  would  call  in 
question;  a  doctrine  which  might  be 
laid  down  as  the  basis  of  an  argument, 
like  one  of  the  first  principles  or  maxims 
in  science.  (2.)  It  is  the  plain  and 
obvious  meaning  of  the  expression — 
the  sense  which  strikes  all  men,  unless 
they  have  some  theory  to  support  to  the 
contrary ;  and  it  requires  all  the  inge- 
nuity which  men  can  ever  command  to 
make  it  appear  even  plausible  that  this 
is  consistent  with  the  doctrine  of  a 
limited  atonement ;  much  more  to  make 
it  out  that  it  does  not  mean  all.  If  a 
man  is  told  that  all  the  human  family 
must  die,  the  obvious  interpretation  is, 
that  it  applies  to  every  individual.  If 
told  that  all  the  passengers  on  board  a 
steamboat  were  drowned,  the  obvious 
interpretation  is,  that  every  individual 
was  meant.  If  told  that  a  ship  was 
wrecked,  and  that  all  the  crew  perished, 
the  obvious  interpretation  would  be  that 
none  escaped.  If  told  that  all  the  in- 
mates of  an  hospital  were  sick,  it  would 
be  understood  that  there  was  not  an  in- 
dividual that  was  not  sick.  Such  is  the 
view  which  would  be  taken  by  nine 
hundred  and  ninety-nine  persons  cut 
of  a  thousand,  if  told  that  Christ  died 
for  all ;  nor  could  they  conceive  how 
this  could  be  consistent  with  the  state- 
ment that  he  died  only  for  the  elect,  and 
that  the  elect  was  only  a  small  part  of 
the  human  family.  (3.)  This  inter- 
pretation is  in  accordance  with  all  the  j 
explicit  declarations  on  the  design  of  the 
death  of  the  Redeemer.  Heb.  ii.  9  : 
"  That  he,  by  the  grace  of  God,  should 
taste  death  for  every  man."  Comp.  John 
iii.  16 :  "God  so  loved  the  world  that 
he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that 
whosoever  believeth  on  him  should  not 
perish,  but  have  everlasting  life."  1  Tim. 
ii.  6  :  "  Who  gave  himself  a  ransom 
for  all."  See  Matt.  xx.  28  :  «  The  Son  I 
of  man  came  to  give  his  life  a  ransom 
for  many."  1  John  ii.  2  :  "  And  he  is  ! 
the  propitiation  for  our  sins,  and  not  for  j 
ours  only,  but  also  for  the  sins  of  the  I 


whole  world."  (4.)  The  fact  also  that 
on  the  ground  of  the  atonement  made 
by  the  Redeemer  salvation  is  offered  to 
all  men  by  God  is  a  proof  that  he  died 
for  all.  The  apostles  were  directed  to 
go  "  into  all  the  world  and  to  preach  the 
gospel  to  every  creature"  with  the 
assurance  that  "he  that  believeth  and 
is  baptized  s"hall  be  saved."  Mark  xvi. 
15,  16;  and  everywhere  in  the  Bible 
the  most  full  and  free  offers  of  salvation 
are  made  to  all  mankind.  Comp.  Isa. 
lv.  1.  Johnvii.  37.  Rev.  xxii.  17.  These 
offers  are  made  on  the  ground  lhat  the 
Lord  Jesus  died  for  men.  John  iii.  16. 
They  are  offers  of  salvation  through  the 
gospel,  of  the  pardon  of  sin,  and  of 
eternal  life  to  be  made  "  to  every  crea- 
ture." But  if  Christ  died  only  for  a 
part,  if  there  is  a  large  portion  of  the 
human  family  for  whom  he  died  in  no 
sense  whatever;  if  there  is  no  provision 
of  any  kind  made  for  them,  then  God 
must  know  this,  and  then  the  offers 
cannot  be  made  with  sincerity,  and  God 
is  tantalizing  them  with  the  offers  of 
that  which  does  not  exist,  and  which 
he  knows  does  not  exist.  It  is  of  no 
use  here  to  say  that  the  preacher  does 
not  know  who  the  elect  are,  and  that  he 
is  obliged  to  make  the  offer  to  all  in 
order  that  the  elect  may  be  reached 
For  it  is  not  the  preacher  only  who  of 
fers  the  gospel.  It  is  God  who  does  it 
and  he  knows  who  the  elect  are,  and 
yet  he  offers  salvation  to  all.  And  if 
there  is  no  salvation  provided  for  all, 
and  no  possibility  that  all  to  whom  the 
offer  comes  should  be  saved,  then  God  is 
insincere ;  and  there  is  no  way  possible 
of  vindicating  his  character.  (5.)  If 
this  interpretation  is  not  correct,  and  if 
Christ  did  not  die  for  all,  then  the  ar 
gument  of  Paul  here  is  a  non  sequitur 
and  is  worthless.  The  demonstrate 
that  all  are  dead  according  to  him  is 
that  Christ  died  for  all.  But  suppos* 
that  he  meant,  or  that  he  knew,  that 
Christ  died  only  for  a  part,  for  the 
elect,  then  how  would  the  argument 
stand,  and  what  would  be  its  force] 
1  Christ  died  only  for  a  portion  of  the  hu 
man  race,  therefore  all  are  sinners 
Medicine  is  provided  only  for  a  part  of 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


119 


mankind,  therefore  all  are  sick.  Par- 
Jon  is  offered  to  part  only,  therefore  all 
are  guilty."  But  Paul  never  reasoned 
in  this  way.  He  believed  that  Christ 
died  for  all  mankind,  and  on  the  ground 
of  that  he  inferred  at  once  that  all 
needed  such  an  atonement ;  that  all  were 
sinners,  and  that  all  were  exposed  to  the 
wrath  of  God.  And  the  argument  is 
in  this  way,  and  in  this  way  only,  sound. 
But  still  it  may  be  asked,  what  is  the 
force  of  this  argument  ]  How  does  the 
fact  that  Christ  died  for  all,  prove  that 
all  were  sinners,  or  dead  in  sin  ? — I 
answer,  (a)  In  the  same  way  that  to 
provide  medicine  for  all,  proves  that  all 
are  sick,  or  liable  to  be  sick ;  and  to 
offer  pardon  to  all  who  are  in  a  prison, 
proves  that  all  there  are  guilty.  What 
insult  is  it  to  offer  medicine  to  a  man 
m  health  ;  or  pardon  to  a  man  who  has 
violated  no  law  !  And  there  would  be 
the  same  insult  in  offering  salvation  to 
a  man  who  was  not  a  sinner,  and  who 
did  not  need  forgiveness.  (b)  The 
dignity  of  the  sufferer,  and  the  extent 
of  his  sufferings  prove  that  all  were 
under  a  deep  and  dreadful  load  of  guilt. 
Such  a  being  would  not  have  come  to 
die  unless  the  race  had  been  apostate ; 
nor  would  he  have  endured  so  great 
sorrows  unless  a  deep  and  dreadful 
malady  had  spread  over  the  world.  The 
deep  anxiety  ;  the  tears  ;  the  toils ;  the 
sufferings,  and  the  groans  of  the  Re- 
deemer, show  what  was  his  sense  of  the 
condition  of  man,  and  prove  that  he 
regarded  them  as  degraded,  fallen,  and 
lost.  And  if  the  Son  of  God,  who 
knows  all  hearts,  regarded  them  as  lost, 
they  are  lost.  He  was  not  mistaken  in 
regard  to  the  character  of  man,  and  he 
did  not  lay  down  his  life  under  the  in- 
fluence of  delusion  and  error.  If  to  the 
view  which  has  been  taken  of  this  im- 
portant passage  it  be  objected  that  the 
work  of  the  atonement  must  have  been 
to  a  large  extent  in  vain ;  that  it  has 
been  actually  applied  to  but  compara- 
tively a  small  portion  of  the  human 
family,  and  that  it  is  unreasonable  to 
suppose  that  God  would  suffer  so  great 
sorrows  to  be  endured  for  naught,  we 
may  reply,  (1.)  That  it  may  not  have 


been  in  vain,  though  it  may  have  been 
rejected  by  a  large  portion  of  mankind. 
There  may  have  been  other  purposes 
accomplished  by  it  besides  the  direct 
salvation  of  men.  It  was  doing  much 
when  it  rendered  it  consistent  for  God 
to  offer  salvation  to  all ;  it  is  much  that 
God  could  be  seen  to  be  just  and  yet 
pardoning  the  sinner ;  it  was  much 
when  his  determined  hatred  of  sin,  and 
his  purpose  to  honour  his  law  was 
evinced  ;  and  in  regard  to  the  benevo- 
lence and  justice  of  God  to  other  beings 
and  to  other  worlds,  much,  very  much 
was  gained,  though  all  the  human  race 
had  rejected  the  plan  and  been  lost,  and 
in  regard  to  all  these  objects,  the  plan 
was  not  in  vain,  and  the  sufferings  of 
the  Redeemer  were  not  for  naught.  But, 
(2.)  It  is  in  accordance  with  what  we 
see  everywhere,  when  much  that  God 
does  seems  to  our  eyes,  though  not  to 
his,  to  be  in  vain.  How  much  rain 
falls  on  ever  sterile  sands  or  on  barren 
rocks,  to  our  eyes  in  vain !  What  floods 
of  light  are  poured  each  day  on  barren 
wastes,  or  untraversed  oceans,  to  our 
eyes  in  vain !  How  many  flowers  shed 
forth  their  fragrance  in  the  wilderness, 
and  "  waste  their  sweetness  on  the  desert 
air,"  to  us  apparently  for  naught !  How 
many  pearls  lie  useless  in  the  ocean  ; 
how  much  gold  and  silver  in  the 
earth ;  how  many  diamonds  amidst 
rocks  to  us  unknown,  and  apparently 
in  vain!  How  many  lofty  treeo  rear 
their  heads  in  the  untraversed  wilder- 
ness, and  after  standing  for  centuries 
fall  on  the  earth  and  decay,  to  our  eyes 
in  vain !  And  how  much  medicinal 
virtue  is  created  by  God  each  year  in 
the  vegetable  world  that  is  unknown  to 
man,  and  that  decays  and  is  lost  with- 
out removing  any  disease,  and  that 
seems  to  be  created  in  vain !  And  how 
long  has  it  been  before  the  most  valuable 
medicines  have  been  found  out,  and 
applied  to  alleviating  pain,  or  removing 
disease  !  Year  after  year,  and  age  after 
age,  they  existed  in  a  suffering  world, 
and  men  died  perhaps  within  a  few 
yards  of  the  medicine  which  would  have 
relieved  or  saved  them,  but  it  was  un- 
known, or  if  known  disregarded.     But 


120 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


15  And  that  he  died  for  all, 
that   a  they    which   live    should 

a  1  Co.  6.  19,  20. 


times  were  coming  when  their  value 
would  be  appreciated,  and  when  they 
would  be  applied  to  benefit  the  sufferer. 
So  with  the  plan  of  salvation.  It  may 
be  rejected,  and  the  sufferings  of  the 
Redeemer  may  seem  to  have  been  for 
naught.  But  they  will  yet  be  of  value 
to  mankind  ;  and  when  the  time  shall 
come  for  the  whole  world  to  embrace 
the  Saviour,  there  will  be  found  no  want 
of  sufficiency  in  the  plan  of  redemption, 
and  in  the  merits  of  the  Redeemer  to 
save  all  the  race,  t  Then  were  all  dead. 
All  dead  in  sin ;  that  is,  all  were  sin- 
ners. The  fact  that  he  died  for  all  proves 
that  all  were  transgressors.  The  word 
"  dead"  is  not  unfrequently  used  in  the 
Scriptures  to  denote  the  condition  of 
sinners.  See  Eph.  ii.  1.  It  means  not 
that  sinners  are  in  all  senses,  and  in  all 
respects  like  a  lifeless  corpse,  for  they  are 
not.  They  are  still  moral  agents,  and 
have  a  conscience,  and  are  capable  of 
thinking,  and  speaking,  and  acting.  It 
does  not  mean  that  they  have  no  more 
power  than  one  in  the  grave,  for  they 
have  more  power.  But  it  means  that 
there  is  a  striking  similarity,  in  some 
respects,  between  one  who  is  dead  and 
a  sinner.  That  similarity  does  not 
extend  to  every  thing,  but  in  many 
respects  it  is  very  striking.  (1.)  The 
sinner  is  as  insensible  to  the  glories  of 
the  heavenly  world,  and  the  appeals  of 
the  gospel,  as  a  corpse  is  to  what  is 
going  on  around  or  above  it.  The  body 
that  lies  in  the  grave  is  insensible  to  the 
voice  of  friendship,  and  the  charms  of 
music,  and  the  hum  of  business,  and 
the  plans  of  gain  and  ambition  ;  and  so 
the  sinner  is  insensible  to  all  the  glories 
of  the  heavenly  world,  and  to  all  the 
appeals  that  are  made  to  him,  and  to  all 
the  warnings  of  God.  He  lives  as  though 
there  were  no  heaven  and  no  hell ;  no 
God  and  no  Saviour.  (2.)  There  is 
need  of  the  same  divine  power  to  con- 
vert a  sinner  which  is  needful  to  raise 
up  the  dead.     The  same  cause  does  not 


not  henceforth  live  unto  them- 
selves, but  unto  him  which  died 
for  them,  and  rose  again. 


exist,  making  the  existence  of  that  power 
necessary,  but  it  is  a  fact  that  a  sinner 
will  no  more  be  converted  by  his  own 
power  than  a  dead  man  will  rise  from 
the  grave  by  his  own  power.  No  man 
ever  yet  was  converted  without  direct 
divine  agency,  any  more  than  Lazarus 
was  raised  without  divine  agency.  And 
there  is  no  more  just,  or  melancholy 
description  which  can  be  given  of  man, 
than  to  say  that  he  is  dead  in  sins.  He 
is  insensible  to  all  the  appeals  that  God 
makes  to  him  ;  he  is  insensible  to  all 
the  sufferings  of  the  Saviour,  and  to 
all  the  glories  of  heaven ;  he  lives  as 
though  these  did  not  exist,  or  as  though 
he  had  no  concern  in  them ;  his  eyes 
see  no  more  beauty  in  them  than  the 
sightless  eyeballs  of  the  dead  do  in  the 
material  world  ;  his  ear  is  as  inattentive 
to  the  calls  of  God  and  the  gospel  as 
the  ear  of  the  dead  is  to  the  voice  of 
friendship  or  the  charms  of  melody  ;  and 
in  a  world  that  is  full  of  God,  and  that 
might  be  full  of  hope,  he  is  living  with- 
out God  and  without  hope. 

15.  And  that  he  died  for  all,  &c. 
This  verse  is  designed  still  further  to 
explain  the  reasons  of  the  conduct  of 
the  apostle.  He  had  not  lived  for  him- 
self. He  had  not  lived  to  amass  wealth, 
or  to  enjoy  pleasure,  or  to  obtain  a  repu- 
tation. He  had  lived  a  life  of  self-denial, 
and  of  toil ;  and  he  here  states  the 
reason  why  he  had  done  it  It  was 
because  he  felt  that  the  great  purpose 
of  the  death  of  the  Redeemer  was  to 
secure  this  result.  To  that  Saviour, 
therefore,  who  died  for  all,  he  conse- 
crated his  talents  and  his  time,  and 
sought  in  every  way  possible  to  promote 
his  glory.  ^  That  they  which  live. 
They  who  are  true  Christians,  who  are 
made  alive  unto  God  as  the  result  of 
the  dying  love  of  the  Redeemer.  Sin- 
ners are  dead  in  sins.  Christians  are 
alive  to  the  worth  of  the  soul,  the  pre- 
sence of  God,  the  importance  of  religion, 
the  solemnities  of  eternity ;  i.  e.  thev 


A..  D.  CO.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


121 


act  and  feel  as  if  these  things  had  a  real 
existence,  and  as  if  they  should  exert 
a  constant  influence  upon  the  heart  and 
life.  It  is  observable  that  Paul  makes  a 
distinction  here  between  those  for  whom 
Christ  died  and  those  who  actually 
"live,"  thus  demonstrating  that  there 
may  be  many  for  whom  he  died  who 
do  not  live  to  God,  or  who  are  not 
savingly  benefited  by  his  death.  The 
atonement  was  for  all,  but  only  a  part 
are  actually  made  alive  to  God.  Mul- 
titudes reject  it;  but  the  fact  that  he 
died  for  all ;  that  he  tasted  death  for 
every  man,  that  he  not  only  died  for  the 
elect  but  for  all  others,  that  his  benevo- 
lence was  so  great  as  to  embrace  the 
whole  human  family  in  the  design  of 
his  death,  is  a  reason  why  they  who  are 
actually  made  alive  to  God  should  con- 
secrate themselves  entirely  to  his  service. 
The  fact  that  he  died  for  all  evinced 
such  unbounded  and  infinite  benevo- 
lence that  it  should  induce  us  who  are 
actually  benefited  by  his  death,  and 
who  have  any  just  views  of  it,  to  de- 
vote all  that  we  have  to  his  service. 
K  Should  not  henceforth  live  unto  our- 
selves. Should  not  seek  our  own  ease 
and  pleasure  ;  should  not  make  it  our 
great  object  to  promote  our  own  interest, 
but  should  make  it  the  grand  purpose 
of  our  lives  to  promote  his  honour,  and 
to  advance  his  cause.  This  is  a  vital 
principle  in  religion,  and  it  is  exceed- 
ingly important  to  know  what  is  meant 
by  living  to  ourselves,  and  whether  we 
do  it.  It  is  done  in  the  following,  and 
perhaps  in  some  other  ways.  (1.)  When 
men  seek  pleasure,  gain,  or  reputation 
as  the  controlling  principle  of  their  lives. 
(2.)  When  they  are  regardless  of  the 
rights  of  others,  and  sacrifice  all  the 
claims  which  others  have  on  them  in 
order  to  secure  the  advancement  of  their 
own  purposes  and  ends.  (3.)  When 
they  are  regardless  of  the  wants  of 
others,  and  turn  a  deaf  ear  to  all  the 
appeals  which  charity  makes  to  them, 
and  have  no  time  to  give  to  serve  them, 
and  no  money  to  spare  to  alleviate  their  i 
wants  ;  and  especially  when  they  turn 
a  deaf  ear  to  the  appeals  which  are 
made  for  the  diffusion  of  the  gospel  to  I 
11 


the  benighted  and  perishing.  (4.)  When 
their  main  purpose  is  the  aggrandize- 
ment of  their  own  families,  for  their 
families  are  but  a  diffusion  of  self.  And, 
(5.)  When  they  seek  their  own  salva- 
tion only  from  selfish  motives,  and  not 
from  a  desire  to  honour  God.  Multi- 
tudes are  selfish  even  in  their  religion, 
and  the  main  purpose  which  they  have 
in  view,  is  to  promote  their  own  objects, 
and  not  the  honour  of  the  Master  whom 
they  profess  to  serve.  They  seek  and 
profess  religion  only  because  they  desire 
to  escape  from  wrath,  and  to  obtain  the 
happiness  of  heaven,  and  not  from  any 
love  to  the  Redeemer  or  any  desire  to 
honour  him.  Or  they  seek  to  build  up 
the  interests  of  their  own  church  and 
party,  and  all  their  zeal  is  expended  on 
that  and  that  alone,  without  any  real 
desire  to  honour  the  Saviour.  Or  though 
in  the  church,  they  are  still  selfish,  and 
live  wholly  to  themselves.  They  live 
for  fashion,  for  gain,  for  reputation. 
They  practise  no  self-denial ;  they  make 
no  effort  to  advance  the  cause  of  God 
the  Saviour,  f  But  unto  him,  &c. 
Unto  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  To  live 
to  him  is  the  opposite  to  living  unto  our- 
selves. It  is  to  seek  his  honour;  to  feel 
that  we  belong  to  him  ;  that  all  our  time 
and  talents ;  all  our  strength  of  intellect 
and  body ;  all  the  avails  of  our  skill  and 
toil,  all  belong  to  him,  and  should  be 
employed  in  his  service.  If  we  nave 
talents  by  which  we  can  influer  ice  c  mer 
minds,  they  should  be  employed  to  ho- 
nour the  Saviour.  If  we  have  skill,  or 
strength  to  labour  by  which  we  can 
make  money,  we  should  feel  that  it  all 
belongs  to  him,  and  should  be  employed 
in  his  service.  If  we  have  property,  we 
should  feel  that  it  is  his,  and  that  he  has 
a  claim  upon  it  all,  and  that  it  should- 
be  honestly  consecrated  to  his  cause. 
And  if  we  are  endowed  with  a  spirit 
of  enterprise,  and  are  fitted  by  nature 
to  encounter  perils  in  distant  and  bar« 
barous  climes,  as  Paul  was,  we  should 
feel  like  him  that  we  are  bound  to  devote 
all  entirely  to  his  service,  and  to  the  pro- 
motion of  his  cause.  A  servant,  a  slave, 
does  not  live  to  himself  but  to  his  mas- 
ter.   His  person,  his  time,  his  limbs,  his 


122 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


A.  D.  60 


16  Wherefore  henceforth 
know  we  no  man  after  the  flesh : 
yea,    though   we   have    known 


talents,  and  the  avails  of  his  industry 
are  not  regarded  as  his  own.  He  is 
judged  incapable  of  holding  any  property 
which  is  not  at  the  disposal  of  his  mas- 
ter. If  he  has  strength,  it  is  his  mas- 
ter's. If  he  has  skill,  the  avails  of  it 
are  his  master's.  If  he  is  an  ingenious 
mechanic,  or  labours  in  any  department ; 
if  he  is  amiable,  kind,  gentle,  and  faith- 
ful, and  adapted  to  be  useful  in  an  emi- 
nent degree,  it  is  regarded  as  all  the 
property  of  his  master.  He  is  bound 
to  go  where  his  master  chooses ;  to 
execute  the  task  which  he  assigns;  to 
deny  himself  at  his  master's  will  ;  and 
to  come  and  lay  the  avails  of  all  his  toil 
and  skill  at  his  master's  feet.  He  is 
regarded  as  having  been  purchased  with 
money  ;  and  the  purchase  money  is  sup- 
posed to  give  a  right  to  his  time,  his 
talents,  his  services,  and  his  soul.  Such 
as  the  slave  is  supposed  to  become 
by  purchase,  and  by  the  operation  of 
human  laws,  the  Christian  becomes  by 
the  purchase  of  the  Son  of  God,  and  by 
the  voluntary  recognition  of  him  as  the 
master,  and  as  having  a  right  to  all  that 
we  have  and  are.  To  him  all  belongs  ; 
and  all  should  be  employed  in  endea- 
vouring to  promote  his  glory,  and  in  ad- 
vancing his  cause.  ^  Which  died  for 
them,  and  rose  again.  Paul  here  states 
the  grounds  of  the  obligation  under 
which  he  felt  himself  placed,  to  live  not 
unto  himself  but  unto  Christ.  ( 1 .)  The 
first  is,  the  fact  that  Christ  had  died 
for  him,  and  for  all  his  people.  The 
effect  of  that  death  was  the  same  as  a 
purchase.  It  was  a  purchase.  See 
Note,  1  Cor.  vi.  20 ;  vii.  23.  Comp. 
1  Pet.  i.  18,  19.  (2.)  The  second  is, 
that  he  had  risen  again  from  the  dead. 
To  this  fact  Paul  traced  all  his  hopes 
cf  eternal  life,  and  of  the  resurrection 
from  the  dead.  See  Rom.  iv.  25.  As 
we  have  the  hope  of  the  resurrection 
from  the  dead  only  from  the  fact  that 
he  rose ;  as  he  has  "  brought  life  and 
immortality  to  light,"  and  hath  in  this 


Christ  after  the  flesh,  yet  now 
henceforth  know  we  him  no 
more. 


way  "  abolished  death"  (2  Tim.  i.  10) ; 
as  all  the  prospect  of  entering  a  world 
where  there  is  no  death  and  no  grave  is 
to  be  traced  to  the  resurrection  of  the 
Saviour,  so  we  are  bound  by  every  obli- 
gation of  gratitude  to  devote  ourselves 
without  any  reserve  to  him.  To  him, 
and  him  alone  should  we  live ;  and  in 
his  cause  our  lives  should  be,  as  Paul's 
was,  a  living  sacrifice,  holy  and  accept- 
able in  his  sight. 

1 6.  WJierefore  henceforth.  In  view 
of  the  fact  that  the  Lord  Jesus  died  for 
all  men,  and  rose  again.  The  effect  of 
that  has  been  to  change  all  our  feelings, 
and  to  give  us  entirely  new  views  of 
men,  of  ourselves,  and  of  the  Messiah, 
so  that  we  have  become  new  creatures 
The  word  "  henceforth"  {iari  tw  vvv) 
means  properly  from  the  present  time  , 
but  there  is  no  impropriety  in  supposing 
that  Paul  refers  to  the  time  when  he 
first  obtained  correct  views  of  the  Mes- 
siah, and  that  he  means  from  that  time. 
His  mind  seems  to  have  been  thrown 
back  to  the  period  when  these  new 
views  burst  upon  his  soul ;  and  the  senti- 
ment is,  that  from  the  time  when  he 
obtained  those  new  views,  he  had  re* 
solved  to  know  no  one  after  the  flesh. 
t  Know  we  no  man.  The  word  know 
here  ('Map*)  is  used  in  the  sense  of, 
we  form  our  estimate  of;  we  judge  ; 
we  are  influenced  by.  Our  estimate  of 
man  is  formed  by  other  views  than 
according  to  the  flesh.  %  According  to 
the  Jiesh.  A  great  many  different  in- 
terpretations have  been  proposed  of  this 
expression,  which  it  is  not  needful  here 
to  repeat.  The  meaning  is,  probably, 
that  in  his  estimate  of  men  he  was  no' 
influenced  by  the  views  which  are  taker 
by  those  who  are  unrenewed,  and  whe 
are  unacquainted  with  the  truths  of 
redemption.  It  may  include  a  great 
many  things,  and  perhaps  the  following. 
(1.)  He  was  not  influenced  in  his  esti- 
mate of  men  by  a  regard  to  their  birth, 
or  countr".   He  did  not  form  an  attach 


A.D.60.J 


CHAPTER  V. 


123 


ment  to  a  Jew  because  he  was  a  Jew, 
or  to  a  Gentile  because  he  was  a  Gentile. 
He  had  learned  that  Christ  died  for  all, 
and  he  felt  disposed  to  regard  all  alike. 
(2.)  He  was  not  influenced  in  his  esti- 
mate of  men  by  their  rank,  and  wealth, 
and  office.  Before  his  conversion  he 
had  been,  but  now  he  learned  to  look 
on  their  moral  character,  and  to  regard 
that  as  making  the  only  permanent,  and 
really  important  distinction  among  men. 
He  did  not  esteem  one  man  highly  be- 
cause he  was  of  elevated  rank,  or  of  great 
wealth,  and  another  less  because  he  was 
of  a  different  rank  in  life.  (3.)  It  may 
also  include  the  idea,  that  he  had  left 
his  own  kindred  and  friends  on  account 
of  superior  attachment  to  Christ.  He 
had  parted  from  them  to  preach  the 
gospel.  He  was  not  restrained  by  their 
opinions ;  he  was  not  kept  from  going 
from  land  to  land  by  love  to  them.  It 
is  probable  that  they  remained  Jews. 
It  may  be,  that  they  were  opposed  to 
him,  and  to  his  efforts  in  the  cause  of 
the  Redeemer.  It  may  be  that  they 
would  have  dismissed  him  from  a  work 
so  self-denying,  and  so  arduous,  and 
where  he  would  be  exposed  to  so  much 
persecution  and  contempt.  It  may  be 
that  they  would  have  set  before  him 
the  advantages  of  his  birth  and  educa- 
tion ;  would  have  reminded  him  of  his 
early  brilliant  prospects ;  and  would 
have  used  all  the  means  possible  to  dis- 
suade him  from  embarking  in  a  cause 
like  that  in  which  he  was  engaged.  The 
passage  here  means  that  Paul  was  in- 
fluenced by  none  of  these  considerations. 
In  early  life  he  had  been.  He  had 
prided  himself  on  rank,  and  on  talent. 
He  was  proud  of  his  own  advantages 
as  a  Jew ;  and  he  estimated  worth  by 
rank,  and  by  national  distinction.  Phil, 
iii.  4 — 6.  He  had  despised  Christians 
on  account  of  their  being  the  followers 
of  the  man  of  Nazareth  ;  and  there  can 
be  no  reason  to  doubt  that  he  partook 
of  the  common  feelings  of  his  country- 
men and  held  in  contempt  the  whole 
Gentile  world.  But  his  views  were 
changed — so  much  changed  as  to  make 
it  proper  to  say  that  he  was  a  new 
creature,  ver.  17.     When  converted,  he 


did  not  confer  with  flesh  and  blood  (Gal. 
i.  1 6)  ;  and  in  the  school  of  Christ,  he 
had  learned  that  if  a  man  was  his  dis- 
ciple, he  must  be  willing  to  forsake  father, 
and  mother,  and  sister,  and  brother,  and 
to  hate  his  own  life  that  he  might  ho- 
nour him.  Lukexiv.26.  He  had  formed 
his  principle  of  action  now  from  a 
higher  standard  than  any  regard  to  rank, 
or  wealth,  or  national  distinction ;  and 
had  risen  above  them  all,  and  now 
estimated  men  not  by  these  external  and 
factitious  advantages,  but  by  a  reference 
to  their  personal  character  and  moral 
worth.  1  Yea,  though  we  have  known 
Christ  after  the  flesh.  Though  in 
common  with  the  Jewish  nation  we 
expected  a  Messiah  who  would  be  a 
temporal  prince,  and  who  would  be  dis- 
tinguished for  the  distinctions  which 
are  valued  among  men,  yet  we  have 
changed  our  estimate  of  him,  and  judge 
of  him  in  this  way  no  longer.  There 
can  be  no  doubt  that  Paul,  in  common 
with  his  countrymen,  had  expected  a 
Messiah  who  would  be  a  magnificent 
temporal  prince  and  conqueror,  one  who 
they  supposed  would  be  a  worthy  suc- 
cessor of  David  and  Solomon.  The 
coming  of  such  a  prince,  Paul  had  con- 
fidently expected.  He  expected  no  other 
Messiah.  He  had  fixed  his  hopes  on 
that.  This  is  what  is  meant  by  the 
expression  '  to  know  Christ  after  the 
flesh.'  It  does  not  mean  that  he  had 
seen  him  in  the  flesh,  but  that  he  had 
formed,  so  to  speak,  carnal  views  of 
him,  and  such  as  men  of  this  world 
regard  as  grand  and  magnificent  in  a 
monarch  and  conqueror.  He  had  had 
no  correct  views  of  his  spiritual  character, 
and  of  the  pure  and  holy  purposes  for 
which  he  would  come  into  the  world. 
1  Yet  now  henceforth  know  we  him  no 
more.  We  know  him  no  more  in  this 
manner.  Our  conceptions  and  views  of 
him  are  changed.  We  no  more  regard 
him  according  to  the  flesh ;  we  no  longei 
esteem  the  Messiah  who  was  to  com? 
as  a  temporal  prince  and  warrior ;  but 
we  look  on  him  as  a  spiritual  Saviour, 
a  Redeemer  from  sin.  The  idea  is,  that 
his  views  of  him  had  been  entirely 
changed.      It  does  not  mean,  as  out 


124 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.D.60. 


17  Therefore  if  any  man  be  I  old  things  are  passed  away  ;  be- 


in  Christ,  he  is  1  a  new  "creature  : 

i  let  him  be.  a  Jno.  3.  3.  Ga.  6.  15. 

translation  would  seem  to  imply,  that 
Paul  would  have  no  further  acquaint- 
ance with  Christ,  but  it  means  that  from 
the  moment  of  his  conversion  he  had 
laid  aside  all  his  views  of  his  being  a 
temporal  sovereign,  and  all  his  feelings 
that  he  was  to  be  honoured  only  because 
he  supposed  that  he  would  have  an  ele- 
vated rank  among  the  monarchs  of  the 
earth.  Locke  and  Macknight,  it  seems 
to  me,  have  strangely  mistaken  this  pas- 
sage. The  former  renders  it,  "  For  if  I 
myself  have  gloried  in  this,  that  Christ 
was  himself  circumcised  as  I  am,  and 
was  of  my  blood  and  nation,  I  do  so 
now  no  more  any  longer."  The  same 
substantially  is  the  view  of  Macknight 
Clarke  as  strangely  mistakes  it,  when 
he  says  that  it  means  that  Paul  could 
not  prize  now  a  man  who  was  a  sinner 
because  he  was  allied  to  the  royal  family 
of  David,  nor  prize  a  man  because  he 
had  seen  Christ  in  the  flesh.  The  cor- 
rect view,  as  it  seems  to  rne,  is  given 
above.  And  the  doctrine  which  is 
taught  here  is,  that  at  conversion,  the 
views  are  essentially  changed,  and  that 
the  converted  man  has  a  view  of  the 
Saviour  entirely  different  from  what  he 
had  before.  He  may  not,  like  Paul, 
have  regarded  him  as  a  temporal  prince; 
he  may  not  have  looked  to  him  as  a 
mighty  monarch,  but  his  views  in  regard 
to  his  person,  character,  work,  and  love- 
liness will  be  entirely  changed.  He  will 
see  a  beauty  in  his  character  which  he 
never  saw  before.  Before,  he  regarded 
him  as  a  root  out  of  dry  ground ;  as 
the  despised  man  of  Nazareth  ;  as  hav- 
ing nothing  in  his  character  to  be  de- 
sired, or  to  render  him  lovely  (Isa.  liii)  ; 
but  at  conversion,  the  views  are  changed. 
He  is  seen  to  be  the  chief  among  ten 
thousand  and  altogether  lovely ;  as  pure, 
and  holy,  and  benevolent;  as  mighty, 
and  great,  and  glorious ;  as  inlinitely 
benevolent;  as  lovely  in  his  precepts, 
lovely  in  his  life,  lovely  in  his  death, 
lovely  in  hie  resurrection,  and  as  most 


hold, fc  all  things  are  become  new 

b  Is.  65.  17.    Re.  21.  5. 


glorious  as  he  is  seated  on  the  right 
hand  of  God.  He  is  seen,  to  be  a  Sa- 
viour exactly  adapted  to  the  condition 
and  wants  of  the  soul ;  and  the  soul 
yields  itself  to  him  to  be  redeemed  by 
him  alone.  There  is  no  change  of  view 
so  marked  and  decided  as  that  of  the 
sinner  in  regard  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
at  his  conversion ;  and  it  is  a  clear 
proof  that  we  have  never  been  born 
again  if  our  views  in  reference  to  him 
have  never  undergone  any  change. 
"  What  think  ye  of  Christ!"  is  a  ques- 
tion the  answer  to  which  will  determine 
any  man's  character,  and  demonstrate 
whether  he  is  or  is  not  a  child  of  God. 
Tindal  has  more  correctly  expressed 
the  sense  of  this  than  our  translation. 
"Though  we  have  known  Christ  after 
the  flesh,  now  henceforth  know  we  him 
so  no  more." 

17.  Therefore  if  any  man  be  in 
Christ.  The  phrase  to  "  be  in  Christ," 
evidently  means  to  be  united  to  Christ 
by  faith  ;  or  to  be  in  him  as  the  branch 
is  in  the  vine — that  is,  so  united  to  the 
vine,  or  so  in  it,  as  to  derive  all  its 
nourishment  and  support  from  it,  and  to 
be  sustained  entirely  by  it  John  xv.  2  : 
"  Every  branch  in  me."  ver.  4:  "Abide 
in  me.  and  I  in  you."  "  The  branch 
cannot  bear  fruit  of  itself  except  it  abide 
in  the  vine ;  no  more  can  ye  except  ye 
abide  in  me."  See  also  ver.  5 — 7. 
See  Note  on  John  xv.  2.  To  be  "  in 
Christ"  denotes  a  more  tender  and  close 
union  ;  and  implies  that  all  our  support 
is  from  him.  All  our  strength  is  derived 
from  him  ;  and  denotes  further  that  we 
shall  partake  of  his  fulness,  and  share 
in  his  felicity  and  glory,  as  the  branch 
partakes  of  the  strength  and  vigour  of  the 
parent  vine.  The  word  "therefore" 
('TicrTt)  here  implies  that  the  reason 
why  Paul  infers  that  any  one  is  a  new 
creature  who  is  in  Christ  is  that  which 
is  stated  in  the  previous  verse ;  to  wit, 
the  change  of  views  in  regard  to  the 
Redeemer  to  which  he  there  refers,  and 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


125 


which  was  so  great  as  to  constitute  a 
change  like  a  new  creation.  The  af- 
firmation here  is  universal,  "  if  any  man 
be  in  Christ;"  that  is,  all  who  become 
true  Christians — undergo  such  a  change 
in  their  views  and  feelings  as  to  make  it 
proper  to  say  of  them  that  they  are  new 
creatures.  No  matter  what  they  have 
been  before,  whether  moral  or  immoral ; 
whether  infidels  or  speculative  believers  ; 
whether  amiable,  or  debased,  sensual 
and  polluted,  yet  if  they  become  Chris- 
tians they  all  experience  such  a  change 
as  to  make  it  proper  to  say  they  are 
a  new  creation.  %  A  new  creature. 
Marg.  "  Let  him  be."  This  is  one  of  the 
instances  in  which  the  margin  has  given 
a  less  correct  translation  than  is  in  the 
text.  The  idea  evidently  is,  not  that 
he  ought  to  be  a  new  creature,  but  that 
he  is  in  fact ;  not  that  he  ought  to  live 
as  becomes  a  new  creature — which  is 
true  enough — but  that  he  will  in  fact 
live  in  that  way,  and  manifest  the 
characteristics  of  the  new  creation.  The 
phrase  "  a  new  creature"  (k -uvii  kt'io-lz) 
occurs  also  in  Gal.  vi.  15.  The  word 
rendered  "  creature"  (ktjW)  means 
properly  in  the  New  Testament,  crea- 
tion. It  denotes,  (1.)  The  act  of  creating 
(Rom.  i.  20);  (2.)  A  created  thing,  a  crea- 
ture (Rom.  i.  25)  ;  and  refers  (a)  To  the 
universe,  or  creation  in  general.  Mark 
x.  6;  xiii.  9—11.  Pet.  iii.  4.  (/;)  To 
man,  mankind.  Mark  xvi.  15.  Col.  i. 
23.  Here  it  means  a  new  creation 
in  a  moral  sense,  and  the  phrase  new 
creature  is  equivalent  to  the  expression 
in  Eph.  iv.  24  :  "  The  new  man,  which 
after  God  is  created  in  righteousness  and 
true  holiness."  It  means,  evidently, 
that  there  is  a  change  produced  in  the 
renewed  heart  of  man  that  is  equivalent 
to  the  act  of  creation,  and  that  bears  a 
strong  resemblance  to  it — a  change,  so 
to  speak,  as  if  the  man  was  made  over 
again,  and  had  become  new.  The  mode 
or  manner  in  which  it  is  done  is  not 
described,  nor  should  the  words  be 
pressed  to  the  quick,  as  if  the  process 
were  the  same  in  both  cases — for  the 
words  are  here  evidently  figurative. 
But  the  phrase  implies  evidently  the 
following  things.     (1.)     That  thero  is 


an  exertion  of  divine  power  in  the  con- 
version of  the  sinner  as  really  as  in  the 
act  of  creating  the  world  out  ot  no- 
thing, and  that  this  is  as  indispensable 
in  the  one  case  as  in  the  other.  (2.) 
That  a  change  is  produced  so  great 
as  to  make  it  proper  to  say  that  he 
is  a  new  man.  He  has  new  views, 
new  motives,  new  principles,  new  ob- 
jects and  plans  of  life.  He  seeks  new 
purposes,  and  he  lives  for  new  ends. 
If  a  drunkard  becomes  reformed,  there 
is  no  impropriety  in  saying  that  he  is 
a  new  man.  If  a  man  who  was  licen- 
tious becomes  pure,  there  is  no  impro- 
priety in  saying  that  he  is  not  the  same 
man  that  he  was  before.  Such  ex- 
pressions are  common  in  all  languages, 
and  they  are  as  proper  as  they  are  com- 
mon. There  is  such  a  change  as  to 
make  the  language  proper.  And  so  in 
the  conversion  of  a  sinner.  There  is 
a  change  so  deep,  so  clear,  so  entire,  and 
so  abiding,  that  it  is  proper  to  say,  here 
is  a  new  creation  of  God — a  work  of  the 
divine  power  as  decided  and  as  glorious 
as  when  God  created  all  things  out  of 
nothing.  There  is  no  other  moral  change 
that  takes  place  on  earth  so  deep,  and 
radical,  and  thorough  as  the  change  at 
conversion.  And  there  is  no  other 
where  there  is  so  much  propriety  in 
ascribing  it  to  the  mighty  power  of  God. 
J  Old  things  are  passed  uway.  The 
old  views  in  regard  to  the  Messiah,  and 
in  regard  to  men  in  general,  ver.  16. 
But  Paul  also  gives  this  a  general  form 
of  expression,  and  says  that  old  things 
in  general  have  passed  away — referring 
to  every  thing.  It  was  true  of  all  who 
were  converted  that  old  things  had 
passed  away.  And  it  may  include  the 
following  things.  (1.)  In  regard  to 
the  Jews — that  their  former  prejudices 
against  Christianity,  their  natural  pride, 
and  spirit  of  seducing  others  ;  their  at- 
tachment to  their  rites  and  ceremonies, 
and  dependence  on  them  for  salvation 
had  all  passed  away.  They  now  le- 
nounced  that  dependence,  relied  on  the 
merits  of  the  Saviour,  and  embraced  ail 
as  brethren  who  were  of  the  family  of 
Christ.  (2.)  In  regard  to  the  Gentiles — 
that  their  attachment  to  idols,  their  iove 


126 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


18  And  all  things  are  of  God, 
who  hath  reconciled  a  us  to  him- 

a  Col.  1.  20. 


of  sin,  and  degradation,  their  depend- 
ence on  their  own  works,  had  passed 
away,  and  they  had  renounced  all  these 
things,  and  had  come  to  mingle  their 
hopes  with  those  of  the  converted  Jews, 
and  with  all  who  were  the  friends  of  the 
Redeemer.  (3.)  In  regard  to  all,  it  is 
also  true  that  old  things  pass  away. 
Their  former  prejudices,  opinions, habits, 
attachments  pass  away.  Their  supreme 
love  of  self  passes  away.  Their  love 
of  sin  passes  away.  Their  love  of  the 
world  passes  away.  Their  supreme 
attachment  to  their  earthly  friends  rather 
than  God  passes  away.  Their  love  of 
sin,  their  sensuality,  pride,  vanity,  levity, 
ambition,  passes  away.  There  is  a  deep 
and  radical  change  on  all  these  subjects, 
— a  change  which  commences  at  the 
new  birth ;  which  is  carried  on  by  pro- 
gressive sanctification ;  and  which  is  con- 
summated at  death  and  in  heaven.  T  Be- 
hold, all  things  are  become  new.  That 
is,  all  things  in  view  of  the  mind.  The 
purposes  of  life,  the  feelings  of  the 
heart,  the  principles  of  action,  all  be- 
come new.  The  understanding  is  con- 
secrated to  new  objects,  the  body  is 
employed  in  new  service,  the  heart  forms 
new  attachments.  Nothing  can  be  more 
strikingly  descriptive  of  the  facts  in 
conversion  than  this ;  nothing  more  en- 
tirely accords  with  the  feelings  of  the 
new-born  soul.  AH  is  new.  There  are 
new  views  of  God,  and  of  Jesus  Christ ; 
new  views  of  this  world  and  of  the 
world  to  come ;  new  views  of  truth  and 
of  duty  ;  and  every  thing  is  seen  in  a 
new  aspect  and  with  new  feelings.  No- 
thing is  more  common  in  young  converts 
than  such  feelings,  and  nothing  is  more 
common  than  for  them  to  say  that  all 
things  are  new.  The  Bible  seems  to  be 
a  new  book,  and  though  they  may  have 
often  read  it  before,  yet  there  is  a  beauty 
about  it  which  they  never  saw  before, 
and  which  they  wonder  they  have  not 
before  perceived.  The  whole  face  of 
nature  seems  to  them  to  be  changed, 
and  they  seem  to  be  in  a  new  world. 


self  by  Jesus  Christ,  and  hath 
given  to  us  the  ministry  of  recon- 
ciliation ; 

The  hills,  and  vales,  and  streams ;  the 
J  sun,  the  stars,  the  groves,  the  forests, 
seem  to  be  new.  A  new  beauty  is  spread 
over  them  all ;  and  they  now  see  them 
to  be  the  work  of  God,  and  his  glory  is 
spread  over  them  all,  and  they  can  now 
say 

"My  Father  made  them  all." 

The  heavens  and  the  earth  are  filled 
with  new  wonders,  and  all  things 
seem  now  to  speak  forth  the  praise 
of  God.  Even  the  very  countenances 
of  friends  seem  to  be  new ;  and 
there  are  new  feelings  towards  all 
men ;  a  new  kind  of  love  to  kindred 
and  friends ;  a  love  before  unfelt  for 
enemies ;  and  a  new  love  for  all  man- 
kind. 

18.  And  all  things  arc  of  God.  This 
refers  particularly  to  the  things  in  ques- 
tion, the  renewing  of  the  heart,  and  the 
influences  by  which  Paul  had  been 
brought  to  a  state  of  willingness  to  for- 
sake all,  and  to  devote  his  life  to  the 
self-denying  labours  involved  in  the 
purpose  of  making  the  Saviour  known. 
He  makes  the  statement  general,  how- 
ever, showing  his  belief  that  not  only 
these  things  were  produced  by  God,  but 
that  all  things  were  under  his  direction, 
and  subject  to  his  control.  Nothing 
that  he  had  done  was  to  be  traced  to  his 
own  agency  or  power,  but  God  was  to 
be  acknowledged  everywhere.  This 
great  truth  Paul  never  forgot ;  and  he 
never  suffered  himself  to  lose  sight  of 
it.  It  was  in  his  view  a  cardinal  and 
glorious  truth ;  and  he  kept  its  influence 
always  before  his  mind  and  his  heart 
In  the  important  statement  which  fol- 
lows, therefore,  about  the  ministry  of 
reconciliation,  he  deeply  feels  that  the 
whole  plan,  and  all  the  success  which 
has  attended  the  plan,  was  to  be  traced 
not  to  his  zeal,  or  fidelity,  or  skill,  but 
to  the  agency  of  God.  See  Note  on 
1  Cor.  iii.  6,  7.  f  Who  hath  recon- 
ciled us  to  himself.  The  word  us  here 
includes,  doubtless,  all  who  were  Chris 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


127 


tians — whether  Jews  or  Gentiles,  or 
whatever  was  their  rank.  They  had  all 
been  brought  into  a  state  of  reconcilia- 
tion, or  agreement  with  God  through 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Before  they 
were  opposed  to  God.  They  had  vio- 
lated his  laws.  They  were  his  enemies. 
But  by  the  means  of  the  plan  of  salva- 
tion they  had  been  brought  into  a  state 
of  agreement,  or  harmony,  and  were 
united  in  feeling  and  in  aim  with  him. 
Two  men  who  have  been  alienated  by 
prejudice,  by  passion,  or  by  interest,  are 
reconciled  when  the  cause  of  the  aliena- 
tion is  removed,  on  whichever  side  it 
may  have  existed,  or  if  on  both  sides, 
and  when  they  lay  aside  their  enmity 
and  become  friends.  Thenceforward 
they  are  agreed,  and  live  together  with- 
out alienation,  heart-burnings,  jealousies, 
and  strife.  So  between  God  and  man. 
There  was  a  variance ;  there  was  an 
alienation.  Man  was  alienated  from 
God.  He  had  no  love  for  him.  He 
disliked  his  government  and  laws.  He 
was  unwilling  to  be  restrained.  He 
sought  his  own  pleasure.  He  was 
proud,  vain,  self-confident.  He  was  not 
pleased  with  the  character  of  God,  or 
with  his  claims,  or  his  plans.  And  in 
like  manner,  God  was  displeased  with 
the  pride,  the  sensuality,  the  rebellion, 
the  haughtiness  of  man.  He  was  dis- 
pleased that  his  law  had  been  violated, 
and  that  man  had  cast  off  his  govern- 
ment. Now  reconciliation  could  take 
place  only  when  these  causes  of  aliena- 
tion should  be  laid  aside,  and  when 
God  and  man  should  be  brought  to 
harmony ;  when  man  should  lay  aside 
his  love  of  sin,  and  should  be  pardoned, 
and  when,  therefore,  God  could  consist- 
ently treat  him  as  a  friend.  The  Greek 
word  which  is  here  used  {ki.tj.x- 
hd<r3-a>)  means  properly  to  change  against 
any  thing  ;  to  exchange  for  any  thing, 
for  money,  or  for  any  article. — Robinson. 
In  the  New  Testament  it  means  to 
change  one  person  towards  another ; 
that  is,  to  reconcile  to  any  one.  See 
Note  on  Rom.  v.  10.  It  conveys  the 
idea  of  producing  a  change  so  that  one 
who  is  alienated  should  be  brought  to 
friendship.     Of  course,  all  the  change 


which  takes  place  must  be  on  the  part 
of  man,  for  God  will  not  change,  and 
the  purpose  of  the  plan  of  reconciliation 
is  to  effect  such  a  change  in  man  as  to 
make  him  in  fact  reconciled  to  God, 
and  at  agreement  with  him.  There 
were  indeed  obstacles  to  reconciliation 
on  the  part  of  God,  but  they  did  not 
arise  from  any  unwillingness  to  be 
reconciled ;  from  any  reluctance  to  treat 
his  creature  as  his  friend  ;  but  they  arose 
from  the  fact  that  man  had  sinned,  and 
that  God  was  just;  that  such  is  the 
perfection  of  God  that  he  cannot  treat 
the  good  and  evil  alike ;  and  that,  there- 
fore, if  he  should  treat  man  as  his  friend, 
it  was  necessary  that  in  some  proper 
way  he  should  maintain  the  honour  of 
his  law,  and  show  his  hatred  of  sin,  and 
should  secure  the  conversion  and  future 
obedience  of  the  offender.  All  this 
God  purposed  to  secure  by  the  atone- 
ment made  by  the  Redeemer,  rendering 
it  consistent  for  him  to  exercise  the  be- 
nevolence of  his  nature,  and  to  pardon 
the  offender.  But  God  is  not  changed. 
The  plan  of  reconciliation  has  made  no 
change  in  his  character.  It  has  not 
made  him  a  different  being  from  what 
he  was  before.  There  is  often  a  mis- 
take on  this  subject ;  and  men  seem  to 
suppose  that  God  was  originally  stern, 
and  unmerciful,  and  inexorable,  and  that 
he  has  been  made  mild  and  forgiving  by 
the  atonement.  But  it  is  not  so.  No 
change  has  been  made  in  God ;  none 
needed  to  be  made  ;  none  could  be  made. 
He  was  always  mild,  and  merciful,  and 
good  ;  and  the  gift  of  a  Saviour  and  the 
plan  of  reconciliation  is  just  an  expres- 
sion of  his  original  willingness  to  par- 
don. When  a  father  sees  a  child  strug- 
gling in  the  stream,  and  in  danger  of 
drowning,  the  peril  and  the  cries  of  the 
child  make  no  change  in  the  character 
of  the  father,  but  such  was  his  former 
love  for  the  child  that  he  would  plunge 
into  the  stream  at  the  hazard  of  his 
own  life  to  save  him.  So  it  is  with 
God.  Such  was  his  original  love  for 
man,  and  his  disposition  to  show  mercy, 
that  he  would  submit  to  any  sacrifice, 
except  that  of  truth  and  justice,  in  order 
that  he  might  save  him.     Hence  he  sent 


128 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


19  To  wit,  that  God  was  in 
Christ,    reconciling    the    world 


h.s  son  to  die — not  to  change  his  own 
character;  not  to  make  himself  a  differ- 
ent being  from  what  he  was,  but  in 
order  to  show  his  love  and  his  readiness 
to  forgive  when  it  could  be  consistently 
done.  "  God  so  loved  the  world  that 
he  sent  his  only  begotten  son."  John 
iii.  16.  f  By  Jesus  Christ.  By  the 
agency,  or  medium  of  Jesus  Christ. 
He  was  the  mediator  to  interpose  in  the 
work  of  reconciliation.  And  he  was 
abundantly  qualified  for  this  work,  and 
was  the  only  being  that  has  lived  in  this 
world  who  was  qualified  for  it.  For, 
(1.)  He  was  endowed  with  a  divine 
and  human  nature — the  nature  of  both 
the  parties  at  issue — God  and  man,  and 
thus,  in  the  language  of  Job,  could  "  lay 
his  hand  upon  both."  Job  ix.33.  (2.) 
He  was  intimately  acquainted  with  both 
the  parties,  and  knew  what  was  needful 
to  be  done.  He  knew  God  the  Father 
so  well  that  he  could  say,  "  No  man 
knoweth  the  Father  but  the  Son."  Matt. 
xi.  27.  And  he  knew  man  so  well  that 
it  could  be  said  of  him,  he  "  needed 
not  that  any  should  testify  of  man,  for 
he  knew  what  was  in  man."  John  ii. 
25.  No  one  can  be  a  mediator  who  is 
not  acquainted  with  the  feelings,  views, 
desires,  claims,  or  prejudices  of  both  the 
parties  at  issue.  (3.)  He  was  the  friend 
of  both  the  parties.  He  loved  God.  No 
man  ever  doubted  this,  or  had  any  reason 
to  call  it  in  question,  and  he  was  always 
desirous  of  securing  all  that  God  claim- 
ed, and  of  vindicating  him,  and  he  never 
abandoned  any  thing  that  God  had  a 
right  to  claim.  And  he  loved  man.  He 
showed  this  in  all  his  life.  He  sought 
his  welfare  in  every  way  possible,  and 
gave  himself  for  him.  Yet  no  one  is 
qualified  to  act  the  mediator's  part  who 
is  not  the  common  friend  of  both  the 
parties  at  issue,  and  who  will  not  seek 
the  welfare,  the  right,  or  the  honour  of 
both.  (4.)  He  was  willing  to  suffer 
any  thing  from  either  party  in  order  to 
produce  reconciliation.     From  the  hand 


unto  himself,  not  imputing  their 
trespasses  °unto  them;  and  hath 

a  Ro.  3.  24,  25. 


of  God  he  was  willing  to  endure  all  that 
he  deemed  to  be  necessary,  in  order  to 
show  his  hatred  of  sin  by  his  vicarious 
sufferings,  and  to  make  an  atonement ; 
and  from  the  hand  of  man  he  was  will- 
ing to  endure  all  the  reproach,  and  con- 
tumely, and  scorn  which  could  be 
possibly  involved  in  the  work  of  in- 
ducing man  to  be  reconciled  to  God. — 
And,  (5.)  He  has  removed  all  the  obsta- 
cles which  existed  to  a  reconciliation. 
On  the  part  of  God,  he  has  made  it  con- 
sistent for  him  to  pardon.  He  has  made 
an  atonement  so  that  God  can  be  just 
while  he  justifies  the  sinner.  He  has 
maintained  his  truth,  and  justice,  and 
secured  the  stability  of  his  moral  go- 
vernment while  he  admits  offenders  to 
his  favour.  And  on  the  part  of  man, 
he,  by  the  agency  of  his  Spirit,  over- 
comes the  unwillingness  of  the  sinner 
to  be  reconciled,  humbles  his  pride, 
shows  him  his  sin,  changes  his  heart, 
subdues  his  enmity  against  God,  and 
secures  in  fact  a  harmony  of  feeling  and 
purpose  between  God  and  man,  so  that 
they  shall  be  reconciled  forever.  ^  Ana 
hath  given  to  us.  To  us  the  apostles 
and  our  fellow-labourers,  f  The  mi- 
nistry of  reconciliation.  That  is,  of 
announcing  to  men  the  nature  and  the 
conditions  of  this  plan  of  being  recon- 
ciled. We  have  been  appointed  to 
make  this  known,  and  to  press  its  ac- 
ceptation on  men.     See  ver.  20. 

19.  To  wit  (Greek,  'nf  ot<),  namely. 
This  verse  is  designed  further  to  state 
the  nature  of  the  plan  of  reconciliation, 
and  of  the  message  with  which  they 
were  intrusted.  It  contains  an  ab- 
stract, or  an  epitome  of  the  whole  plan  ; 
and  is  one  of  those  emphatic  passages 
in  which  Paul  compresses  into  a  single 
sentence  the  substance  of  the  whole 
plan  of  redemption.  Tf  That  God  was 
in  Christ.  That  God  was  by  Christ 
(lv  Xg/s-Tw),  by  means  of  Christ;  by 
the  agency,  or  mediatorship  of  Christ 
Or  it  may  mean  that  God  was  united 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


129 


1  committed  unto  us  the  word  of 
reconciliation. 

»  put  in  us. 

to  Christ,  and  manifested  himself  by 
him.  So  Doddridge  interprets  it.  Christ 
was  the  mediator  by  means  of  whom 
God  designed  to  accomplish  the  great 
work  of  reconciliation.  %  Reconciling 
the  world  ufito  himself.  The  world 
here  evidently  means  the  human  race 
generally,  without  distinction  of  nation, 
age,  or  rank.  The  whole  world  -was 
alienated  from  him,  and  he  sought  to 
have  it  reconciled.  This  is  one  inci- 
dental proof  that  God  designed  that 
the  plan  of  salvation  should  be  adapted 
to  all  men.  See  Note  on  ver.  14.  It 
may  be  observed  further,  that  God 
sought  that  the  world  should  be  recon- 
ciled. Man  did  not  seek  it.  He  had 
no  plan  for  it.  He  did  not  desire  it. 
He  had  no  way  to  effect  it.  It  was  the 
offended  party,  not  the  offending,  that 
sought  to  be  reconciled ;  and  this  shows 
the  strength  of  his  love.  It  was  love 
for  enemies  and  alienated  beings,  and 
love  evinced  to  them  by  a  most  earnest 
desire  to  become  their  friend,  and  to  be 
at  agreement  with  them.  Comp.  Note 
on  Rom.  v.  8.  Tindal  renders  this  very 
accurately,  "For  God  was  in  Christ, 
and  made  agreement  between  the  world 
and  himself,  and  imputed  not  their  sins 
unto  them."  f  Not  imputing  their 
trespasses.  Not  reckoning  their  trans- 
gressions to  them;  that  is,  forgiving 
them,  pardoning  them.  On  the  mean- 
ing of  the  word  impute,  see  Note,  Rom. 
iv.  3.  The  idea  here  is,  that  God  did 
not  charge  on  them  with  inexorable 
severity  and  stern  justice  their  offences, 
but  graciously  provided  a  plan  of  par- 
don, and  offered  to  remit  their  sins  on 
the  conditions  of  the  gospel.  The  plan 
of  reconciliation  demonstrated  that  he 
was  not  disposed  to  impute  their  sins  to 
them,  as  he  might  have  done,  and  to 
punish  them  with  unmitigated  severity 
for  their  crimes,  but  was  more  disposed 
to  pardon  and  forgive.  And  it  may  be 
here  asked,  if  God  was  not  disposed  to 
charge  with  unrelenting  severity  their 


20  Now  then  we   are  a  am- 
bassadors for  Christ ;  as  though 

a  Job  33.  23.    Mai.  2.  7.   Ep.  6.  20. 


own  sins  to  their  account,  but  was 
rather  disposed  to  pardon  them,  can  we 
believe  that  he  is  disposed  to  charge  on 
them  the  si?i  of  another  ?  If  he  does 
not  charge  on  them  with  inexorable  and 
unmitigated  severity  their  own  trans- 
gressions, will  he  charge  on  them  with 
unrelenting  severity — or  at  all — the  sin 
of  Adam?  See  Note  on  Rom.  v.  19. 
The  sentiment  here  is,  that  God  is  not 
disposed  or  inclined  to  charge  the  trans- 
gressions of  men  upon  them  ;  he  has 
no  pleasure  in  doing  it ;  and  therefore 
he  has  provided  a  plan  by  which  they 
may  be  pardoned.  At  the  same  time  it 
is  true  that  unless  their  sins  are  par- 
doned, justice  wall  charge  or  impute 
their  sins  to  them,  and  will  exact  pu- 
nishment to  the  uttermost.  ^  And  hath 
committed  unto  us  the  word  of  recon- 
ciliation. Margin,  "  put  in  us."  Tin- 
dal renders  this,  "  and  hath  committed 
unto  us  the  preaching  of  the  atonement." 
The  meaning  is,  that  the  office  of  mak- 
ing known  the  nature  of  this  plan,  and 
the  conditions  on  which  God  was  will- 
ing to  be  reconciled  to  man,  had  been 
committed  to  the  ministers  of  the 
gospel. 

20.  Now  then  we  are  ambassadors  for 
Christ.  We  are  the  ambassadors  whom 
Christ  has  sent  forth  to  negotiate  with 
men  in  regard  to  their  reconciliation  to 
God.  Tindal  renders  this,  "  Now  then 
are  we  messengers  in  the  room  of 
Christ."  The  word  here  used  (Vgw- 
fii'jojuiv,  from  7t^t&v;,  an  aged  man,  an 
elder,  and  then  an  ambassador)  means 
to  act  as  an  ambassador,  or  sometimes 
merely  to  deliver  a  message  for  another, 
without  being  empowered  to  do  any 
thing  more  than  to  explain  or  enforce 
it. — Bloomfield.  See  Thucyd.  7.  9.  An 
ambassador  is  a  minister  of  the  highest 
rank,  employed  by  one  prince  or  state 
at  the  court  of  another,  to  manage  the 
concerns  of  his  own  prince  or  state, 
and  representing  the  dignity  and  power 
of  his  sovereign. — Webster.     He  is  sent 


130 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


God  did  beseech  you  by  us,  we 
pray  you  in  Christ's  stead,  Be 
ye  reconciled  to  God. 


to  do  what  the  sovereign  would  himself 
do  were  he  present.  They  are  sent  to 
make  known  the  will  of  the  sovereign, 
and  to  negotiate  matters  of  commerce, 
of  war,  or  of  peace,  and  in  general  every 
thing  affecting  the  interests  of  the 
sovereign  among  the  people  to  whom 
they  are  sent.  At  all  times,  and  in  all 
countries  an  ambassador  is  a  sacred 
character,  and  his  person  is  regarded  as 
inviolable.  He  is  bound  implicitly  to 
obey  the  instructions  of  his  sovereign, 
and  as  far  as  possible  to  do  only  what 
the  sovereign  would  do  were  he  himself 
present.  Ministers  are  ambassadors  for 
Christ,  as  they  are  sent  to  do  what  he 
would  do  were  he  personally  present. 
They  are  to  make  known,  and  to  ex- 
plain, and  enforce  the  terms  on  which 
God  is  willing  to  be  reconciled  to  men. 
They  are  not  to  negotiate  on  any  new 
terms,  nor  to  change  those  which  God 
has  proposed,  nor  to  follow  their  own 
plans  or  devices,  but  they  are  simply  to 
urge,  explain,  state,  and  enforce  the 
terms  on  which  God  is  willing  to  be 
reconciled.  Of  course  they  are  to  seek 
the  honou  r  of  the  sovereign  who  has  sent 
them  forth,  and  to  seek  to  do  only  his 
will.  They  go  not  to  promote  their 
own  welfare ;  not  to  seek  honour,  digni- 
ty, or  emolument;  but  they  go  to  trans- 
act the  business  which  the  Son  of  God 
would  engage  in  were  he  again  person- 
ally on  the  earth.  It  follows  that  their 
office  is  one  of  great  dignity,  and  great 
responsibility,  and  that  respect  should 
be  showed  them  as  the  ambassadors  of 
the  King  of  kings.  ^  As  though  God 
did  beseech  you  by  us.  Our  message 
is  to  be  regarded  as  the  message  of  God. 
It  is  God  who  speaks.  What  we  say 
to  you  is  said  in  his  name  and  on  his 
authority,  and  should  be  received  with 
the  respect  which  is  due  to  a  message 
directly  from  God.  The  gospel  message 
is  God  speaking  to  men  through  the 
ministry,  and  entreating  them  to  be 
reconciled.     This  invests  the  messaae 


21  For* he  hath  made  him  to 
be   sin   for   us,    who  knew    no 

a  Is.  53.  6, 9, 12.   Ga.  3.  13.     1  Pe.  2.  22,  24. 
1  Jno.  3.  5. 


which  the  ministers  of  religion  bear 
with  infinite  dignity  and  solemnity ;  and 
it  makes  it  a  fearful  and  awful  thing  to 
reject  it.  ^  We  pray  you,  in  Christ's 
stead  (i/rtg  Xg/o-T:v).  In  the  place  of 
Christ ;  or  doing  what  he  did  when  on 
earth,  and  what  he  would  do  were  he 
where  we  are.  1  Be  ye  reconciled  to 
God.  This  is  the  sum  and  burden  of 
the  message  which  the  ministers  of  the 
gospel  bear  to  their  fellow-men.  See 
Noteonver.  19.  It  implies  that  man 
has  something  to  do  in  this  work.  He 
is  to  be  reconciled  to  God.  He  is  to 
give  up  his  opposition.  He  is  to  submit 
to  the  terms  of  mercy.  All  the  change 
in  the  case  is  to  be  in  him,  for  God  can- 
not change.  God  has  removed  all  the 
obstacles  to  reconciliation  which  existed 
on  his  part.  He  has  done  all  that  he 
will  do,  all  that  needed  to  be  done,  in 
order  to  render  reconciliation  easy  as 
possible.  And  now  it  remains  that  man 
should  lay  aside  his  hostility,  abandon 
his  sins,  embrace  the  terms  of  mercy, 
and  become  in  fact  reconciled  to  God. 
And  the  great  object  of  the  ministers 
of  reconcilation  is  to  urge  this  duty  on 
their  fellow-men.  They  are  to  do  it  in 
the  name  of  Christ  They  are  to  do 
it  as  if  Christ  were  himself  present,  and 
were  himself  urging  the  message.  They 
are  to  use  the  arguments  which  he 
would  use;  evince  the  zeal  which  he 
would  show ;  and  present  the  motive* 
which  he  would  present  to  induce  a 
dying  world  to  become  in  fact  reconciles 
to  God. 

21.  For  he  hath  made  him  to  be  sin 
for  us.  The  Greek  here  is,  •  for  him 
who  knew  no  sin,  he  hath  made  sin,  or 
a  sin-offering  for  us.'  The  design  of 
this  very  important  verse  is,  to  urge  the 
strongest  possible  reason  for  being  recon- 
ciled to  God.  This  is  implied  in  the 
word  (>«§)  for.  Paul  might  have  urged 
other  arguments,  and  presented  other 
strong  considerations.  But  he  chooses 
to  present  this  fact,  that  Christ  has  l»een 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


131 


sin  ;  that  we   might  be    made  a 

a  Ro.  5.  19. 


made  sin  for  us  as  imbodying  and  con- 
xatrating  all.     It  is  the  most  affecting 
of  all  arguments ;  it  is  the  one  that  is 
likely  to  prove  most  effectual.    It  is  not 
it.deed  improper  to  urge  on  men  every 
other  consideration  to  induce  them  to  be 
reconciled  to  God.     It  is  not  improper 
to  appeal  to  them  by  the  conviction  of 
duty ;    to  appeal  to  their  reason   and 
conscience ;    to   remind    them   of   the 
claims,  the  power,  the  goodness,  and 
the  fear  of  the  Creator ;  to  remind  them 
of  the  awful  consequences  of  a  con- 
tinued   hostility  to  God ;    to  persuade 
them  by  the  hope  of  heaven,  and  by  the 
fear  of  hell   (ver.   11)  to  become  his 
friends ;  but,  after  all,  the  strongest  argu- 
ment, and  that  which  is  most  adapted 
to  melt  the  soul,  is  the  fact  that  the  Son 
of  God  has  become  incarnate  for  our 
sins,  and  has  suffered  and  died  in  our 
stead.     When  all  other  appeals  fail  this 
is  effectual ;  and  this  is  in  fact  the  strong 
argument  by  which  the  mass  of  those 
who  become  Christians  are  induced  to 
abandon  their  opposition  and  to  become 
reconciled  to  God.     1  To  be  .sin.     The 
words  '  to  be'  are  not  in  the  original. 
Literally  it  is,  •  he  has  made  him  sin,  or 
a  sin-offering'   (^^twk  jtciWsp).     But 
what  is  meant  by  this?     What  is  the 
exact  idea  which  the  apostle  intended 
to  convey  1     I  answer,   it  cannot  be, 
(1.)  That  he  was  literally  sin  in  the 
abstract,  or  sin  as  such.     No  one  can 
pretend  this.     The  expression  must  be, 
therefore,  in  some  sense,  figurative.  Nor, 
(2.)   Can  it  mean  that  he  was  a  sinner, 
for  it  is  said  in  immediate  connexion 
that  he  "  knew  no  sin,"  and  it  is  every- 
where said  that  he  was  holy,  harmless, 
undefiled.     Nor,  (3.)  Can  it  mean  that 
he  was,  in  any  proper  sense  of  the  word, 
guilty,  for  no  one  is  truly  guilty  who  is 
not  personally  a  transgressor  of  the  law; 
and    if  he  was,  in   any  proper  sense, 
guilty,  then  he  deserved  to  die,  and  his 
death  could  have  no  more  merit  than 
that  of  any  other  guilty  being ;  and  if 
he  was  properly  guilty  it  would  make 


the    righteousness    of    God  in 
him. 


no  difference  in  this  respect  whether  it 
was  by  his  own  fault  or  by  imputation. 
a  guilty  being  deserves  to  be  punished  ; 
and  where  there  is  desert  of  punishment 
there  can   be   no   merit  in  sufferings. 
But  all  such  views  as  go  to  make  the 
holy  Redeemer  a  sinner,  or  guilty,  or 
deserving  of   the  sufferings  which  he 
endured,  border  on  blasphemy,  and  are 
abhorrent  to  the  whole  strain  of  the 
Scriptures.     In  no  form,  in  no  sense 
possible,  is  it  to  be  maintained  that  the 
Lord  Jesus  was  sinful  or  guilty.     It  is 
a  corner  stone  of  the  whole  system  of 
religion,  that  in  all  conceivable  senses 
of  the  expression  he  was  holy,  and  pure, 
and  the  object  of  the  divine  approbation. 
And  every  view  which  fairly  leads  to 
the  statement  that  he  was  in  any  sense 
guilty,  or  which  implies  that  he  deserved 
to  die,  is  prima  facie  a  false  view,  and 
should   be  at   once  abandoned.      But, 
(4.)  If  the  declaration  that  he  was  made 
"sin"    (a/utiprUer)  does  not  mean  that 
he  was  sin  itself,  or  a  sinner,  or  guilty, 
then  it  must  mean  that  he  was  a  sin- 
offering, — an  offering  or  a  sacrifice  for 
sin ;  and  this  is  the  interpretation  which 
is  now  generally  adopted  by  expositors ; 
or  it  must  be  taken  as  an  abstract  for 
the  concrete,  and  mean  that  God  treated 
him  as  if  he  were  a  sinner.   The  former 
interpretation,  that  it  means  that  God 
made  him  a  sin-offering,  is  adopted  by 
Whitby,  Doddridge,  Macknight,  Rosen- 
muller,  and  others;  the  latter,  that  it 
means  that  God  treated  him  as  a  sin- 
ner, is  adopted  by  Vorstius,  Schoettgen, 
Robinson    {Lex.),  Bishop    Bull,    and 
others.     There  are  many  passages  in 
the   Old  Testament   where    the   word 
"sin"  (a/xa^rU)  is  used  in  the  sense 
of  sin-offering,   or  a  sacrifice  for  sin. 
Thus,  Hos.  iv.  8  :  "  They  eat  up  the  sin 
of  ray  people ;"  i.  e.  the  ?in-offerings. 
See  Ezek.  xliii.  22. 25 ;  xliv.  29 ;  xlv.  22, 
23. 25.  See  Whitby's  Note  on  this  verse. 
But   whichever    meaning    is   adopted, 
whether  it  means  that  he  was  a  sacrifice 
for  sin,  or  that  God  treated  him  as  if 


132 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60 


he  weie  a  sinner,  i.  e.  subjected  him  to 
Bufferings  which,  if  he  had  been  per- 
sonally a  sinner,  would  have  been  a 
proper  expression  of  bis  hatred  of  trans- 
gression, and  a  proper  punishment  for 
sin,  in  either  case  it  means  that  he  made 
an  atonement ;  that  he  died  for  sin  ; 
that  his  death  was  not  merely  that  of  a 
martyr ;  but  that  it  was  designed  by 
substituted  sufferings  to  make  recon- 
ciliation between  man  and  God.  Locke 
renders  this,  probably  expressing  the 
true  sense,  "  For  God  hath  made  him 
subject  to  suffering  and  death,  the  pu- 
nishment and  consequence  of  sin,  as  if 
he  had  been  a  sinner,  though  he  were 
guilty  of  no  sin."  To  me,  it  seems 
probable  that  the  sense  is,  that  God 
treated  him  as  if  he  had  been  a  sinner ; 
that  he  subjected  him  to  such  pains 
and  woes  as  would  have  been  a  proper 
punishment  if  he  had  been  guilty  ;  that 
while  he  was,  in  fact,  in  all  senses  per- 
fectly innocent,  and  while  God  knew 
this,  yet  that  in  consequence  of  the 
voluntary  assumption  of  the  place  of 
man  which  the  Lord  Jesus  took,  it 
pleased  the  Father  to  lay  on  him  the 
deep  sorrows  which  would  be  the  proper 
expression  of  his  sense  of  the  evil  of 
sin  ;  that  he  endured  so  much  suffering, 
as  would  answer  the  same  great  ends  in 
maintaining  the  truth,  and  honour,  and 
justice  of  God,  as  if  the  guilty  had  them- 
selves endured  the  penalty  of  the  law. 
This,  I  suppose,  is  what  is  usually  meant 
when  it  is  said  '  our  sins  were  imputed 
to  him  ;'  and  though  this  language  is 
not  used  in  the  Bible,  and  though  it  is 
liable  to  great  misapprehension  and  per- 
version, yet  if  this  is  its  meaning,  there 
can  be  no  objection  to  it.  *[  Who  knew 
no  sin.  He  was  not  guilty.  He  was 
perfectly  holy  and  pure.  This  idea  is 
thus  expressed  by  Peter  (1  Pet.  ii.  22)  : 
"who  did  no  sin,  neither  was  guile 
found  in  his  mouth  ;"  and  in  Heb.  vii. 
26,  it  is  said  he  was  "  holy,  harmless, 
undefiled,  separate  from  sinners."  In  all 
respects,  and  in  all  conceivable  senses, 
the  Lord  Jesus  was  pure  and  holy.  If 
he  had  not  been,  he  would  not  have 
been  qualified  to  make  an  atonement. 
Hence   the  sacred   writers   are  every- 


where at  great  paws  to  keep  this  idea 
prominent,  for  on  this  depends  the  whole 
superstructure  of  the  plan  of  salvation. 
I  The  phrase  "knew  no  sin,"  is  an  ex- 
:  pression  of  great  beauty  and  dignity. 
;  It  indicates  his  entire  and  perfect  pu- 
I  rity.  He  was  altogether  unacquainted 
with  sin  ;  he  was  a  stranger  to  trans- 
gression ;  he  was  conscious  of  no 
sin;  he  committed  none.  He  had  a 
mind  and  heart  perfectly  free  from  pol- 
lution, and  his  whole  life  was  perfectly 
pure  and  holy  in  the  sight  of  God. 
1  That  we  might  be  made  the  right- 
eousness of  God.  This  is  a  Hebraism, 
meaning  the  same  as  divinely  righteous. 
It  means  that  we  are  made  righteous  in 
the  sight  of  God  ;  that  is,  that  we  are 
accepted  as  righteous,  and  treated  as 
righteous  by  God  on  account  of  what 
the  Lord  Jesus  has  done.  There  is 
here  an  evident  and  beautiful  contrast 
between  what  is  said  of  Christ,  and 
what  is  said  of  us.  He  was  made  sin; 
we  are  made  righteousness ,-  that  is,  he 
was  treated  as  if  he  were  a  sinner, 
though  he  was  perfectly  holy  and  pure ; 
we  are  treated  as  if  we  were  righteous, 
though  we  are  defiled  and  depraved. 
The  idea  is,  that  on  account  of  what  the 
Lord  Jesus  has  endured  in  our  behalf 
we  are  treated  as  if  we  had  ourselves 
entirely  fulfilled  the  law  of  God,  and 
had  never  become  exposed  to  its  penalty. 
I  In  the  phrase  " righteousness  of  God" 
j  there  is  a  reference  to  the  fact  that  this 
is  his  plan  of  making  men  righteous, 
or  of  justifying  them.  They  who  thus 
become  righteous,  or  are  justified,  are 
justified  on  his  plan,  and  by  a  scheme 
which  he  has  devised.  Locke  renders 
this,  "  that  we,  in  and  by  him,  might  be 
made  righteous,  by  a  righteousness  im- 
puted to  us  by  God."  The  idea  is 
that  all  our  righteousness  in  the  sight 
of  God  we  receive  in  and  through  a 
Redeemer.  All  is  to  be  traced  to  him. 
This  verse  contains  a  beautiful  epitome 
of  the  whole  plan  of  salvation,  and  the 
peculiarity  of  the  Christian  scheme.  On 
the  one  hand,  one  who  was  perfectly 
innocent,  by  a  voluntary  substitution,  is 
j  treated  as  if  he  were  guilty ;  that  is, 
i  is  subjected,  to  pains  and  sorrows  which 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  V, 


133 


if  he  were  guilty  would  be  a  proper  pu- 
nishment for  sin :  and  on  the  other,  they 
who  are  guilty  and  who  deserve  to  be  pu- 
nished, are  treated,  through  his  vicarious 
sufferings,  as  if  they  were  perfectly  in- 
nocent; that  is,  in  a  manner  which 
would  be  a  proper  expression  of  God's 
approbation  if  they  had  not  sinned.  The 
whole  plan,  therefore,  is  one  of  substi- 
tution ;  and  without  such  substitution, 
there  can  be  no  salvation.  Innocence 
voluntarily  suffers  for  guilt,  and  the 
guilty  are  thus  made  pure  and  holy,  and 
are  saved.  The  greatness  of  the  divine 
compassion  and  love  is  thus  shown  for 
the  guilty ;  and  on  the  ground  of  this 
it  is  right  and  proper  for  God  to  call  on 
men  to  be  reconciled  to  him.  It  is  the 
strongest  argument  that  can  be  used. 
"When  God  has  given  his  only  Son  to 
the  bitter  suffering  of  death  on  the  cross 
in  order  that  we  may  be  reconciled,  it 
is  the  highest  possible  argument  which 
can  be  used  why  we  should  cease  our 
opposition  to  him,  and  become  his 
friends. 

IlEMARKS. 

1.  It  is  possible  for  Christians  to  have 
the  assurance  that  they  shall  enter  into 
heaven,  ver.  1.  Paul  said  that  he  knew 
this ;  John  knew  this  (see  Note  on 
ver.  1),  and  there  is  no  reason  why 
others  should  not  know  it.  If  a  man 
hates  sin  he  may  know  that  as  well  as 
any  thing  else  ;  if  he  loves  God,  why 
should  he  not  know  that  as  well  as  to 
know  that  he  loves  an  earthly  friend  1 
If  he  desires  to  be  holy,  to  enter  heaven, 
to  be  eternally  pure,  why  should  he  have 
any  doubt  about  that  1  If  he  loves  to  pray, 
to  read  the  Bible,  to  converse  of  heaven 
— if  his  heart  is  truly  in  these  things, 
he  may  know  it,  as  well  as  know  any 
thing  else  about  his  own  character  or 
feelings. 

2.  If  a  Christian  may  know  it,  he 
should  know  it.  No  other  knowledge 
is  so  desirable  as  this.  Nothing  will 
produce  so  much  comfort  as  this. 
Nothing  will  contribute  so  much  to 
make  him  firm,  decided,  and  consistent 
in  his  Christian  walk  as  this.  No 
other  knowledge  will  give  him  so  much 

12 


support  in  temptation  ;  so  much  com- 
fort in  trial ;  so  much  peace  in  death. 
And  if  a  man  is  a  Christian,  he  should 
give  himself  no  rest  till  he  obtains  assu- 
rance on  this  subject ;  if  he  is  not  a 
Christian  he  cannot  know  that  too 
soon,  or  take  too  early  measures  to  flee 
from  the  wrath  to  come. 

3.  The  body  will  soon  be  dissolved 
in  death,  ver.  1.  It  is  a  frail,  crumbling, 
decaying  dwelling,  that  must  soon  be 
taken  down.  It  has  none  of  the  proper- 
ties of  a  permanent  abode.  It  can  be 
held  together  but  a  little  time.  It  is 
like  a  hut  or  cottage,  that  is  shaken  by 
every  gust  of  wind ;  like  a  tent  when 
the  pins  are  loose,  and  the  cords  un- 
stranded,  or  rotten,  and  when  the  wind 
will  soon  sweep  it  away.  And  since 
this  is  the  fact,  we  may  as  well  know 
it,  and  not  attempt  to  conceal  it  from 
the  mind.  All  truth  may  be  looked  at 
calmly,  and  should  be,  and  a  man  who 
is  residing  in  a  frail  and  shattered  dwell- 
ing, should  be  looking  out  for  one  that 
is  more  permanent  and  substantial. 
Death  should  be  looked  at.  The  fact 
that  this  tabernacle  shall  be  taken  down 
should  be  looked  at;  and  every  man 
should  be  asking  with  deep  interest  the 
question  whether  there  is  not  a  more 
permanent  dwelling  for  him  in  a  better 
world. 

4.  This  life  is  burdened,  and  is  full 
of  cares,  ver.  2.  4.  It  is  such  as  is 
fitted  to  make  us  desire  a  better  state. 
We  groan  here  under  sin,  amidst  tempta- 
tion, encompassed  by  the  cares  and  toils 
of  life.  We  are  burdened  with  duties, 
and  we  are  oppressed  by  trials;  and 
under  all  we  are  sinking  to  the  grave. 
Soon,  under  the  accumulated  burdens, 
the  body  will  be  crushed,  and  sink  back 
to  the  dust.  Man  cannot  endure  the 
burden  long,  and  he  must  soon  die. 
These  accumulated  trials  and  cares  are 
such  as  are  adapted  to  make  him  desire 
a  better  inheritance,  and  to  look  forward 
to  a  better  world.  God  designs  that  this 
shall  be  a  world  of  care  and  anxiety,  in 
order  that  we  may  be  led  to  seek  a  better 
portion  beyond  the  grave. 

5.  The  Christian  has  a  permanent 
home  in  heaven,  ver.  1,  2.  4.    There 


134 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


is  a  house  not  made  with  hands;  an 
eternal  home  ;  a  world  where  mortality 
is  unknown.  There  is  his  home ;  that 
is  his  eternal  dwelling.  Here  he  is  a 
stranger,  among  strangers,  in  a  strange 
world.  In  heaven  is  his  home.  The 
body  here  may  be  sick,  feeble,  dying ; 
there  it  shall  be  vigorous,  strong,  im- 
mortal. He  may  have  no  comfortable 
dwelling  here;  he  may  be  poor,  and 
afflicted  ;  there  he  shall  have  an  unde- 
caying  dwelling,  an  unchanging  home. 
Who  in  a  world  like  this  should  not 
desire  to  be  a  Christian  1  What  other 
condition  of  life  is  so  desirable  as  that 
of  the  man  who  is  sure  that  after  a  few 
more  days  he  shall  be  admitted  to  an 
eternal  home  in  heaven,  where  the  body 
never  dies,  and  where  sin  and  sorrow 
are  known  no  more  ] 

6.  The  Christian  should  be  willing 
to  bear  all  the  pain  and  sorrow  which 
God  shall  appoint,  ver.  1 — 4.  Why 
should  he  not]  He  knows  not  only 
that  God  is  good  in  all  this  ;  but  he 
knows  that  it  is  but  for  a  moment ;  that 
he  is  advancing  toward  heaven,  and 
that  he  will  soon  be  at  home.  Compared 
with  that  eternal  rest  what  trifles  are  all 
the  sufferings  of  this  mortal  life  ! 

7.  We  should  not  desire  to  die  merely 
to  get  rid  of  pain,  or  to  be  absent  from 
the  body.  ver.  4.  It  is  not  merely  in 
order  that  we  may  be  "unclothed,"  or 
that  we  may  get  away  from  a  suffering 
body,  that  we  should  be  willing  to  die. 
Many  a  sinner  suffers  so  much  here 
that  he  is  willing  to  plunge  into  an 
awful  eternity,  as  he  supposes,  to  get 
rid  of  pain,  when,  alas !  he  plunges  only 
into  deeper  and  eternal  wo.  We  should 
be  willing  to  bear  as  much  pain,  and  to 
bear  it  as  long  as  God  shall  be  pleased 
to  appoint.  We  should  submit  to  all 
without  a  murmur.  We  should  be 
anxious  to  be  relieved  only  when  God 
shall  judge  it  best  for  us  to  be  away 
from  the  body,  and  to  be  present  with 
the  Lord. 

8.  In  a  mere  readiness  to  die  there  is 
no  evidence  that  we  are  prepared  for 
heaven.  Comp.  ver.  4.  Many  a  man 
supposes  that  because  he  is  ready  to 
die,   that,   therefore,    he    is    prepared. 


Many  a  one  takes  comfort  because  a 
dying  friend  was  ready  and  willing  to 
die.  But  in  a  mere  willingness  to  die 
there  is  no  evidence  of  a  preparation 
for  death,  because  a  hundred  causes 
may  conspire  to  produce  this  besides 
piety.  And  let  us  not  be  deceived  by 
supposing  that  because  we  have  no 
alarm  about  death,  and  are  willing  to 
go  to  another  world,  that  therefore  we 
are  prepared.  It  may  be  either  stupidity, 
or  insensibility  ;  it  may  be  a  mere  desire 
to  get  rid  of  suffering;  it  may  be  be- 
cause we  are  cherishing  a  hope  of 
heaven  which  is  altogether  vain  and 
illusive. 

9.  The  Christian  should,  and  may 
desire  to  depart  and  to  be  in  heaven, 
ver.  2.  Heaven  is  his  home ;  and  it  ia 
his  privilege  to  desire  to  be  there.  Here 
he  is  in  a  world  of  trial  and  of  sin. 
There  he  shall  be  in  a  world  of  joy  and 
of  holiness.  Here  he  dwells  in  a  frail, 
suffering,  decaying  body.  There  he 
shall  be  clothed  with  immortality.  It  is 
his  privilege,  therefore,  to  desire,  as 
soon  as  it  shall  be  the  will  of  God,  to 
depart,  and  to  enter  on  his  eternal  in- 
heritance in  heaven.  He  should  have 
a  strong,  fixed,  firm  desire  for  that 
world ;  and  should  be  ready  at  the 
shortest  notice  to  go  and  to  be  forever 
with  the  Lord. 

10.  The  hopes  and  joys  of  Christians, 
and  all  their  peace  and  calmness  in  the 
prospect  of  death,  are  to  be  traced  to 
God.  ver.  5.  It  is  not  that  they  are  not 
naturally  as  timid  and  fearful  of  dying 
as  others ;  it  is  not  that  they  have  any 
native  courage  or  strength,  but  it  is  to  be 
traced  entirely  to  the  mercy  of  God,  and 
the  influence  of  his  Spirit,  that  they  are 
enabled  to  look  calmly  at  death,  at  the 
grave,  at  eternity.  With  the  assured 
prospect  of  heaven,  they  have  nothing 
to  fear  in  dying ;  and  if  we  have  the 
"earnest  of  the  Spirit" — the  pledge 
that  heaven  is  ours — we  have  nothing 
to  fear  in  the  departure  from  this  world. 

11.  The  Christian  should  be,  and 
may  be,  always  cheerful,  ver.  6.  Paul 
said  that  he  was  always  confident,  or 
cheerful.  Afflictions  did  not  depress 
him  ;  trials  did  not  cast  him  down.     He 


A.D.60.J 


CHAPTER  V. 


135 


was  not  disheartened  by  opposition  ;  he 
did  not  lose  his  courage  by  being  reviled 
and  persecuted.  In  all  this  he  was 
cheerful  and  bold.  There  is  nothing 
in  religion  to  make  us  melancholy  and 
sad.  The  assurance  of  the  favour  of 
God,  and  the  hope  of  heaven,  should 
have,  and  will  have,  just  the  opposite 
effect.  A  sense  of  the  presence  of  God, 
a  conviction  that  we  are  sinners,  a  deep 
impression  of  the  truth  that  we  are  to 
die,  and  of  the  infinite  interest  of  the 
soul  at  stake,  will  indeed  make  us 
serious  and  solemn,  and  should  do  so. 
But  this  is  not  inconsistent  with  cheer- 
fulness, but  is  rather  fitted  to  produce 
it.  It  is  favourable  to  a  state  of  mind 
where  all  irritability  is  suppressed,  and 
where  the  mind  is  made  calm  and 
settled  ;  and  this  is  favourable  to  cheer- 
fulness. Besides,  there  is  much,  very 
much  in  religion  to  prevent  sadness,  and 
to  remove  gloom  from  the  soul.  The 
hope  of  heaven,  and  the  prospect  of 
dwelling  with  God  and  with  holy  be- 
ings forever,  is  the  best  means  of  expel- 
ling the  gloom  which  is  caused  by  the 
disappointments  and  cares  of  the  world. 
And  much  as  many  persons  suppose 
that  religion  creates  gloom,  it  is  certain 
that  nothing  in  this  world  has  done  so 
much  to  lighten  care,  to  break  the  force 
of  misfortune  and  disappointment,  to 
support  in  times  of  trial,  and  to  save 
from  despair,  as  the  religion  of  the  Re- 
deemer. And  it  is  moreover  certain 
that  there  are  no  persons  so  habitually 
calm  in  their  feelings,  and  cheerful  in 
their  tempers,  as  consistent  and  devoted 
Christians.  If  there  are  some  Chris- 
tians, like  David  Brainerd,  who  are 
melancholy  and  sad,  as  there  are  un- 
doubtedly, it  should  be  said,  (1.)  That 
they  are  few  in  number;  (2.)  That 
their  gloom  is  to  be  traced  to  constitu- 
tional propensity,  and  not  to  religion  ; 
(3.)  That  they  have,  even  with  all  their 
gloom,  joys  which  the  world  never  ex- 
periences, and  which  can  never  be 
found  in  sin ;  and,  (4.)  That  their  gloom 
is  not  produced  by  religion,  but  by  the 
want  of  more  of  it. 

12.     It  is  noble  to  act  with  reference 


!  to  things  unseen  and  eternal,  ver.  7.  It 
I  elevates  the  soul ;  lifts  it  above  the 
earth ;  purifies  the  heart ;  and  gives  to 
man  a  new  dignity.  It  prevents  all 
the  grovelling  effect  of  acting  from  a 
view  of  present  objects,  and  with  refer- 
ence to  the  things  which  are  just  around 
us.  "  Whatever  withdraws  us,"  says 
Dr.  Johnson,  "  from  the  power  of  our 
senses  ;  whatever  makes  the  past,  the 
distant,  or  the  future,  predominate  over 
the  present,  advances  us  in  the  dignity 
of  thinking  beings." — Tour  to  the  He- 
brides, p.  322,  ed.  Phil.  1810.  What- 
ever directs  the  eye  and  the  heart  to 
heaven ;  whatever  may  make  man  feel 
and  believe  that  there  is  a  God,  a 
Saviour,  a  heaven,  a  world  of  glory, 
elevates  him  with  the  consciousness  of 
his  immortality,  and  raises  him  above 
the  grovelling  objects  that  wither  and 
debase  the  soul.  Man  should  act  with 
reference  to  eternity.  He  should  be 
conscious  of  immortality.  He  should 
be  deeply  impressed  with  that  high 
honour  that  awaits  him  of  standing  be- 
fore God.  He  should  feel  that  he  may 
partake  in  the  glories  of  the  resurrection ; 
that  he  may  inherit  an  eternal  heaven. 
Feeling  thus,  what  trifles  are  the  things 
of  the  earth !  How  little  should  he 
be  moved  by  its  trials !  How  little 
should  he  be  influenced  by  its  wealth, 
its  pleasures,  and  its  honours  ! 

13.  The  Christian,  when  he  leaves 
the  body,  is  at  once  with  the  Lord  Jesus, 
ver.  8.  He  rushes,  as  it  were  instinct- 
ively, to  his  presence,  and  casts  himself 
at  his  feet.  He  has  no  other  home  than 
where  the  Saviour  is ;  he  thinks  of  no 
future  joy  or  glory  but  that  which  is  to 
be  enjoyed  with  him.  Why  then  should 
we  fear  death  !  Lay  out  of  view,  as  we 
may,  the  momentary  pang,  the  chilli- 
ness, and  the  darkness  of  the  grave, 
and  think  of  that  which  will  be  the 
moment  after  death — the  view  of  the 
Redeemer,  the  sight  of  the  splendours 
of  the  heavenly  world,  the  angels,  the 
spirits  of  the  just  made  perfect,  the  river 
of  the  paradise  of  God,  and  the  harps 
of  praise,  and  what  has  man  to  fear 
in  the  prospect  of  dying ! 


136 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


fA.  D.  60. 


Why  should  I  shrink  at  pain  or  wo, 

Or  feel  at  death  dismay  1 
I've  Canaan's  goodly  land  in  view, 

And  realms  of  endless  day. 

Apostles,  martyrs,  prophets  there, 
Around  my  Saviour  stand  ; 

And  soon  my  friends  in  Christ  below 
Will  join  the  glorious  band. 

Jerusalem  !  my  happy  home  ! 

My  soul  still  pants  for  thee  ; 
Whpn  shall  my  labours  have  an  end 

In  joy,  and  peace,  and  thee  ! 

C.  Wesley. 

14.  We  should  act  feeling  that  we 
are  in  the  immediate  presence  of  God, 
and  so  as  to  meet  his  acceptance  and 
approbation,  whether  we  remain  on  earth, 
or  whether  we  are  removed  to  eternity. 
ver.  9.  The  prospect  of  being  with 
him,  and  the  consciousness  that  his  eye 
is  fixed  upon  us,  should  make  us  dili- 
gent, humble,  and  laborious.  It  should 
be  the  great  purpose  of  our  lives  to 
secure  his  favour,  and  meet  with  his 
acceptance ;  and  it  should  make  no 
difference  with  us  in  this  respect,  where 
we  are — whether  on  earth  or  in  heaven  ; 
with  the  prospect  of  long  life,  or  of  an 
early  death  ;  in  society  or  in  solitude  ; 
at  home  or  abroad  ;  on  the  land  or  on 
the  deep  ;  in  sickness  or  in  health  ;  in 
prosperity  or  in  adversity,  it  should  be 
our  great  aim  so  to  live  as  to  be  "  ac- 
cepted of  him."  And  the  Christian 
will  so  act.  To  act  in  this  manner  is 
the  very  nature  of  true  piety  ;  and  where 
this  desire  does  not  exist,  there  can  be 
no  true  religion. 

15.  We  must  appear  before  the  judg- 
ment seat.  ver.  10.  We  must  all  ap- 
pear there.  This  is  inevitable.  There 
is  not  one  of  the  human  family  that  can 
escape.  Old  and  young ;  rich  and  poor ; 
bond  and  free;  all  classes,  all  conditions, 
all  nations  must  stand  there,  and  give 
an  account  for  all  the  deeds  done  in  the 
body,  and  receive  their  eternal  doom. 
How  solemn  is  the  thought  of  being 
arraigned  !  How  deeply  affecting  the 
idea  that  on  the  issue  of  that  one  trial 
will  depend  our  eternal  weal  or  wo  ! 
How  overwhelming  the  reflection  that 
from  that  sentence  there  can  be  no  ap- 
peal ;  no  power  of  reversing  it ;  no  possi- 
bility of  afterwards  changing  our  destiny ! 


16.  We  shall  soon  be  there,  ver.  10. 
No  one  knows  when  he  is  to  die ;  and 
death  when  it  comes  will  remove  us  at 
once  to  the  judgment  seat.  A  disease 
that  may  carry  us  off  in  a  few  hours 
may  take  us  there ;  or  death  that  may 
come  in  an  instant  shall  bear  us  to  that 
awful  bar.  How  many  are  stricken  down 
in  a  moment;  how  many  are  hurried 
without  any  warning  to  the  solemnities 
of  the  eternal  world  !  So  we  may  die. 
No  one  can  insure  our  lives ;  no  one 
can  guard  us  from  the  approach  of  the 
invisible  king  of  terrors. 

17.  We  should  be  ready  to  depart. 
If  we  must  stand  at  that  awful  bar ;  and 
if  we  may  be  summoned  there  any 
moment,  assuredly  we  should  lose  no 
time  in  being  ready  to  go.  It  is  our 
great  business  in  life ;  and  it  should 
claim  our  first  attention,  and  all  other 
things  should  be  postponed  that  we  may 
be  ready  to  die.  It  should  be  the  first 
inquiry  every  morning,  and  the  lust  sub- 
ject of  thought  every  evening — for  who 
knows  when  he  rises  in  the  morning 
but  that  before  night  he  may  stand  at 
the  judgment  seat !  Who,  when  he 
lies  down  on  his  bed  at  night,  knows  but 
that  in  the  silence  of  the  night-watches 
he  may  be  summoned  to  go  alone — to 
leave  his  family  and  friends,  his  home 
and  his  bed,  to  answer  for  all  the  deeds 
done  in  the  body  1 

18.  We  should  endeavour  to  save 
others  from  eternal  death,  ver.  11.  If 
we  have  ourselves  any  just  views  of  the 
awful  terrors  of  the  day  of  judgment, 
and  if  we  have  any  just  views  of  the 
wrath  of  God,  we  should  endeavour  "to 
persuade"  others  to  flee  from  the  wrath 
to  come.  We  should  plead  with  them ; 
we  should  entreat  them ;  we  should 
weep  over  them  ;  we  should  pray  for 
them,  that  they  may  be  saved  from  going 
up  to  meet  the  awful  wrath  of  God. 
If  our  friends  are  unprepared  to  meet 
God ;  if  they  are  living  in  impenitence 
and  sin,  and  if  we  have  any  influence 
over  others  in  any  way,  we  should  exert 
it  all  to  induce  them  to  come  to  Christ, 
and  to  save  themselves  from  the  awful 
terrors  of  that  day.  Paul  deemed  no 
self-denial  and  no  sacrifice  too  great,  if 


A  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


137 


he  might  persuade  them  to  come  to  God, 
and  to  save  their  souls.  And  who  that 
has  any  just  views  of  the  awful  terrors 
of  the  day  of  judgment ;  of  the  woes 
of  an  eternal  hell,  and  of  the  glories  of 
an  eternal  heaven,  can  deem  that  labour 
too  great  which  shall  be  the  means  of 
saving  immortal  souls  !  Not  to  frighten 
them  should  we  labour,  not  to  alarm 
them  merely  should  we  plead  with 
them,  but  we  should  endeavour  by  all 
means  to  persuade  them  to  come  to  the 
Redeemer.  We  should  not  use  tones 
of  harshness  and  denunciation ;  we 
should  not  speak  of  hell  as  if  we  would 
rejoice  to  execute  the  sentence,  but  we 
should  speak  with  tenderness,  earnest- 
ness, and  with  tears  (comp.  Acts  xx. 
31),  that  we  may  induce  our  friends  and 
fellow-sinners  to  be  reconciled  to  God. 

19.  We  should  not  deem  it  strange 
or  remarkable  if  we  are  charged  with 
being  deranged  for  being  active  and 
zealous  in  the  subject  of  religion,  ver.  13. 
There  will  always  be  enough,  both  in 
the  church  and  out  of  it,  to  charge  us 
with  over-heated  zeal ;  with  want  of 
prudence ;  or  with  decided  mental  aliena- 
tion. But  we  are  not  to  forget  that 
Paul  was  accused  of  being  "  mad  ;"  and 
even  the  Redeemer  was  thought  to  be 
"  beside  himself."  "  It  is  sufficient  for 
the  disciple  that  he  be  as  his  master, 
and  the  servant  as  his  Lord  ;"  and  if 
the  Redeemer  was  charged  with  derange- 
ment on  account  of  his  peculiar  views 
and  his  zeal,  we  should  not  suppose  that 
any  strange  thing  had  happened  to  us 
if  we  are  accused  in  like  manner. 

20.  The  gospel  should  be  offered  to 
all  men.  ver.  14.  If  Christ  died  for  all, 
then  salvation  is  provided  for  all ;  and 
then  it  should  be  offered  to  all  freely 
and  fully.  It  should  be  done  without 
any  mental  reservation,  for  God  has  no 
such  mental  reservation ;  without  any 
hesitation  or  misgiving ;  without  any 
statements  that  would  break  the  force, 
or  weaken  the  power  of  such  an  offer 
on  the  consciences  of  men.  If  thev 
reject  it,  they  should  be  left  to  see  that 
they  reject  that  which  is  in  good  faith 
offered  to  them,  and  that  for  this  they 
must  give  an  account  to  God.    Every 

12* 


man  who  preaches  the  gospel  should 
feel  that  he  is  not  only  permitted  but 
REaumEn  to  preach  the  gospel  "to 
every  creature ;"  nor  should  he  embrace 
any  opinion  whatever  which  will  in 
form  or  in  fact  cramp  him  or  restrain 
him  in  thus  offering  salvation  to  all  man- 
kind. The  fact  that  Christ  died  for  all, 
and  that  all  may  be  saved,  should  be 
a  fixed  and  standing  point  in  all  sys- 
tems of  theology,  and  should  be  allowed 
to  shape  every  other  opinion,  and  to 
shed  its  influence  over  every  other  view 
of  truth. 

21.  All  men  by  nature  are  dead  in 
sins.  ver.  14.  They  are  insensible  to 
their  own  good ;  to  the  appeals  of  God ; 
to  the  glories  of  heaven,  and  to  the 
terrors  of  hell.  They  do  not  act  for 
eternity ;  they  are  without  concern  in 
regard  to  their  everlasting  destiny.  They 
are  as  insensible  to  all  these  things, 
until  aroused  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  as  a 
dead  man  in  his  grave  is  to  surrounding 
objects.  And  there  is  nothing  that  ever 
did  arouse  such  a  man,  or  ever  could, 
but  the  same  power  that  made  the  world, 
and  the  same  voice  that  raised  Lazarus 
from  his  grave.  This  melancholy  fact 
strikes  us  everywhere ;  and  we  should 
be  deeply  humbled  that  it  is  our  condi- 
tion by  nature,  and  should  mourn  that 
it  is  the  condition  of  our  fellow  men 
everywhere. 

22.  We  should  form  our  estimate  of 
objects  and  of  their  respective  value  and 
importance  by  other  considerations  than 
those  which  are  derived  from  their  tem- 
poral nature,  ver.  16.  It  should  not  be 
simply  according  to  the  flesh.  It  should 
not  be  as  they  estimate  them  who  are 
living  for  this  world.  It  should  not  be 
by  their  rank,  their  splendour,  or  their 
fashion.  It  should  be  by  their  reference 
to  eternity,  and  their  bearing  on  the 
state  of  things  there. 

23.  It  should  be  with  us  a  very  serious 
inquiry  whether  our  views  of  Christ 
are  such  as  they  have  who  are  living 
after  the  flesh,  or  such  only  as  the  un- 
renewed mind  takes,  ver.  1 6.  The  carnal 
mind  has  no  just  views  of  the  Redeemer. 
To  every  impenitent  sinner  he  is  "a 

i  root  out  of  a  dry  ground."     There  is  no 


138 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60 


beauty  in  him.  And  to  every  hypo- 
crite, and  every  deceived  professor  of 
religion,  there  is  really  no  beauty  seen 
in  him.  There  is  no  spontaneous,  ele- 
vated, glowing  attachment  to  him.  It 
is  all  forced  and  unnatural.  But  to  the 
true  Christian  there  is  a  beauty  seen 
in  his  character  that  is  not  seen  in  any 
other ;  and  the  whole  soul  loves  him, 
and  embraces  him.  His  character  is 
seen  to  be  most  pure  and  lovely ;  his 
benevolence  boundless  ;  his  ability  and 
willingness  to  save,  infinite.  The  re- 
newed soul  desires  no  other  Saviour ; 
and  rejoices  that  he  is  just  what  he  is — 
rejoices  in  his  humiliation  as  well  as 
his  exaltation ;  in  his  poverty  as  well  as 
his  glory  ;  rejoices  in  the  privilege  of 
being  saved  by  him  who  was  spit  upon, 
and  mocked,  and  crucified,  as  well  as 
by  him  who  is  at  the  right  hand  of  God. 
One  thing  is  certain,  unless  we  have  just 
views  of  Christ  we  can  never  be  saved. 

24.  The  new  birth  is  a  great  and 
most  important  change,  ver.  17.  It  is 
not  in  name  or  in  profession  merely, 
but  it  is  a  deep  and  radical  change  of 
the  heart.  It  is  so  great  that  it  may  be 
said  of  each  one  that  he  is  a  new  crea- 
tion of  God ;  and  in  relation  to  each 
one,  that  old  things  are  passed  away 
and  all  things  are  become  new.  How 
important  it  is  that  we  examine  our 
hearts  and  see  whether  this  change  has 
taken  place,  or  whether  we  are  still 
living  without  God  and  without  hope. 
It  is  indispensable  that  we  be  born  again. 
John  iii.  If  we  are  not  born  again,  and 
if  we  are  not  new  creatures  in  Christ, 
we  must  perish  forever.  No  matter 
what  our  wealth,  talent,  learning,  accom- 
plishment, reputation,  or  morality,  un- 
less we  have  been  so  changed  that  it 
may  be  said,  and  that  we  can  say, 
"  old  things  are  passed  away,  and  all 
things  are  become  new,"  we  must  pe- 
rish forever.  There  is  no  power  in  the 
universe  that  can  save  a  man  who  is 
not  bom  again. 

25.  The  gospel  ministry  Is  a  most 
responsible  and  important  work.  ver.  18, 
19.  There  is  no  other  office  of  the 
same  importance  ;  there  is  no  situation 
in  which  man  can  be  placed  more  solemn 


than  that  of  making  known  the  terms 
on  which  God  is  willing  to  bestow  favour 
on  apostate  man. 

26.  How  amazing  is  the  divine  con- 
descension, that  God  should  have  ever 
proposed  such  a  plan  of  reconciliation, 
ver.  20,  21.  That  he  should  not  only 
have  been  willing  to  be  reconciled,  but 
that  he  should  have  sought,  and  have 
been  so  anxious  for  it  as  to  be  willing 
to  send  his  own  Son  to  die  to  secure  it ! 
It  was  pure,  rich,  infinite  benevolence. 
God  was  not  to  be  benefited  by  it.  He 
was  infinitely  blessed  and  happy  even 
though  man  should  have  been  lost. 
He  was  pure,  and  just,  and  holy,  and  it 
was  not  necessary  to  resort  to  this  in 
order  to  vindicate  his  own  character. 
He  had  done  man  no  wrong ;  and  if 
man  had  perished  in  his  sins,  the  throne 
of  God  would  have  been  pure  and  spot- 
less. It  was  love ;  mere  love.  It  was 
pure,  holy,  disinterested,  infinite  benevo- 
lence. It  was  worthy  of  a  God ;  and 
it  has  a  claim  to  the  deepest  gratitude 
of  man. 

Let  us  then,  in  view  of  this  whole 
chapter,  seek  to  be  reconciled  to  God. 
Let  us  lay  aside  all  our  opposition 
to  him.  Let  us  embrace  his  plans. 
Let  us  be  willing  to  submit  to  him,  and 
to  become  his  etkrsal  frikxds.  Let 
us  seek  that  heaven  to  which  he  would 
raise  us  ;  and  though  our  earthly  house 
of  this  tabernacle  must  be  dissolved,  let 
us  be  prepared,  as  we  may  be,  for  that 
eternal  habitation  which  he  has  fitted 
up  for  all  who  love  him  in  the  heavens. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

This  chapter,  closely  connected  in 
sense  with  the  preceding,  is  designed  as 
an  address  to  the  Corinthian  Christians, 
exhorting  them  to  act  worthily  of  their 
calling,  and  of  their  situation  under 
such  a  ministry  as  they  had  enjoyed. 
In  the  previous  chapters,  Paul  had  dis- 
coursed at  length  of  the  design  and 
of  the  labours  of  the  ministry.  The 
main  drift  of  all  this  was  to  show  them 
the  nature  of  reconciliation,  and  the 
obligation  to  turn  to  God,  and  to  live 
to  him.  This  idea  is  pursued  in  this 
chapter ;   and  la  view  of  the  labour 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


139 


W 


CHAPTER  VI. 

E  then,    as  workers  ' 
gether     with     him, 

a  c.  5.  20. 


to- 
be- 


and  self-denials  of  the  ministry,  Paul 
urges  on  the  Corinthian  Christians  the 
duty  of  coming  out  from  the  world,  and 
of  separating  themselves  entirely  from 
all  evil.  The  chapter  may  be  conve- 
niently contemplated  in  the  following 
parts : 

I.  Paul  states  that  he  and  his  asso- 
ciates were  fellow-labourers  with  God, 
and  he  exhorts  the  Corinthians  not  to 
receive  the  grace  of  God  in  vain.  To 
induce  them  to  make  a  wise  improve- 
ment of  the  privileges  which  they  en- 
joyed, he  quotes  a  passage  from  Isaiah, 
and  applies  it  as  meaning  that  it 
was  then  an  acceptable  time,  and  that 
they  might  avail  themselves  of  mercy, 
ver.  1,  2. 

II.  He  enumerates  the  labours  and 
self-denials  of  the  ministry.  He  refers 
to  their  sincerity,  zeal,  and  honesty  of 
life.  He  shows  how  much  they  had 
been  willing  to  endure  in  order  to  con- 
vey the  gospel  to  others,  and  how  much 
they  had  in  fact  endured,  and  how  much 
they  had  benefited  others.  He  speaks 
of  their  afflictions  in  a  most  tender  and 
beautiful  manner,  and  of  the  happy  re- 
sults which  had  followed  from  their 
self-denying  labours,  ver.  3 — 10.  The 
design  of  this  is,  evidently,  to  remind 
them  of  what  their  religion  had  cost, 
and  to  appeal  to  them  in  view  of  all 
this  to  lead  holy  and  pure  lives. 

III.  Paul  expresses  his  ardent  at- 
tachment for  them,  and  says  that  if  they 
were  straitened ;  if  they  did  not  live  as 
they  should  do,  it  was  not  because  he 
and  his  fellow-labourers  had  not  loved 
them,  and  sought  their  welfare,  but  from 
a  defect  in  themselves,  ver.  11,  12. 

IV.  As  a  reward  for  all  that  he  had 
done  and  suffered  for  them,  he  now 
asked  only  that  they  should  live  as  be- 
came Christians,  ver.  13 — 18.  He 
sought  not  silver,  or  gold,  or  apparel. 
He  had  not  laboured  as  he  had  done 
with  any  view  to  a  temporal   reward. 


seech     you    also    that    ye    re- 
ceive not  the   grace  of   God  in 


b  He.  12.  15. 


And  he  now  asked  simply  that  they 
should  come  out  from  the  world,  and  be 
dissociated  from  every  thing  that  was 
evil.  He  demanded  that  they  should 
be  separate  from  all  idolatry,  and  idol- 
atrous practices  ;  assures  them  that  there 
can  be  no  union  between  light  and  dark- 
ness ;  righteousness  and  unrighteous- 
ness ;  Christ  and  Belial ;  that  there  can 
be  no  agreement  between  the  temple  of 
God  and  idols;  reminds  them  of  the 
fact  that  they  are  the  temple  of  God  ; 
and  encourages  them  to  do  this  by  the 
assurance  that  God  would  be  their  God, 
and  that  they  should  be  his  adopted 
sons  and  daughters.  The  chapter  is  one 
of  great  beauty  ;  and  the  argument  for 
a  holy  life  among  Christians  is  one  that 
is  exceedingly  forcible  and  tender. 

1.  We  then,  as  workers  together  with 
him.  On  the  meaning  of  this  expression, 
see  Note,  1  Cor.  iii.  9.  The  Greek  here 
is  (ruvigycvvTir)  '  working  together,'  and 
may  mean  either  that  the  apostles  and 
ministers  to  whom  Paul  refers  were 
joint  labourers  in  entreating  them  not 
to  receive  the  grace  of  God  in  vain ;  or 
it  may  mean  that  they  co-operated  with 
God,  or  were  engaged  with  him  in  en- 
deavouring to  secure  the  reconciliation 
of  the  world  to  himself.  Tindal  renders 
it,  "we  as  helpers."  Doddridge,  "we 
then  as  the  joint-labourers  of  God." 
Most  expositors  have  concurred  in  this 
interpretation.  The  word  properly 
means,  to  work  together ;  to  co-operate 
in  producing  any  result.  Macknight 
supposes  that  the  word  here  is  in  the 
vocative,  and  is  an  address  to  the  fellow- 
labourers  of  Paul  entreating  them  not 
to  receive  the  grace  of  God  in  vain.  In 
this  opinion  he  is  probably  alone,  and 
has  manifestly  departed  from  the  scope 
and  design  of  the  passage.  Probably 
the  most  obvious  meaning  is  that  of  our 
translators,  who  regard  it  as  teaching 
that  Paul  was  a  joint-worker  with  God 
in  securing  the  salvation  of  men.  ^  That 


no 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


LA.  D.  60. 


2  (For  he  saith,  a  I  have  heard 

a  la.  49.  8. 


yt  receive  not  the  grace  of  God  in  vain, 
Ihe  •  grace  of  God'  here  means  evident- 
ly the  gracious  offer  of  reconciliation 
and  pardon.  And  the  sense  is, '  We  en- 
treat you  not  to  neglect  or  slight  this 
offer  of  pardon,  so  as  to  lose  the  benefit 
of  it,  and  be  lost.  It  is  offered  freely 
and  fully.  It  may  be  partaken  of  by 
all,  and  all  may  be  saved.  But  it  may 
also  be  slighted,  and  all  the  benefits  of 
it  will  then  be  lost.'  The  sense  is,  that 
it  was  possible  that  this  offer  might  be 
made  to  them,  they  might  hear  of  a 
Saviour,  be  told  of  the  plan  of  recon- 
ciliation, and  have  the  offers  of  mercy 
pressed  on  their  attention  and  accept- 
ance, and  yet  all  be  in  vain.  They 
might  notwithstanding  all  this  be  lost, 
for  simply  to  hear  of  the  plan  of  salva- 
tion or  the  offers  of  mercy,  will  no  more 
save  a  sinner  than  to  hear  of  medicine 
will  save  the  sick.  It  must  be  embraced 
and  applied,  or  it  will  be  in  vain.  It  is 
true  that  Paul  probably  addressed  this 
to  those  who  were  professors  of  religion ; 
and  the  sense  is,  that  they  should  use 
all  possible  care  and  anxiety  lest  these 
offers  should  have  been  made  in  vain. 
They  should  examine  their  own  hearts  ; 
they  should  inquire  into  their  own  con- 
dition ;  they  should  guard  against  self- 
deception.  The  same  persons  (ch.  v.  20) 
Paul  had  exhorted  also  to  be  reconciled 
to  God  ;  and  the  idea  is,  that  he  would 
earnestly  entreat  even  professors  of  re- 
ligion to  give  all  diligence  to  secure  an 
interest  in  the  saving  mercy  of  the 
gospel,  and  to  guard  against  the  possi- 
bility of  being  self-deceived  and  ruined. 
2.  For  he  saith.  See  Isaiah  xlix.  8. 
In  that  passage  the  declaration  refers  to 
the  Messiah,  and  the  design  is  there  to 
show  that  God  would  be  favourable  to 
him ;  that  he  would  hear  him  when  he 
prayed,  and  would  make  him  the  me- 
dium of  establishing  a  covenant  with 
his  own  people,  and  of  spreading  the  \ 
true  religion  around  the  earth.  See  my  ■ 
Note  on  that  place.  Paul  quotes  the  j 
passage  here  not   as  affirming  that  he  ; 


thee  in  a  time  accepted,  and  in 


used  it  in  exactly  the  sense,  or  with 
reference  to  the  same  design  for  which 
it  was  originally  spoken,  but  as  express- 
ing the  idea  which  he  wished  to  convey, 
or  in  accordance  with  the  general  prin- 
ciple implied  in  its  use  in  Isaiah.  The 
general  idea  there,  or  the  principle  in- 
volved was,  that  under  the  Messiah  God 
would  be  willing  to  hear ;  that  is,  that 
he  would  be  disposed  to  show  mercy  to 
the  Jew  and  to  the  Gentile.  This  is 
the  main  idea  of  the  passage  as  used 
by  Paul.  Under  the  Messiah,  it  is  said 
by  Isaiah,  God  would  be  willing  to 
show  mercy.  That  would  be  an  ac- 
ceptable time.  That  time,  says  Paul, 
has  arrived.  The  Messiah  has  come, 
and  now  God  is  willing  to  pardon  and 
save.  And  the  doctrine  in  this  verse 
is,  that  tinder  the  Messiah,  or  in  the 
time  of  Christ,  God  is  willing  to  show 
mercy  to  men.  In  him  alone  is  the 
throne  of  grace  accessible,  and  now  that 
he  has  come  God  is  willing  to  pardon, 
and  men  should  avail  themselves  of  the 
offers  of  mercy.  %  I  have  heard  thee. 
The  Messiah.  I  have  listened  to  thy 
prayer  for  the  salvation  of  the  heathen 
world.  The  promise  to  the  Messiah 
was,  that  the  heathen  world  should  be 
given  to  him  ;  but  it  was  a  promise  that 
it  should  be  in  answer  to  his  prayers 
and  intercessions.  "  Ask  of  me,  and  I 
shall  give  thee  the  heathen  for  thine 
inheritance,  and  the  uttermost  parts  of 
the  earth  for  thy  possession."  .Ps.  ii. 
8.  The  salvation  of  the  heathen  world, 
and  of  all  who  are  saved,  is  to  be  in 
answer  to  the  prevalent  intercession  of 
the  Lord  Jesus.  ^  In  a  time  accepted. 
In  Isaiah,  "  in  an  acceptable  time."  The 
idea  is,  that  he  had  prayed  in  a  time 
when  God  was  disposed  to  show  mercy 
the  time  when  in  his  wise  arrangements 
he  had  designed  that  his  salvation  should 
be  extended  to  the  world.  It  is  a  time 
which  he  had  fixed  as  the  appropriate 
period  for  extending  the  knowledge  of 
his  truth  and  his  salvation ;  and  it 
proves  that  there  was  to  be  a  period 


A.  D.  60.1 


CHAPTER  VI. 


141 


the  day  of  salvation  have  I  suc- 
coured thee  :  behold  now  is  the 


which  was  the  favourable  period  of  sal- 
vation, that  is,  which  God  esteemed  to 
be  the  proper  period  for  making  his 
salvation  known  to  men.  At  such  a 
period  the  Messiah  would  pray,  and  the 
prayer  would  be  answered,  *[  In  the 
day  of  salvation.  In  the  time  when  I 
am  disposed  to  show  salvation.  %  Have 
I  succoured  thee.  The  Messiah.  I  have 
sustained  thee,  that  is,  in  the  effort  to 
make  salvation  known.  God  here  speaks 
of  there  being  an  accepted  time,  a 
limited  period,  in  which  the  petitions  in 
favour  of  the  world  would  be  accepta- 
ble to  him.  That  time  Paul  says  had 
come ;  and  the  idea  which  he  urges  is, 
that  men  should  avail  themselves  of 
that,  and  embrace  now  the  offers  of 
mercy.  T  Behold  now  is  the  accepted 
time,&cc.  The  meaning  of  this  passage 
is,  the  '  Messiah  is  come.  The  time  re- 
ferred to  by  Isaiah  has  arrived.  It  is 
now  a  time  when  God  is  ready  to  show 
compassion,  to  hear  prayer,  and  to  have 
mercy  on  mankind.  Only  through  the 
Messiah,  the  Lord  Jesus,  does  he  show 
mercy,  and  men  should  therefore  now 
embrace  the  offers  of  pardon.'  The 
doctrine  taught  here,  therefore,  is,  that 
through  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  where  he 
is  preached,  God  is  willing  to  pardon 
and  save  men ;  and  this  is  true  wher- 
ever he  is  preached,  and  as  long  as  men 
live  under  the  sound  of  the  gospel.  The 
world  is  under  a  dispensation  of  mercy, 
and  God  is  willing  to  show  compassion, 
and  while  this  exists,  that  is,  while  men 
live,  the  offers  of  salvation  are  to  be 
freely  made  to  them.  The  time  will 
come  when  it  will  not  be  an  acceptable 
time  with  God.  The  day  of  mercy  will 
be  closed ;  the  period  of  trial  will  be 
ended ;  and  men  will  be  removed  to  a 
world  where  no  mercy  is  shown,  and 
where  compassion  is  unknown.  This 
verse,  which  should  be  read  as  a  pa- 
renthesis, is  designed  to  be  connected 
with  the  argument  which  the  apostle 
is  urging,  and  which  he  presented  in 
the  previous  chapter.     The  general  doc- 


accepted   time  ;    behold,  now  is 
the  day  of  salvation.) 


trine  is,  that  men  should  seek  reconcilia- 
tion with  God.  To  enforce  that,  ho 
here  says,  that  it  was  now  the  accepta- 
bje  time,  the  time  when  God  was  willing 
to  be  reconciled  to  men.  The  general 
sentiment  of  this  passage  may  be  thus 
expressed.  (1.)  Under  the  gospel  it  is 
an  acceptable  time,  a  day  of  mercy,  a 
time  when  God  is  willing  to  show  mercy 
to  men.  (2.)  There  may  be  special 
seasons  which  may  be  peculiarly  called 
the  acceptable  or  accepted  time,  (a) 
When  the  gospel  is  pressed  on  the  at- 
tention by  the  faithful  preaching  of  his 
servants,  or  by  the  urgent  entreaties  of 
friends  ;  (b)  When  it  is  brought  to  our 
attention  by  any  striking  dispensation 
of  Providence  ;  (c)  When  the  Spirit  of 
God  strives  with  us,  and  brings  us  to 
deep  reflection,  or  to  conviction  for  sin  ; 
(d)  In  a  revival  of  religion,  when  many 
are  pressing  into  the  Kingdom — it  is 
at  all  such  seasons  an  accepted  time,  a 
day  of  salvation,  a  day  which  we  should 
improve.  It  is  "now"  such  a  season, 
because,  (I.)  The  time  of  mercy  will 
pass  by,  .and  God  will  not  be  willing 
to  pardon  the  sinner  who  goes  unpre- 
pared to  eternity.  (2.)  Because  we 
cannot  calculate  on  the  future.  We 
have  no  assurance,  no  evidence  that  we 
shall  live  another  day,  or  hour.  (3.) 
It  is  taught  here,  that  the  time  will  come 
when  it  will  not  be  an  accepted  time. 
Now  is  the  accepted  time;  at  some  fu- 
ture period  it  will  not  be.  If  men 
grieve  away  the  Holy  Spirit ;  if  they 
continue  to  reject  the  gospel ;  if  they 
go  unprepared  to  eternity,  no  mercy  can 
be  found.  God  does  not  design  to  par- 
don beyond  the  grave.  He  has  made 
no  provisions  for  forgiveness  there  ;  and 
they  who  are  not  pardoned  in  this  life 
must  be  unpardoned  forever. 

3.  Giving  no  offence  in  any  thing. 
We  the  ministers  of  God.  ver.  1.  The 
word  rendered  offence  means,  properly, 
stumbling ;  then  offence,  or  cause  of 
offence,  a  falling  into  sin.  The  mean- 
ing  here  is,  'giving  no  occasion  for 


142 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


3  Giving  no  *  offence  in  any  I      4  But  in  all  things  approving  1 

thing,  that  the  ministry  be  not  ourselves   as   the   ministers  b  of 

blamed :  God,  in   much   patience,  in  af- 

a  1  Co.  10.  32.  i  commending.            b  1  Co.  4.  1. 


contemning  or  rejecting   the    gospel ;' 
and  the  idea  of  Paul  is,  that  he  and  his ! 
fel  ow-apostles  so  laboured  as  that  no  one  I 
who  saw  or  knew  them,  should  have  j 
occasion  to  reproach  the  ministry,  or  the  I 
religion  which   they   preached ;  but  so  | 
that   in    their    pure    and    self-denying  t 
lives,  the  strongest  argument  should  be  j 
seen  for  embracing  it.     Comp.  Matt.  x. 
16.    1  Cor.  viii.  13  ;  x.  32,  33.     Notes,  | 
Phil.  ii.  15.     1  Thess.  ii.  10;    v.  22. 
How  they  conducted  so  as  to  give  no 
offence  he  states  in  the  following  verses. 
%    That  the  ministry  be  not  blamed. 
The  phrase,  "  the  ministry,"  refers  here 
not  merely  to  the  ministry  of  Paul,  that 
is,    it  does   not   mean  merely  that  he 
would  be  subject  to  blame  and  reproach,  j 
but  that  the  ministry  itself  which  the  ] 
Lord  Jesus   had  established   would  be  j 
blamed,  or  would  be  reproached  by  the 
improper  conduct  of  any  one  who  was 
engaged   in  that  work.     The  idea  is, 
that  the  misconduct  of  one  minister  of 
the  gospel  would  bring  a  reproach  upon 
the  profession  itself,  and  would  prevent 
the  usefulness  and  success   of  others, 
just  as  the  misconduct  of  a  physician  ex- 
poses the  profession  to  reproach,  or  the 
bad  conduct  of  a  lawyer  reflects  itself 
in  some  degree  on  the  entire  profession. 
And  it  is  so  everywhere.     The  errors, 
follies,  misconduct,  or  bad  example  of  j 
one  minister  of  the  gospel  brings  a  re-  j 
proach  upon  the  sacred  calling   itself, ! 
and  prevents  the  usefulness  of   many  j 
others.     Ministers  do  not  stand  alone.  \ 
And  though   no  one  can  be  responsi-  j 
ble  for  the  errors  and  failings  of  others,  j 
yet  no  one  can  avoid  suffering  in  regard 
to  his  usefulness  by  the  sins  of  others. 
Not  only,  therefore,  from  a  regard  to  his 
personal  usefulness  should  every  minis- 
ter be  circumspect  in  his  walk,  but  from 
respect  to  the  usefulness  of  all  others 
who  sustain  the  office  of  the  ministry, 
and  from  respect  to  the  success  of  re- 
ligion all  over  the  world.     Paul  made 


it  one  of  the  principles  of  his  conduct 
so  to  act  that  no  man  should  have 
cause  to  speak  reproachfully  of  the 
ministry  on  his  account.  In  order  to 
this,  he  felt  it  to  be  necessary  not  only 
to  claim  and  assert  honour  for  the  mi- 
nistry, but  to  lead  such  a  life  as  should 
deserve  the  respect  of  men.  If  a  man 
wishes  to  secure  respect  for  his  calling, 
it  must  be  by  living  in  the  manner 
which  that  calling  demands,  and  then 
respect  and  honour  will  follow  as  a  mat- 
ter of  course.     See  Calvin. 

4.  But  in  all  things.  In  every  respect. 
In  all  that  we  do.  In  every  way,  both 
by  words  and  deeds.  How  this  was 
done,  Paul  proceeds  to  state  in  the  fol- 
lowing verses,  ^  Approving  ourselves 
as  the  ministers  of  God.  Marg.  "  Com- 
mending." Tindal  renders  it,  "  In  all 
things  let  us  behave  ourselves  as  the 
ministers  of  God."  The  idea  is,  that 
Paul  and  his  fellow-labourers  endea- 
voured to  live  as  became  the  ministers 
of  God,  and  so  as  to  commend  the  mi- 
nistry to  the  confidence  and  affection  of 
men.  They  endeavoured  to  live  as  was 
appropriate  to  those  who  were  the 
ministers  of  God,  and  so  that  the  world 
would  be  disposed  to  do  honour  to  the 
ministry.  *f  In  much  patience.  In 
the  patient  endurance  of  afflictions  of 
all  kinds.  Some  of  his  trials  he  pro- 
ceeds to  enumerate.  The  idea  is,  that 
a  minister  of  God,  in  order  to  do  good 
and  to  commend  his  ministry,  should  set 
an  example  of  patience.  He  preaches 
this  as  a  duty  to  others ;  and  if,  when 
he  is  poor,  persecuted,  oppressed,  ca- 
lumniated, or  imprisoned,  he  should 
murmur,  or  be  insubmissive,  the  conse- 
quence would  be  that  he  would  do  littlo 
good  by  all  his  preaching.  And  no  one 
can  doubt,  that  God  often  places  his 
ministers  in  circumstances  of  peculiar 
trial,  among  other  reasons,  in  order  that 
they  may  illustrate  their  own  precepts 
by  their  example,  and  show  to  their 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


143 


flietions,  in  necessities,  in  dis-   ments,  *  in  tumults,  in  labours, 


tresses, 

5    In   stripes,  *  in   imprison- 

a  c.  11.  23.  &x. 


people  with  what  temper  and  spirit  they 
may  and  ought  to  suffer.  Ministers 
often  do  a  great  deal  more  good  by  their 
example  in  suffering  than  they  do  in 
their  preaching.  It  is  easy  to  preach 
to  others ;  it  is  not  so  easy  to  manifest 
just  the  right  spirit  in  time  of  persecu- 
tion and  trial.  Men  too  can  resist  preach- 
ing, but  they  cannot  resist  the  effect 
and  power  of  a  good  example  in  times 
of  suffering.  In  regard  to  the  manner 
in  which  Paul  says  that  the  ministry 
may  commend  itself,  it  may  be  observed, 
that  he  groups  several  things  together ; 
or  mentions  several  classes  of  influences 
or  means.  In  this  and  the  next  verse 
he  refers  to  various  kinds  of  afflictions. 
In  the  following  verses  he  groups  several 
things  together,  pertaining  to  a  holy 
life,  and  a  pure  conversation,  f  In 
afflictions.  In  all  our  afflictions  ;  refer- 
ring to  all  the  afflictions  and  trials  which 
they  were  called  to  bear.  The  follow- 
ing words,  in  the  manner  of  a  climax, 
specify  more  particularly  the  kinds  of 
trials  which  they  were  called  to  endure. 
^  In  necessities.  This  is  a  stronger 
term  than  afflictions,  and  denotes  the 
distress  which  arose  from  want.  He 
everywhere  endured  adversity.  It  de- 
notes unavoidable  distress  and  calamity. 
K  In  distresses.  The  word  here  used 
(o-Tivo^oD^ix)  denotes  properly  straitness 
of  place,  want  of  room ;  then  straits, 
distress,  anguish.  It  is  a  stronger  word 
than  either  of  those  which  he  had  before 
used.  See  it  explained  in  the  Notes  on 
Rom.  ii.  9.  Paul  means  that  in  all 
these  circumstances  he  had  evinced  pa- 
tience, and  had  endeavoured  to  act  as 
became  a  minister  of  God. 

5.  In  stripes.  In  this  verse,  Paul 
proceeds  to  specifications  of  what  he 
had  been  called  to  endure.  In  the 
previous  verse,  he  had  spoken  of  his 
afflictions  in  general  terms.  In  this 
expression,  he  refers  to  the  fact  that  he 
and  his  fellow-labourers  were  scourged 


in  watchings,  in  fastings. 

»  or  in  tossings  to  and  fro. 


in  synagogues  and  cities  as  if  they  had 
been  the  worst  of  men.  In  2  Cor.  xi. 
23 — 25,  Paul  says  that  he  had  been 
scourged  five  times  by  the  Jews,  and 
had  been  thrice  beaten  with  rods.  See 
the  Notes  on  that  place,  ^f  In  impri- 
sonments. As  at  Philippi.  Acts  xvi.  24. 
seq.  It  was  no  uncommon  thing  for 
the  early  preachers  of  Christianity  to 
be  imprisoned.  1  In  tumults.  Marg. 
Tossing  to  and  fro.  The  Greek  word 
(dxATAorrxo-U)  denotes  properly  insta- 
bility, thence  disorder,  tumult,  commo- 
tion. Here  it  means  that  in  the  various 
tumults  and  commotions  which  were 
produced  by  the  preaching  of  the  gospel, 
Paul  endeavoured  to  act  as  became  a 
minister  of  God.  Such  tumults  were 
excited  at  Corinth  (Acts  xviii.  6)  ;  at 
Philippi  (Acts  xvi.  19,  20)  ;  at  Lystra 
and  Derbe  (Acts  xiv.  19)  ;  at  Ephesus 
(Acts  xix),  and  in  various  other  places. 
The  idea  is,  that  if  the  ministers  of  re- 
ligion are  assailed  by  a  lawless  mob, 
they  are  to  endeavour  to  show  the  spirit 
of  Christ  there,  and  to  evince  all  pa- 
tience, and  to  do  good  even  in  such  a 
scene.  Patience  and  the  Christian  spirit 
may  often  do  more  good  in  such  scenes 
than  much  preaching  would  do  else- 
where. %  In  labours.  Referring  pro- 
bably to  the  labours  of  the  ministry, 
and  its  incessant  duties,  and  perhaps 
also  to  the  labours  which  they  performed 
for  their  own  support,  as  it  is  well  known 
that  Paul  and  probably  also  the  other 
apostles,  laboured  often  to  support  them- 
selves, f  In  watchings.  In  wake- 
fulness, or  want  of  sleep.  He  probably 
refers  to  the  fact  that  in  these  arduous 
duties,  and  in  his  travels,  and  in  anxious 
cares  for  the  churches,  and  for  the  ad- 
vancement of  religion,  he  was  often  de- 
prived of  his  ordinary  rest.  He  refers 
to  this  again  in  chap.  xi.  27.  f  In 
fastings.  Referring  probably  not  only 
to  the  somewhat  frequent  fasts  to  which 
he  voluntarily  submitted  as  acts  of  devo« 


144 


H.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


6  By  pureness,  by  knowledge, 
by  long-suffering,  by  kindness, 


tion,  but  also  to  the  fact  that  in  his 
travels,  when  abroad  and  among  stran- 
gers, he  was  often  destitute  of  food. 
To  such  trials,  those  who  travelled  as 
Paul  did,  among  strangers,  and  without 
property,  would  be  often  compelled  to 
submit ;  and  such  trials,  almost  without 
number,  the  religion  which  we  now 
enjoy  has  cost.  It  at  first  cost  the  pain- 
ful life,  the  toils,  the  anxieties,  and  the 
sufferings  of  the  Redeemer  ;  and  it  has 
been  propagated  and  perpetuated  amidst 
the  deep  sorrows,  the  sacrifices,  and  the 
tears  and  blood  of  those  who  have  con- 
tributed to  perpetuate  it  on  earth.  For 
such  a  religion,  originated,  extended, 
and  preserved  in  such  a  manner,  we 
can  never  express  suitable  gratitude  to 
God.  Such  a  religion  we  cannot  over- 
estimate in  value;  and  for  the  extension 
and  perpetuity  of  such  a  religion,  we 
also  should  be  willing  to  practise  un- 
wearied self-denial. 

6.  By  pureness.  Paul,  having  in  the 
previous  verses,  grouped  together  some 
of  the  sufferings  which  he  endured,  and 
by  which  he  had  endeavoured  to  com- 
mend and  extend  the  true  religion,  pro- 
ceeds here  to  group  together  certain 
other  influences  by  which  he  had  sought 
the  same  object.  The  substance  of  what 
he  here  says  is,  that  it  had  not  only 
been  done  by  sufferings  and  trials,  but 
by  a  holy  life,  and  by  entire  consecra- 
tion to  the  great  cause  to  which  he  had 
devoted  himself.  He  begins  by  stating 
that  it  was  by  pureness,  that  is,  by 
integrity,  sanctity,  a  holy  and  pure  life. 
All  preaching,  and  all  labours  would 
have  been  in  vain  without  this  ;  and 
Paul  well  knew  that  if  he  succeeded  in 
the  ministry,  he  must  be  a  good  man. 
The  same  is  true  in  all  other  profes- 
sions. One  of  the  essential  requisites 
of  an  orator,  according  to  Quintilian, 
is,  that  he  musi  be  a  good  man  ; 
and  no  man  may  expect  ultimately  to 
succeed  in  any  calling  of  life  unless  he 
is  pure.  But  however  this  may  be  in 
other  callings,  no  one  will  doubt  it  in 
regard  to  the  ministry  of  the  gospel. 


by    the    Holy    Ghost,   by   love 
unfeigned, 


Tf  By  knowledge.  Interpreters  have  dif- 
fered much  in  the  interpretation  of  this. 
Rosenmuller  and  Schleusner  understand 
by  it  prudence.  Grotius  interprets  it 
as  meaning  a  knowledge  of  the  law. 
Doddridge  supposes  that  it  refers  to  a' 
solicitude  to  improve  in  the  knowledge 
of  those  truths  which  they  were  called 
to  communicate  to  others.  Probably 
the  idea  is  a  very  simple  one.  Paul  is 
showing  how  he  endeavoured  to  com- 
mend the  gospel  to  others,  ver.  4.  He 
says,  therefore,  that  one  way  was  by  com- 
municating knowledge,  true  knowledge. 
He  proclaimed  that  which  was  true,  and 
which  was  real  knowledge,  in  opposi- 
tion to  the  false  science  of  the  Greeks 
and  in  opposition  to  those  who  would 
substitute  declamation  for  argument,  and 
the  mere  ornaments  of  rhetoric  for  truth. 
The  idea  is,  that  the  ministry  should  not 
be  ignorant,  but  that  if  they  wished  to 
commend  their  office,  they  should  be 
well-informed,  and  should  be  men  of 
good  sense.  Paul  had  no  belief  that 
an  ignorant  ministry  was  preferable  to 
one  that  was  characterized  by  true 
knowledge  ;  and  he  felt  that  if  he  was 
to  be  useful  it  was  to  be  by  his  impart- 
ing to  others  truth  that  would  be  useful. 
"The  priest's  lips  should  keep  know- 
ledge." Mai.  ii.  7.  ^  By  long-suffering. 
By  patience  in  our  trials,  and  in  the 
provocations  which  we  meet  with.  We 
endeavour  to  obtain  and  keep  a  control 
over  our  passions,  and  to  keep  them  in 
subjection.  See  this  word  explained  in 
the  Notes  on  1  Cor.  xiii.  4.  ^  By  kind' 
ncss.  See  Note,  1  Cor.  xiii.  4.  By 
gentleness  of  manner,  of  temper,  and 
of  spirit.  By  endeavouring  to  evince 
this  spirit  to  all,  whatever  may  be  their 
treatment  of  us,  and  whatever  may  be 
our  provocations.  Paul  felt  that  if  a 
minister  would  do  good  he  must  be 
kind,  and  gentle  to  all.  f  By  the  Holy 
Ghost.  By  the  sanctifying  influences 
of  the  Holy  Spirit.  By  tliuse  graces 
and  virtues  which  it  is  his  office  pecu- 
liarly to  produce  in  the  heart  Comp. 
Gal.  v.  22,  23.      Paul  here  evidently 


A  D.bO.j 


CHAPTER  VI. 


U 


7  By  the  word  °  of  truth,  by 
the   'power    of    God,    by    the 

ac.4.2.  6  1  Co.  2.  4. 


I 


rerers  not  to  the  miraculous  agency  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  but  he  is  referring  to  the 
Spirit  which  he  and  his  fellow-ministers 
manifested,  and  means  here,  doubtless, 
that  they  evinced  such  feelings  as  the 
Holy  Spirit  produced  in  the  hearts  of 
the  children  of  God.  ^  By  love  un- 
feigned. Sincere,  true,  ardent  love  to  all. 
By  undissembled,  pure,  and  genuine 
affection  for  the  souls  of  men.  What 
good  can  a  minister  do  if  he  does  not 
love  his  people,  and  the  souls  of  men  ? 
The  prominent  characteristic  in  the  life 
of  the  Redeemer  was  love — love  to  all. 
So  if  we  are  like  him,  and  if  we  do  any 
good,  we  shall  have  love  to  men.  No 
man  is  useful  without  it ;  and  ministers, 
in  general,  are  useful  just  in  proportion 
as  they  have  it.  It  will  prompt  to  labour, 
self-denial,  and  toil ;  it  will  make  them 
patient,  ardent,  kind  ;  it  will  give  them 
zeal,  and  will  give  them  access  to  the 
heart ;  it  will  accomplish  what  no  elo- 
quence, labour,  or  learning  will  do  with- 
out it.  He  who  shows  that  he  loves 
me  has  access  at  once  to  my  heart ;  he 
who  does  not,  cannot  make  a  way  there 
by  any  argument,  eloquence,  denuncia- 
tion, or  learning.  No  minister  is  useful 
without  it ;  no  one  with  it  can  be  other- 
wise than  useful. 

7.  By  the  word  of  truth.  That  is, 
by  making  known  the  truths  of  the 
gospel.  It  was  his  object  to  make  known 
the  simple  truth.  He  did  not  corrupt 
it  by  false  mixtures  of  philosophy  and 
human  wisdom,  but  communicated  it 
as  it  had  been  revealed  to  him.  The 
object  of  the  appointment  of  the  Chris- 
tian ministry  is  to  make  known  the 
truth,  and  when  that  is  done  it  cannot 
but  be  that  they  will  commend  their 
office  and  work  to  the  favourable  re- 
gards of  men.  ^  By  the  power  of  God. 
By  the  divine  power  which  attended 
the  preaching  of  the  gospel.  Most  of 
the  ancient  commentators  explain  this  of 
the  power  of  working  miracles. — Bloom- 
field.  But  it  probably  includes  all  the 
13 


armour  cof  righteousness  on  the 
right  hand  and  on  the  left, 

c  Ep.  6.  11.  &c. 


displays  of  divine  power  which  attended 
the  propagation  of  the  gospel,  whether 
in  the  working  of  miracles,  or  in  the 
conversion  of  men.  If  it  be  asked  how 
Paul  used  this  power  so  as  to  give  no 
offence  in  the  work  of  the  ministry,  it 
may  be  replied,  that  the  miraculous 
endowments  bestowed  upon  the  apostles, 
the  power  of  speaking  foreign  languages, 
&c,  seem  to  have  been  bestowed  upon 
them  to  be  employed  in  the  same  way  as 
were  their  natural  faculties.  See  Notes 
on  1  Cor.  xiv.  32.  The  idea  here  is, 
that  they  used  the  great  powers  intrusted 
to  them  by  God,  not  as  impostors  would 
have  done,  for  the  purposes  of  gain  and 
ambition,  or  for  vain  display,  but  solely 
for  the  furtherance  of  the  true  religion, 
and  the  salvation  of  men.  They  thus 
showed  that  they  were  sent  from  God, 
as  well  by  the  nature  of  the  powers  with 
which  they  were  intrusted,  as  by  the  man- 
ner in  which  they  used  them.  |  By  the 
armour  of  righteousness  on  the  right 
hand  and  on  the  left.  Interpreters  have 
varied  much  in  the  exposition  of  this 
passage ;  and  many  have  run  into- 
utter  wildness.  Grotius  says,  that  it 
refers  to  the  manner  in  which  the 
ancient  soldiers  were  armed.  They 
bore  a  spear  in  their  right  hand,  and 
a  shield  in  the  left.  With  the  former 
they  attacked  their  foes,  with  the  latter 
they  made  defence.  Some  have  sup- 
posed that  it  refers  to  the  fact  that 
they  were  taught  to  use  the  sword  with 
the  left  hand  as  well  as  with  the  right. 
The  simple  idea  is,  that  they  were  com- 
pletely armed.  To  be  armed  on  the 
right  hand  and  on  the  left  is  to  be  well 
armed,  or  entirely  equipped.  They  wen 
forth  to  conflict.  They  met  persecutioi 
opposition,  and  slander.  As  the  soldia. 
went  well  armed  to  battle,  so  did  they 
But  the  armour  with  which  they  m 
their  foes,  and  which  constituted  thet 
entire  panoply,  was  a  holy  life.  With 
that  they  met  all  the  assaults  of  their 
enemies ;  with  that  all  slander  and  perse- 


146 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60 


8  By  honour  and  dishonour, 
by   evil    report   and    good    re- 

» — 

cution.  That  was  their  defence,  and 
by  that  they  hoped  and  expected  to 
achieve  their  conquests.  They  had  no 
swords,  and  spears,  and  helmets,  and 
shields ;  no  carnal  weapons  of  offence 
and  defence ;  but  they  expected  to  meet 
all  their  assaults,  and  to  gain  all  their 
victories,  by  an  upright  and  holy  life. 

8.  By  honour  and  dishonour.  The 
apostle  is  still  illustrating  the  proposition 
that  he  and  his  fellow-labourers  en- 
deavoured to  give  no  offence  (ver.  3), 
and  to  commend  themselves  as  the  mi- 
nisters of  God.  ver.  4.  He  here  (ver. 
8 — 10)  introduces  another  group  of 
particulars  in  which  it  was  done.  The 
main  idea  is,  that  they  endeavoured  to 
act  in  a  manner  so  as  to  commend  the 
ministry  and  the  gospel,  whether  they 
were  in  circumstances  of  honour  or  dis- 
honour, whether  lauded  or  despised  by 
the  world.  The  word  rendered  "  by" 
(J/d)  does  not  here  denote  the  means 
by  which  they  commended  the  gospel, 
but  the  medium.  In  the  midst  of 
honour  and  dishonour ;  whatever  might 
be  the  esteem  in  which  they  were  held 
by  the  world,  they  gave  no  offence. 
The  first  is,  "  by  honour."  They  were 
not  everywhere,  honoured,  or  treated 
with  respect.  Yet  they  were  some- 
times honoured  by  men.  The  churches 
which  they  founded  would  honour  them, 
and  as  the  ministers  of  religion  they 
would  be  by  them  treated  with  respect. 
Perhaps  occasionally  also  they  might 
be  treated  with  great  attention  and  re- 
gard by  the  men  of  the  world  on 
account  of  their  miraculous  powers. 
Comp.  Acts  xxviii.  7.  So  now,  minis- 
ters of  the  gospel  are  often  treated  with 
great  respect  and  honour.  They  are 
beloved  and  venerated ;  caressed  and 
flattered,  by  the  people  of  their  charge. 
As  ministers  of  God,  as  exercising  a 
holy  function,  their  office  is  often  treated 
with  great  respect  by  the  world.  If 
they  are  eloquent  or  learned,  or  if  they 
are  eminently  successful,  they  are  often 
highly  esteemed  and  loved.  It  is  diffi- 
cult in  such  circumstances  to  "commend 


port :  as  deceivers,"  and  yet  true 

a  Jno.  7.  12,  17. 


themselves  as  the  ministers  of  God." 
Few  are  the  men  who  are  not  injured 
by  honour ;  few  who  are  not  corrupted 
bv  flattery.     Few  are  the  ministers  who 
are    proof  against  this  influence,  and 
who  in  such  circumstances  can  honour 
the  ministry.     If  done,  it  is  by  show- 
ing that  they  regard  such  things  as  of 
little  moment ;  by  showing  that  they  are 
influenced  by  higher  considerations  than 
the  love  of  praise ;  by  not  allowing  this 
to  interfere  with  their  duties,  or  to  make 
them  less  faithful  and  laborious;    but 
rather  by  making  this  the  occasion  of 
increased  fidelity  and  increased  zeal  in 
their  master's  cause.     Most  ministers  do 
more  to  "  give  offence"  in  times  when 
they  are  greatly  honoured  by  the  world 
than  when  they  are  despised.     Yet  it  is 
possible  for  a  minister  who  is  greatly 
honoured  to  make  it  the   occasion   of 
commeriding  himself  more  and  more  as 
a  minister  of  God.     And  he  should  do 
it;  as   Paul   said  he  did. — The  other 
situation    was  "in   dishonour."     It  is 
needless  to  say,  that  the  apostles  were 
often  in  situations  where  they  had  op- 
portunity thus  to  commend  themselves 
as  the  ministers  of  God.     If  sometimes 
honoured,  they  were  often  dishonoured. 
If  the  world   sometimes   flattered   and 
caressed  them,  it  often  despised  them, 
and  cast  out  their  names  as  evil.     See 
Note,  1  Cor.  iv.  13.     And  perhaps  it  is 
so  substantially  now  with  those  who  are 
faithful.     In   such   circumstances,  also, 
Paul  sought  to  commend  himself  as  a 
minister  of  God.     It  was  by  receiving 
all  expressions  of  contempt  with  meek- 
ness ;  by  not  suffering  them  to  inter- 
fere with  the  faithful  discharge  of  his 
duties ;  by  rising  above  them,  and  show- 
ing the  power  of  religion  to  sustain  him  ; 
and  by  returning  good  for  evil,  prayers 
for  maledictions,   blessings  for  curses, 
and  by  seeking  to  save,  not  injure  and 
destroy  those  who  thus  sought  to  over- 
whelm him  with  disgrace.     It  may  be 
difficult  to  do  this,  but  it  can  be  done  ; 
and  when  done,  a  man  always  does  good. 
I  ^  By  evil  report.    The  word  here  used 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


147 


(JuTtM/Ai*.),  means,  properly,  ill-omened 
language,  malediction,  reproach,  con- 
tumely. It  refers  to  the  fact  that  they 
were  often  slandered  and  calumniated. 
Their  motives  were  called  in  question, 
and  their  names  aspersed.  They  were 
represented  as  deceivers  and  impostors, 
&c.  The  statement  here  is,  that  in  such 
circumstances,  and  when  thus  assailed 
and  reproached,  they  endeavoured  to 
commend  themselves  as  the  ministers 
of  God.  Evidently  they  endeavoured  to 
do  this  by  not  slandering  or  reviling  in 
return ;  by  manifesting  a  Christian  spirit ; 
by  living  down  the  slanderous  accusa- 
tion, and  by  doing  good  if  possible  even 
to  their  calumniators.  It  is  more  diffi- 
cult, says  Chrysostom,  to  bear  such  re- 
ports than  it  is  pain  of  body  ;  and  it  is 
consequently  more  difficult  to  evince  a 
Christian  spirit  then.  To  human  nature 
it  is  trying  to  have  the  name  slandered 
and  cast  out  as  evil  when  we  are  con- 
scious only  of  a  desire  to  do  good.  But 
it  is  sufficient  for  the  disciple  that  he 
be  as  his  master,  and  if  they  called  the 
master  of  the  house  Beelzebub,  we  must 
expect  they  will  also  those  of  his  house- 
hold. It  is  a  fine  field  for  a  Christian 
minister,  or  any  other  Christian,  to  do 
good  when  his  name  is  unjustly  slander- 
ed. It  gives  him  an  opportunity  of 
showing  the  true  excellency  of  the 
Christian  spirit ;  and  it  gives  him  the 
inexpressible  privilege  of  being  like 
Christ — like  him  in  his  suffering  and 
in  the  moral  excellence  of  character. 
A  man  should  be  willing  to  be  any 
thing  if  it  will  make  him  like  the  Re- 
deemer— whether  it  be  in  suffering  or 
in  glory.  See  Phil.  hi.  10.  1  Pet.  iv. 
13.  ^f  And  good  report.  When  men 
speak  well  of  us;  when  we  are  com- 
mended, praised,  or  honoured.  To  ho- 
nour the  gospel  then,  and  to  commend 
the  ministry,  is,  (1.)  To  show  that  the 
heart  is  not  set  on  this,  and  does  not 
seek  it ;  (2.)  To  keep  the  heart  from 
being  puffed  up  with  pride  and  self- 
estimation  ;  (3.)  Not  to  suffer  it  to  in- 
terfere with  our  fidelity  to  others,  and 
with  our  faithfully  presenting  to  them 
the  truth.  Satan  often  attempts  to 
bribe  men  by  praise,  and  to  neutralize 


the  influence  of  ministers  by  flattery. 
It  seems  ha:d  to  go  and  proclaim  to 
men  painful  truths  who  are  causing  the 
incense  of  praise  to  ascend  around  us. 
And  it  is  commonly  much  easier  for  a 
minister  of  the  gospel  to  commend  him- 
self as  a  minister  of  God  when  he  is 
slandered  than  when  he  is  praised,  when 
his  name  is  cast  out  as  evil  than  when 
the  breezes  of  popular  favour  are  wafted 
upon  him.  Few  men  can  withstand 
the  influence  of  flattery,  but  many  men 
can  meet  persecution  with  a  proper 
spirit ;  few  men  comparatively  can  al- 
ways evince  Christian  fidelity  to  others 
when  they  live  always  amidst  the  in- 
fluence of  "  good  report,"  but  there  are 
many  who  can  be  faithful  when  they 
are  poor,  and  despised,  and  reviled. 
Hence  it  has  happened,  that  God  has 
so  ordered  it  that  his  faithful  servants 
have  had  but  little  of  the  "good  report" 
which  this  world  can  furnish,  but  that 
they  have  been  generally  subjected  to 
persecution  and  slander.  If  As  deceivers. 
That  is,  we  are  regarded  and  treated  as 
if  we  were  deceivers,  and  as  if  we  were 
practising  an  imposition  on  mankind, 
and  as  if  we  would  advance  our  cause 
by  any  trick  or  fraud  that  would  be 
possible.  We  are  regarded  and  treated 
as  deceivers.  Perhaps  this  refers  to 
some  charges  which  had  been  brought 
against  them  by  the  opposing  faction  at 
Corinth  (Locke),  or  perhaps  to  the 
opinion  which  the  Jewish  priests  and 
heathen  philosophers  entertained  of 
them.  The  idea  is,  that  though  they 
were  extensively  regarded  and  treated 
as  impostors,  yet  they  endeavoured  to 
live  as  became  the  ministers  of  God. 
They  bore  the  imputation  with  patience, 
and  they  applied  themselves  diligently 
to  the  work  of  saving  souls.  Paul  sel- 
dom turned  aside  to  vindicate  himself 
from  such  charges,  but  pursued  his  mas- 
ter's wi  rk,  and  evidently  felt  that  if  he 
had  a  reputation  that  was  worth  any 
thing,  or  deserved  any  reputation,  God 
would  take  care  of  it.  Comp.  Ps. 
xxxvii.  1 — 4.  A  man,  especially  a 
minister,  who  is  constantly  endeavour- 
ing to  vindicate  his  own  reputation, 
usually  has  a  reputation  which  is  not 


148 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


9    As   °   unknown,   and    yet 
well  known  ;  as  dying,  and,  be- 

a  1  Co.  4.  9. 


worth  vindicating.  A  man  who  deserves 
a  reputation  will  ultimately  obtain  just 
as  much  as  is  good  for  him,  and  as  will 
advance  the  cause  in  which  he  is  em- 
barked. Tf  And  yet  true.  We  are  not 
deceivers  and  impostors.  Though  we 
are  regarded  as  such,  yet  we  show  our- 
selves to  be  true  and  faithful  ministers  of 
Christ. 

9.  As  unknown.  As  those  who  are 
deemed  to  be  of  an  obscure  and  igno- 
ble rank  in  life,  unknown  to  the  great, 
unknown  to  fame.  The  idea,  I  think, 
is,  that  they  went  as  strangers,  as  per- 
sons unknown,  in  preaching  the  gos- 
pel. Yet,  though  thus  unknown,  they 
endeavoured  to  commend  themselves 
as  the  ministers  of  God.  Though  among 
strangers  ;  though  having  no  introduc- 
tion from  the  great  and  the  noble,  yet 
they  endeavoured  so  to  act  as  to  con- 
vince the  world  that  they  were  the  mi- 
nisters of  God.  This  could  be  done  only 
by  a  holy  life,  and  by  the  evidence  of 
the  divine  approbation  which  would 
attend  them  in  their  work.  And  by 
this,  the  ministers  of  religion,  if  they 
are  faithful,  may  make  themselves  known 
even  among  those  who  were  strangers, 
and  may  live  so  as  to  "  give  no  offence." 
Every  minister  and  every  Christian, 
even  when  they  are  "  unknown"  and 
when  among  strangers,  should  remem- 
ber their  high  character  as  the  servants 
of  God,  and  should  so  live  as  to  com- 
mend the  religion  which  they  profess 
to  love  or  which  they  are  called  on  to 
preach.  And  yet  how  often  is  it  that 
ministers  when  among  strangers  seem 
to  feel  themselves  at  liberty  to  lay  aside 
their  ministerial  character,  and  to  engage 
in  conversation,  and  even  partake  of 
amusements  which  they  themselves 
would  regard  as  wholly  improper  if  it 
were  known  that  they  were  the  am- 
bassadors of  God  !  And  how  often  is 
it  the  case  that  professing  Christians 
when  travelling,  when  among  strangers, 
When  in  foreign  lands,  forget  their  high 


hold,  we  live 
not  killed ; 

b  Ps.  118.  18 


{A.  D.  60. 
fias  chastened,  and 


calling,  and  conduct  in  a  manner  wholly 
different  from  what  they  did  when  sur- 
rounded by  Christians ;  and  when  re- 
strained by  the  sentiments  and  by  the 
eyes  of  a  Christian  community  !  t  And 
yet  well  known.  Our  sentiments  and 
our  principles  are  well  known.  We 
have  no  concealments  to  make.  We 
practise  no  disguise.  We  attempt  to 
impose  on  no  one.  Though  obscure 
in  our  origin  ;  though  without  rank,  or 
wealth,  or  power,  or  patronage,  to  com 
mend  ourselves  to  favour,  yet  we  have 
succeeded  in  making  ourselves  known 
to  the  world.  Though  obscure  in  our 
origin,  we  are  not  obscure  now.  Though 
suspected  of  dark  designs,  yet  our  prin- 
ciples are  all  well  known  to  the  world. 
No  men  of  the  same  obscurity  of  birth 
ever  succeeded  in  making  themselves 
more  extensively  known  than  did  the 
apostles.  The  world  at  large  became 
acquainted  with  them  ;  and  by  their 
self-denial,  zeal,  and  success,  they  extend- 
ed their  reputation  around  the  globe. 
•f  As  dying.  That  is,  regarded  by  others 
as  dying.  As  condemned  often  to  death ; 
exposed  to  death  ;  in  the  midst  of  trials 
that  expose  us  to  death,  and  that  are 
ordinarily  followed  by  death.  See  Note 
on  1  Cor.  xv.  31,  on  the  phrase,  "  I  die 
daily."  They  passed  through  so  many 
trials  that  it  might  be  said  that  they 
were  constantly  dying.  ^  And  behold, 
we  live.  Strange  as  it  may  seem,  we 
still  survive.  Through  all  our  trial* 
we  are  preserved,  and  though  often 
exposed  to  death,  yet  we  still  live. 
The  idea  here  is,  that  in  all  these  trials, 
and  in  these  exposures  to  death,  they 
endeavoured  to  commend  themselves  as 
the  ministers  of  God.  They  bore  their 
trials  with  patience ;  submitted  to  these 
exposures  without  a  murmur ;  and 
ascribed  their  preservation  to  the  inter- 
position of  God.  f  As  chastened.  The 
word  chastened  (jnuitu-jfAtvct)  means 
corrected,  chastised.  It  is  applied  to  the 
chastening  which  God  causes  by  afflic- 


A.  D.  60.]  CHAPTER  VI.  149 

10  As   sorrowful,  yet  alway   rejoicing ;    as    poor,    yet  mak- 


tions  and  calamities.  1  Cor.  xi.  32. 
Rev.  iii.  19.  Heb.  xii.  6.  It  refers  here, 
not  to  the  scourgings  to  which  they 
were  subjected  in  the  synagogues  and 
elsewhere,  but  to  the  chastisements 
which  God  inflicted ;  the  trials  to  which 
he  subjected  them.  And  the  idea  is, 
ttat  in  the  midst  of  these  trials,  then 
endeavoured  to  act  as  became  the  mi- 
nisters of  God.  They  bore  them  with 
patience.  They  submitted  to  them  as 
coming  from  his  hand.  They  felt  that 
they  were  right;  and  they  submitted 
without  a  murmur.  <\  And  not  killed. 
Though  severely  chastened,  yet  we  are 
not  put  to  death.  We  survive  them — 
preserved  by  the  interposition  of  God. 
10.  As  sorrowful  (xurouy.mi).  Griev- 
ing, afflicted,  troubled,  sad.  Under 
these  sufferings  we  seem  always  to  be 
cast  down  and  sad.  We  endure  afflic- 
tions that  usually  lead  to  the  deepest 
expressions  of  grief.  If  the  world  looks 
only  upon  our  trials,  we  must  be  regard- 
ed as  always  suffering,  and  always  sad. 
The  world  will  suppose  that  we  have 
cause  for  continued  lamentation  (Dod- 
dridge), and  they  will  regard  us  as 
among  the  most  unhappy  of  mortals. 
Such,  perhaps,  is  the  estimate  which  the 
world  usually  affixes  to  the  Christian 
life.  They  regard  it  as  a  life  of  sadness 
and  of  gloom ;  of  trial  and  of  melan- 
choly. They  see  little  in  it  that  is 
cheerful,  and  they  suppose  that  a  heavy 
burden  presses  constantly  on  the  heart 
of  the  Christian.  Joy  they  think  per- 
tains to  the  gayeties  and  pleasures  of 
this  life ;  sadness  to  religion.  And  per- 
haps a  more  comprehensive  statement 
of  the  feelings  with  which  the  gay  peo- 
ple of  the  world  regard  Christians  can- 
not be  found  than  in  this  expression, 
"as  sorrowful."  True,  they  are  not 
free  from  sorrow.  They  are  tried  like 
others.  They  have  peculiar  trials  arising 
from  persecution,  opposition,  contempt, 
and  from  the  conscious  and  deep-felt 
depravity  of  their  hearts.  They  atir 
serious ;  and  their  seriousness  is  often 
interpreted  as  gloom.  But  there  is 
another  side  to  this  picture,  and  there 
13* 


is  much  in  the  Christian  character  and 
feelings  unseen  or  unappreciated  by  the 
world.  For  they  are  ^  Alway  re- 
joicing. So  Paul  was,  notwithstanding 
the  fact  that  he  always  appeared  to  have 
occasion  for  grief.  Religion  had  a  power 
not  only  to  sustain  the  soul  in  trial,  but 
to  fill  it  with  positive  joy.  The  sources 
of  his  joy  were  doubtless  the  assurances 
of  the  divine  favour  and  the  hopes  of 
eternal  glory.  And  the  same  is  true 
of  religion  always.  There  is  an  internal 
peace  and  joy  which  the  world  may 
not  see  or  appreciate,  but  which  is  far 
more  than  a  compensation  for  all  the 
trials  which  the  Christian  endures. 
f  As  poor.  The  idea  is,  we  are  poor, 
yet  in  our  poverty  we  endeavour  'to 
give  no  offence,  and  to  commend  our- 
selves as  the  ministers  of  God.'  This 
would  be  done  by  their  patience  and 
resignation ;  by  their  entire  freedom 
from  every  thing  dishonest  and  dis- 
honourable, and  by  their  readiness,  when 
necessary,  to  labour  for  their  own  sup- 
port. There  is  no  doubt  that  the 
apostles  were  poor.  Comp.  Acts  iii.  6. 
The  little  property  which  some  of  them 
had,  had  all  been  forsaken  in  order  that 
they  might  follow  the  Saviour,  and  go 
and  preach  his  gospel.  And  there  is  as 
little  doubt  that  the  mass  of  ministers 
are  still  poor,  and  that  God  designs  and 
desires  that  they  should  be.  It  is  in 
such  circumstances  that  he  designs  they 
should  illustrate  the  beauty  and  the  sus- 
taining power  of  religion,  and  be  exam- 
ples to  the  world.  \  Yet  making  many 
rich.  On  the  meaning  of  the  word  rich 
see  Note,  Rom.  ii.  4.  Here  the  apostle 
means  that  he  and  his  fellow-labourers, 
though  poor  themselves,  were  the  in- 
struments of  conferring  durable  and 
most  valuable  possessions  on  many  per- 
sons. They  had  bestowed  on  them  the 
true  riches.  They  had  been  the  means 
of  investing  them  with  treasures  in- 
finitely more  valuable  than  any  which 
kings  and  princes  could  bestow.  They 
to  whom  they  ministered  were  mado 
partakers  of  the  treasure  where  the  moth 
doth  not  corrupt,  and  where  thieves  do 


150 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


ing  many  rich  ;  as  having  no- 
thing, and  yet  possessing  all  a 
things. 


oPs.  84.  11. 


not  break  through  nor  steal.  ^  As 
having  nothing.  Being  utterly  desti- 
tute. Having  no  property.  This  was 
true,  doubtless,  in  a  literal  sense,  of  most 
of  the  apostles.  If  And  yet  possessing 
all  things.  That  is,  (1.)  Possessing  a 
portion  of  all  things  that  may  be  neces- 
sary for  our  welfare,  as  far  as  our  heaven- 
ly Father  shall-deem  to  be  necessary  for 
us.  (2.)  Possessing  an  interest  in  all 
things,  so  that  we  can  enjoy  them. 
We  can  derive  pleasure  from  the  works 
of  God — the  heavens,  the  earth,  the 
hills,  the  streams,  the  cattle  on  the 
mountains  or  in  the  vales,  as  the  works 
of  God.  We  have  a  possession  in  them 
so  that,  we  can  enjoy  them  as  his  works, 
and  can  say,  "  Our  Father  made  them 
all."  They  are  given  to  man  to  enjoy. 
They  are  a  part  of  the  inheritance  of 
man.  And  though  we  cannot  call  them 
our  own  in  the  legal  sense,  yet  we  can 
call  them  ours  in  the  sense  that  we  can 
derive  pleasure  from  their  contemplation, 
and  see  in  them  the  proofs  of  the  wis- 
dom and  the  goodness  of  God.  The 
child  of  God  that  looks  upon  the  hills 
and  vales ;  upon  an  extensive  and 
beautiful  farm  or  landscape,  may  derive 
more  pleasure  from  the  contemplation 
of  them  as  the  work  of  God  and  his 
gift  to  men,  than  the  real  owner  does, 
if  irreligious,  from  contemplating  all 
this  as  his  own.  And  so  far  as  mere 
happiness  is  concerned,  the  friend  of 
God  who  sees  in  all  this  the  proofs  of 
God's  beneficence  and  wisdom,  may  have 
a  more  valuable  possession  in  those 
things  than  he  who  holds  the  title-deeds. 
(3.)  Heirs  of  all  things.  We  have 
a  title  to  immortal  life — a  promised  part 
in  all  that  the  universe  can  furnish  that 
can  make  us  happy.  (4.)  In  the  pos- 
session of  pardon  and  peace ;  of  the 
friendship  of  God  and  the  knowledge 
of  the  Redeemer,  we  have  the  posses- 
sion of  all  things.     This  comprises  all. 


11  O  ye  Corinthians,  our 
mouth  is  open  unto  you,  our  * 
heart  is  enlarged. 

b  Ep.  6.  8.    Re.  22.  12. 

He  that  has  this,  what  need  has  he  of 
more  1  This  meets  all  the  desires ; 
satisfies  the  soul ;  makes  the  man  happy 
and  blessed.  He  that  has  God  for  his 
portion,  may  be  said  to  have  all  things, 
for  he  is  "  all  in  all."  He  that  has  the 
Redeemer  for  his  friend  has  all  things 
that  he  needs,  for  "  he  that  spared  not 
his  own  Son,  but  gave  him  up  for  us 
all,  how  shall  he  not  with  him  also 
freely  give  us  all  things]"  Rom 
viii.  32. 

11.  O  ye  Corinthians,  our  mouth  is 
open  unto  you.  We  speak  freely,  and 
fully.  This  is  an  affectionate  address 
to  them,  and  has  reference  to  what  he 
had  just  said.  It  means  that,  when  the 
heart  was  full  on  the  subject,  words 
would  flow  freely,  and  that  he  had  given 
vent  to  the  fervid  language  which  he 
had  just  used  because  his  heart  was  full. 
He  loved  them  ;  he  felt  deeply ;  and  he 
spoke  to  them  with  the  utmost  freedom 
of  what  he  had  thought,  and  purposed, 
and  done.  ^  Our  heart  is  enlarged. 
We  have  deep  feelings,  which  naturally 
vent  themselves  in  fervent  and  glowing 
language.  The  main  idea  here  is,  that 
he  had  a  strong  affection  for  them ; 
a  heart  which  embraced  and  loved  them 
all,  and  which  expressed  itself  in  the 
language  of  deep  emotion.  He  had 
loved  them  so  that  he  was  willing  to 
be  reproached,  and  to  be  persecuted,  and 
to  be  poor,  and  to  have  his  name  cast 
out  as  evil.  « I  cannot  be  silent.  I  con- 
ceal or  dissemble  nothing.  I  am  full 
of  ardent  attachment,  and  that  naturally 
vents  itself  in  the  strong  language  which 
I  have  used.'  True  attachment  will  find 
means  of  expressing  itself.  A  heart 
full  of  love  will  give  vent  to  its  feelings. 
There  will  be  no  dissembling  and  hy- 
pocrisy there.  And  if  a  minister  loves 
the  souls  of  his  people  he  will  pour  out 
the  affections  of  his  heart  in  strong  and 
glowing  language. 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


151 


12  Ye  are  not  straitened  in  us, 
but  ye  are  straitened  in  your 
own  bowels. 

13  Now  for  a  recompence  in 


12.  Ye  are  not  straitened  in  us. 
That  is,  you  do  not  possess  a  narrow 
or  contracted  place  in  our  affections. 
We  love  you  fully,  ardently,  and  are 
ready  to  do  all  that  can  be  done  for 
your  welfare.  There  is  no  want  of  room 
in  our  affections  towards  you.  It  is  not 
narrow,  confined,  pent  up.  It  is  ample 
and  free.  ^  But  ye  are  straitened  in 
your  own  bowels.  That  is,  in  the  affec- 
tions of  your  hearts.  The  word  here  used 
(ovrhayxy*)  commonly  means  in  the 
Bible  the  tender  affections.  The  Greek 
word  properly  denotes  the  upper  viscera ; 
the  heart,  the  lungs,  the  liver.  It  is 
applied  by  Greek  writers  to  denote  those 
parts  of  victims  which  were  eaten  during 
or  after  the  sacrifice. — Robinson  (Lex.). 
Hence  it  is  applied  to  the  heart,  as  the 
seat  of  the  emotions  and  passions;  and 
especially  the  gentler  emotions,  the  ten- 
der affections,  compassion,  pity,  love,  &c. 
Our  word  "  bowels"  is  applied  usually 
to  the  lower  viscera,  and  by  no  means 
expresses  the  idea  of  the  word  which  is 
used  in  Greek.  The  idea  here  is,  that 
they  were  straitened,  or  were  confined 
in  their  affections  for  him.  It  is  the 
language  of  reproof,  meaning  that  he 
had  not  received  from  them  the  demon- 
strations of  attachment  which  he  had  a 
right  to  expect,  and  which  was  a  fair 
and  proportionate  return  for  the  love 
bestowed  on  them.  Probably  he  refers 
to  the  fact  that  they  had  formed  parties ; 
had  admitted  false  teachers  ;  and  had 
oot  received  his  instructions  as  impli- 
citly and  as  kindly  as  they  ought  to 
lave  done. 

13.  Now  for  a  recompense  in  the 
\ame.  '  By  way  of  recompense,  open 
four  hearts  in  the  same  manner  towards 
ane  as  I  have  done  toward  you.  It  is 
all  the  reward  or  compensation  which  I 
ask  of  you  ;  all  the  return  which  I  de- 
sire. I  do  not  ask  snver  or  gold,  or  any 
earthly  poMftndcsf.     I  ask  only  a  return 


the  same,  (I  speak  as  unto  my 
children,)  be  ye  also  enlarged. 

14  Be  a  ye  not  unequally  yoked 
together   with  unbelievers  ;    for 

a  De.  7.  2,  3.     1  Co.  7.  39. 


of  love,  and  a  devotedness  to  the  cause 
which  I  love,  and  which  I  endeavour  to 
promote.'  t  I  speak  as  unto  my  child 
ren.  I  speak  as  a  parent  addressing 
his  children.  I  sustain  toward  you  the 
relation  of  a  spiritual  father,  and  I  have 
a  right  to  require  and  expect  a  return 
of  affection.  1  Be  ye  also  enlarged 
Be  not  straitened  in  your  affections 
Love  me  as  I  love  you.  Give  to  me 
the  same  proofs  of  attachment  which  I 
have  given  you.  The  idea  in  this  verse 
is,  that  the  only  compensation  or  remu 
neration  which  he  expected  for  all  the 
love  which  he  had  shown  them,  and 
for  all  his  toils  and  self-denials  in  their 
behalf  (ver.  4,  5),  was,  that  they  would 
love  him,  and  yield  obedience  to  the 
laws  of  the  gospel  requiring  them  to  be 
separate  from  the  world,  ver.  14 — 18 
One  ground  of  the  claim  which  he  had 
to  their  affection  was,  that  he  sustained 
toward  them  the  relation  of  a  father,  and 
that  he  had  a  right  to  require  and  to  ex- 
pect such  a  return  of  love.  The  Syriac 
renders  it  well,  "Enlarge  your  love 
towards  me."  Tindal  renders  it,  "I 
speak  unto  you  as  unto  children,  which 
have  like  reward  with  us ;  stretch  your- 
selves therefore  out ;  bear  not  the  yoke 
with  unbelievers." 

14.  Be  ye  not  unequally  yoked  to- 
gether with  unbelievers.  This  is  closely 
connected  in  sense  with  the  previous 
verse.  The  apostle  is  there  stating  the 
nature  of  the  remuneration  or  recom- 
pense which  he  asks  for  all  the  love 
which  he  had  shown  to  them.  He  here 
says,  that  one  mode  of  remuneration 
would  be  to  yield  obedience  to  his  com- 
mands, and  to  separate  themselves  from 
all  improper  alliance  with  unbelievers. 
•  Make  me  this  return  for  my  love.  Love 
me  also,  and  as  a  proof  of  your  affec- 
tion, be  not  improperly  united  with 
unbelievers.  Listen  to  me  as  a  father 
addressing  his  children,  and  secure  your 


153 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


what  fellowship  hath  righteous- 
ness with  unrighteousness  ?  and 


own  happiness  and  piety  by  not  being 
unequally  yoked  with  those  who  are 
not  Christians.'  The  word  which  is 
here  used  Qr^uyiut)  means  properly, 
to  bear  a  different  yoke,  to  be  yoked 
heterogeneously. — Robinson  (Lex.).  It 
is  applied  to  the  custom  of  yoking 
animals  of  different  kinds  together  (Pas- 
sow)  ;  and  as  used  here  means  not  to 
mingle  together,  or  be  united  with  un- 
believers. It  is  implied  in  the  use  of  the 
word  that  there  is  a  dissimilarity  between 
believers  and  unbelievers  so  great  that 
it  is  as  improper  for  them  to  mingle 
together  as  it  is  to  yoke  animals  of  dif- 
ferent kinds  and  species.  The  ground 
of  the  injunction  is,  that  there  is  a  dif- 
ference between  Christians  and  those 
who  are  not,  so  great  as  to  render  such 
unions  improper  and  injurious.  The 
direction  here  refers  doubtless  to  all 
kinds  of  improper  connexions  with 
those  who  were  unbelievers.  It  has  been 
usually  supposed  by  commentators  to 
refer  particularly  to  marriage.  But 
there  is  no  reason  for  confining  it  to 
marriage.  It  doubtless  includes  that, 
but  it  may  as  well  refer  to  any  other 
intimate  connexion,  or  to  intimate 
friendships,  or  to  participation  in  their 
amusements  and  employments,  as  to 
marriage.  The  radical  idea  is,  that 
they  were  to  abstain  from  all  con- 
nexions with  unbelievers — with  infidels, 
and  heathens,  and  those  who  were  not 
Christians,  which  would  identify  them 
with  them ;  or  they  were  to  have  no 
connexion  with  them  in  any  thing  as 
unbelievers,  heathens,  or  infidels  ;  they 
were  to  partake  with  them  in  nothing 
that  was  peculiar  to  them  as  such. 
They  were  to  have  no  part  with  them  in 
their  heathenism,  unbelief,  and  idolatry, 
and  infidelity ;  they  were  not  to  be 
united  with  them  in  any  way  or  sense 
where  it  would  necessarily  be  under- 
stood that  they  were  partakers  with 
them  in  those  things.  This  is  evidently 
the  principle  here  laid  down,  and  this 
principle  is  as  applicable  now  as  it 
was  then.      In  the  remainder  of  this 


what  communion  hath  light  with 
darkness  ? 


verse  and  the  following  verses  (15, 16), 
he  states  reasons  why  they  should  have 
no  such  intercourse.  There  is  no  princi- 
ple of  Christianity  that  is  more  impor- 
tant than  that  which  is  here  stated  by 
the  apostle ;  and  none  in  which  Chris- 
tians are  more  in  danger  of  erring,  or 
in  which  they  have  more  difficulty  in 
determining  the  exact  rule  which  they 
are  to  follow.  The  questions  which 
arise  are  very  important.  Are  we  to 
have  no  intercourse  with  the  people 
of  the  world  1  Are  we  cut  loose  from 
all  our  friends  who  are  not  Christians  ? 
Are  we  to  become  monks,  and  live  a 
recluse  and  unsocial  life  1  Are  we 
never  to  mingle  with  the  people  of  the 
world  in  business,  in  innocent  recrea- 
tion, or  in  the  duties  of  citizens,  and  as 
neighbours  and  friends  1  It  is  important, 
therefore,  in  the  highest  degree,  to  en- 
deavour to  ascertain  what  are  the  prin- 
ciples on  which  the  New  Testament 
requires  us  to  act  in  this  matter.  And 
in  order  to  a  correct  understanding  of 
this,  the  following  principles  may  be 
suggested.  I.  There  is  a  large  field 
of  action,  pursuit,  principle,  and  thought, 
over  which  infidelity,  sin,  heathenism, 
and  the  world  as  such,  have  the  entire 
control.  It  is  wholly  without  the  range 
of  Christian  law,  and  stands  opposed  to 
Christian  law.  It  pertains  to  a  different 
kingdom ;  is  conducted  by  different 
principles,  and  tends  to  destroy  and 
annihilate  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  It 
cannot  be  reconciled  with  Christian 
principle,  and  cannot  be  conformed  to 
but  in  entire  violation  of  the  influence 
of  religion.  Here  the  prohibition  of  the 
New  Testament  is  absolute  and  entire. 
Christians  are  not  to  mingle  with  the 
people  of  the  world  in  these  things ;  and 
are  not  to  partake  of  them.  This  pro- 
hibition, it  is  supposed,  extends  to  the 
following,  among  other  things.  ( 1 .)  To 
idolatry.  This  was  plain.  On  no  ac- 
count or  pretence  were  the  early  Chris- 
tians to  partake  of  that,  or  to  counte- 
nance it.  In  primitive  times,  during 
the  Roman  persecutions,  all  that  wa» 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


153 


asked  was  that  they  should  cast  a  little 
incense  on  the  altar  of  a  heathen  god. 
They  refused  to  do  it,  and  because  they 
refused  to  do  it,  thousands  perished  as 
martyrs.  They  judged  rightly;  and 
the  world  has  approved  their  cause. 
(2.)  Sin,  vice,  licentiousness.  This  is 
also  plain.  Christians  are  in  no  way 
to  patronise  them,  or  to  lend  their  influ- 
ence to  them,  or  to  promote  them  by  their 
name,  their  presence,  or  their  property. 
"  Neither  be  partakers  of  other  men's 
sins."  1  Tim.  v.  22.  2  John  11. 
(3.)  Arts  and  acts  of  dishonesty,  de- 
ception, and  fraud  in  traffic  and  trade. 
Here  the  prohibition  also  must  be 
absolute.  No  Christian  can  have  a 
right  to  enter  into  partnership  with 
another  where  the  business  is  to  be  con- 
ducted on  dishonest  and  unchristian 
principles,  or  where  it  shall  lead  to  the 
violation  of  any  of  the  laws  of  God. 
If  it  involves  deception  and  fraud  in 
the  principles  on  which  it  is  conducted  ; 
if  it  spreads  ruin  and  poverty — as  the 
distilling  and  vending  of  ardent  spirits 
does  ;  if  it  leads  to  the  necessary  viola- 
tion of  the  Christian  Sabbath,  then  the 
case  is  plain.  A  Christian  is  to  have 
no  "fellowship  with  such  unfruitful 
works  of  darkness,  but  is  rather  to  re- 
prove them."  Eph.  v.  11.  (4.)  The 
amusements  and  pleasures  that  are  en- 
tirely worldly,  and  sinful  in  their  nature ; 
that  are  wholly  under  worldly  influence, 
and  which  cannot  be  brought  under 
Christian  principles.  Nearly  all  amuse- 
ments are  of  this  description.  The  true 
principle  here  seems  to  be,  that  if  a 
Christian  in  such  a  place  is  expected  to 
lay  aside  his  Christian  principles,  and 
if  it  would  be  deemed  indecorous  and 
improper  for  him  to  introduce  the  sub- 
ject of  religion,  or  if  religion  would  be 
regarded  as  entirely  inconsistent  with 
the  nature  of  the  amusement,  then  he 
is  not  to  be  found  there.  The  world 
reigns  there,  and  if  the  principles  of  his 
Lord  and  Master  would  be  excluded, 
he  should  not  be  there.  This  applies 
of  course  to  the  theatre,  the  circus,  the 
ball-room,  and  to  large  and  splendid 
parties  of  pleasure.  We  are  not  to 
associate  with  idolaters  in  their  idolatrv ; 


nor  with  the  licentious  in  their  licen- 
tiousness ;  nor  with  the  infidel  in 
his  infidelity ;  nor  with  the  proud  in 
their  pride ;  nor  with  the  gay  in  their 
gayety;  nor  with  the  friends  of  the 
theatre,  or  the  ball-room,  or  the  circus 
in  their  attachment  to  these  places  and 
pursuits.  And  whatever  other  con- 
nexion we  are  to  have  with  them  as 
neighbours,  citizens,  or  members  of  our 
families,  we  are  not  to  participate  with 
them  i?f  these  things.  Thus  far  all 
seems  to  be  clear;  and  the  rule  is  a 
plain  one,  whether  it  applies  to  mar- 
riage, or  to  business,  or  to  religion,  or  to 
pleasure.  Comp.  Note,  1  Cor.  v.  10. 
II.  There  is  a  large  field  of  action, 
thought,  and  plan  which  may  be  said 
to  be  common  with  the  Christian  and 
the  world ;  that  is,  where  the  Chris- 
tian is  not  expected  to  abandon  his 
own  principles,  and  where  there  will  be, 
or  need  be,  no  compromise  of  the  stern- 
est views  of  truth,  or  the  most  upright, 
serious,  and  holy  conduct.  He  may 
carry  his  principles  with  him ;  may 
always  manifest  them  if  necessary  ;  and 
may  even  commend  them  to  others. 
A  few  of  these  may  be  referred  to. 
(1.)  Commercial  transactions  and  pro- 
fessional engagements  that  are  con- 
ducted on  honest  and  upright  principles, 
even  when  those  with  whom  we  act 
are  not  Christians.  (2.)  Literary  and 
scientific  pursuits,  which  never,  when 
pursued  with  a  right  spirit,  interfere 
with  the  principles  of  Christianity,  and 
never  are  contrary  to  it.  (3.)  The  love 
and  affection  which  are  due  to  relatives 
and  friends.  Nothing  in  the  Bible 
assuredly  will  prohibit  a  pious  son  from 
uniting  with  one  who  is  not  pious  in 
supporting  an  aged  and  infirm  parent, 
or  a  much  loved  and  affectionate  sister. 
The  same  remark  is  true  also  respecting 
the  duty  which  a  wife  owes  to  a  hus- 
band, a  husband  to  a  wife,  or  a  parent 
to  a  child,  though  one  of  them  should 
not  be  a  Christian.  And  the  same  ob- 
servation is  true  also  of  neighbours,  who 
are  not  to  be  prohibited  from  uniting  as 
neighbours  in  social  intercourse,  and  in 
acts  of  common  kindness  and  charity 
though   all   not  Christians.      (4.)    As 


154  II.  CORINTHIANS.  [A.  D.  60. 

15   And    what  concord    hath    Christ    with    Belial  ?    or  what 


citizens.  We  owe  duties  to  our  country, 
and  a  Christian  need  not  refuse  to  act 
with  others  in  the  elective  franchise,  or 
in  making  or  administering  the  laws. 
Here,  however,  it  is  clear  that  he  is  not 
at  liberty  to  violate  the  laws  and  the 
principles  of  the  Bible.  He  cannot  be 
at  liberty  to  unite  with  them  in  political 
schemes  that  are  contrary  to  the  law 
of  God,  or  in  elevating  to  office  men 
whom  he  cannot  vote  for  with  a  good 
conscience  as  qualified  for  the  station. 
(5.)  In  plans  of  public  improvement, 
in  schemes  that  go  to  the  advancement 
of  the  public  welfare,  when  the  schemes 
do  not  violate  the  laws  of  God.  But 
if  they  involve  the  necessity  of  violating 
the  Sabbath,  or  any  of  the  laws  of  God, 
assuredly  he  cannot  consistently  par- 
ticipate in  them.  (6.)  In  doing  good 
to  others.  So  the  Saviour  was  with  sin- 
ners ;  so  he  ate,  and  drank,  and  conversed 
with  them.  So  we  may  mingle  with 
them,  without  partaking  of  their  wicked 
feelings  and  plans,  so  far  as  we  can  do 
them  good,  and  exert  over  them  a  holy 
and  saving  influence.  In  all  the  situa- 
tions here  referred  to,  and  in  all  the 
duties  growing  out  of  them,  the  Chris- 
tian may  maintain  his  principles,  and 
may  preserve  a  good  conscience.  In- 
deed the  Saviour  evidently  contemplated 
that  his  people  would  have  such  inter- 
course with  the  world,  and  that  in  it 
they  would  do  good.  But  in  none  of 
these  is  there  to  be  any  compromise 
of  principle ;  in  none  to  be  any  yielding 
to  the  opinions  and  practices  that  are 
contrary  to  the  laws  of  God.  III.  There 
is  a  large  field  of  action,  conduct,  and 
plan,  where  Christians  only  will  act 
together.  These  relate  to  the  peculiar 
duties  of  religion — to  prayer,  Christian 
fellowship,  the  ordinances  of  the  gospel, 
and  most  of  the  plans  of  Christian  be- 
neficence. Here  the  world  will  not  in- 
trude ;  and  here  assuredly  there  will  be 
no  necessity  of  any  compromise  of 
Christian  principle.  1  For  what  fel- 
lowship. Paul  proceeds  here  to  state 
reasons  why  there  should  be  no  such 


improper  connexion  with  the  world. 
The  main  reason,  though  under  various 
forms,  is,  that  there  can  be  no  fellow- 
ship, no  communion,  nothing  in  com- 
mon between  them  ;  and  that  therefore 
they  should  be  separate.  The  word 
fellowship  (//£to^»)  means  partnership, 
participation.  What  is  there  in  com- 
mon ;  or  how  can  the  one  partake  with 
the  other  1  The  interrogative  form  here 
is  designed  to  be  emphatic,  and  to  de- 
clare in  the  strongest  terms  that  there 
can  be  no  such  partnership.  ^  Right- 
eousness. Such  as  you  Christians  are 
required  to  practise ;  implying  that  all 
were  to  be  governed  by  the  stern  and 
uncompromising  principles  of  honesty 
and  justice.  Tf  With  unrighteousness. 
Dishonesty,  injustice,  sin  ;  implying  that 
the  world  is  governed  by  such  principles. 
5  And  what  communion  (kvvmU). 
Participation  ;  communion  ;  that  which 
is  in  common.  What  is  there  in  com- 
mon between  light  and  darkness  1  What 
common  principle  is  there  of  which  they 
both  partake  ]  There  is  none.  There  is 
a  total  and  eternal  separation.  %  Light. 
The  emblem  of  truth,  virtue,  holiness. 
See  Note,  Matt,  iv.  16 ;  v.  16.  John  i.  4. 
Rom.  ii.  19.  2  Cor.  iv.  4.  6.  It  is 
implied  here  that  Christians  are  en- 
ligbtened,  and  walk  in  the  light.  Their 
principles  are  pure  and  holy — principles 
of  which  light  is  the  proper  emblem. 
Tf  Darkness.  The  emblem  of  sin,  cor- 
ruption, ignorance ;  implying  that  the 
world  to  which  Paul  refers  was  go- 
verned and  influenced  by  these.  The 
idea  is,  that  as  there  is  an  entire  sepa- 
ration between  light  and  darkness  in 
their  nature  ;  as  they  have  nothing  in 
common,  so  it  is  and  should  be,  between 
Christians  and  sinners.  There  should 
be  a  separation.  There  can  be  nothing 
in  common  between  holiness  and  sin  ; 
and  Christians  should  have  nothing  to 
do  "  with  the  unfruitful  works  of  dark 
ness."  Eph.  v.  11. 

15.  And  what  concord  (ov/uplvtitrtc) 
Sympathy,  unison.  This  word  refers 
properly  to  the  unison  or  harmony  pro- 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


155 


part  hath  he  that  believeth  with 
an  infidel  ? 

16  And  what  agreement  hath 


duced  by  musical  instruments,  where 
there  is  a  chord.  What  accordance, 
what  unison  is  there ;  what  strings  are 
there  which  being  struck  will  produce 
a  chord  or  harmony  ]  The  idea  is,  then, 
there  is  as  much  that  is  discordant  be- 
tween Christ  and  Belial  as  there  is  be- 
tween instruments  of  music  that  produce 
only  discordant  and  jarring  sounds. 
U  Hath  Christ.  What  is  there  in  com- 
mon between  Christ  and  Belial,  imply- 
ing that  Christians  are  governed  by  the 
principles,  and  that  they  follow  the 
example  of  Christ.  1  Belial.  Bthiak 
or  Bsa/s^,  as  it  is  found  in  some  of  the 
late  editions.  The  form  Beliar  is  Syriac. 
The  Hebrew  word  (*?p^2)  means  literally 
without  profit ,-  worthlessness ;  wicked- 
ness. It  is  here  evidently  applied  to 
Satan.  The  Syriac  translates  it "  Satan." 
The  idea  is,  that  the  persons  to  whom 
Paul  referred,  the  heathen,  wicked,  un- 
believing world,  were  governed  by  the 
principles  of  Satan,  and  were  "taken 
captive  by  him  at  his  will"  (2  Tim.  ii. 
26.  Com  p.  John  viii.  44),  and  that 
Christians  should  be  separate  from  the 
wicked  world,  as  Christ  was  separate 
from  all  the  feelings,  purposes,  and  plans 
of  Satan.  He  had  no  participation  in 
them  ;  he  formed  no  union  with  them ; 
and  so  it  should  be  with  the  followers 
of  the  one  in  relation  to  the  followers 
of  the  other.  f  Or  what  part  (/ui^ic). 
Portion,  share,  participation,  fellowship. 
This  word  refers  usually  to  a  division 
of  an  estate.  Luke  x.  42.  Note,  Acts 
viii.  21.  Col.  i.  12.  There  is  no  par- 
ticipation ;  nothing  in  common,  f  He 
that  believeth.  A  Christian ;  a  man 
the  characteristic  of  whom  it  is  that  he 
believes  on  the  Lord  Jesus.  |  With 
an  infidel.  A  man  who  does  not  be- 
lieve— whether  a  heathen  idolater,  a 
profane  man,  a  scoffer,  a  philosopher, 
a  man  of  science,  a  moral  man,  or  a 
son  or  daughter  of  gayety.  The  idea 
is,  that  on  the  subject  of  religion  there 


the  temple  of  God  with  idols  ? 
for  ye  a  are  the  temple  of  the 
living  God ;  as  God   hath  said, 

a  1  Co.  3.  16,  17 ;  6.  19.     Ep.  2.  21,  22. 


is  no  union  ;  nothing  in  common ;  no 
participation.  They  are  governed  by 
different  principles  ;  have  different  feel- 
ings ;  are  looking  to  different  rewards  ; 
and  are  tending  to  a  different  destiny. 
The  believer,  therefore,  should  not  select 
his  partner  in  life  and  his  chosen  com- 
panions and  friends  from  this  class,  but 
from  those  with  whom  he  has  sympathy, 
and  with  whom  he  has  common  feelings 
and  hopes. 

16.  And  what  agreement  (wyx.*- 
rd&etrt;).  Assent,  accord,  agreement; 
what  putting  or  laying  down  together 
is  there  1  What  is  there  in  one  that  re- 
sembles the  other.  J  The  temple  of 
God.  What  has  a  temple  of  God  to 
do  with  idol  worship  ]  It  is  erected  for 
a  different  purpose,  and  the  worship  of 
idols  in  it  would  not  be  tolerated.  It  is 
implied  here  that  Christians  are  them- 
selves the  temple  of  God,  a  fact  which 
Paul  proceeds  immediately  to  illustrate, 
and  that  it  is  as  absurd  for  them  to  min- 
gle with  the  infidel  world  as  it  would 
be  to  erect  the  image  of  a  heathen  god 
in  the  temple  of  Jehovah.  This  is 
strong  language,  and  we  cannot  but 
admire  the  energy  and  copiousness  of 
the  expressions  used  by  Paul,  "  which 
cannot,"  says  Bloomfield,  "be  easily 
paralleled  in  the  best  classical  writers." 
%  With  idols.  Those  objects  which 
God  hates,  and  on  which  he  cannot 
look  but  with  abhorrence.  The  sense 
is,  that  for  Christians  to  mingle  with  the 
sinful  world ;  to  partake  of  their  plea- 
sures, pursuits,  and  follies,  is  as  detesta- 
ble and  hateful  in  the  sight  of  God  as  if 
his  temple  were  profaned  by  erecting  a 
deformed,  and  shapeless,  and  senseless 
block  in  it  as  an  object  of  worship.  And, 
assuredly,  if  Christians  had  such  a  sense 
of  the  abomination  of  mingling  with  the 
world,  they  would  feel  the  obligation  to 
be  separate  and  pure.  %  For  ye  are 
the  temple  of  the  living  God.  See  this 
explained  in  the  Notes  on  1  Cor.  iii.  16, 


156 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


•  I  will  dwell  in  them,  and  walk 
in  them;  and  I  will  be  their 
God,  and  they  shall  be  my  peo- 
ple. 

o  Ex.29.  45.    Le.  26.  12.    Je.  31.  1,33; 
32,  35.    Ez.  11.  20 ;  36.  28 ;  37.  26,  27. 

17.  The  idea  is,  that  as  God  dwells 
with  his  people,  they  ought  to  be  sepa- 
rated from  a  sinful  and  polluted  world. 
1  As  God  hath  said.  The  words  here 
quoted  are  taken  substantially  from 
Ex.  xxxix.  45.  Lev.  xxvi.  12.  Ezek. 
xxxvii.  27.  They  are  not  literally  quoted, 
but  Paul  has  thrown  together  the  sub- 
stance of  what  occurs  in  several  places. 
The  sense,  however,  is  the  same  as 
occurs  in  the  places  referred  to.  f  / 
will  dwell  in  them  (svowc»Va>).  I 
will  take  up  my  indwelling  in  them. 
There  is  an  allusion  doubtless  to  the 
fact  that  he  would  be  present  among  his 
people  by  the  Shechinah,  or  the  visi- 
ble symbol  of  his  presence.  See  Note 
on  1  Cor.  iii.  16,  17.  Tt  implies,  when 
used  with  reference  to  Christians,  that 
the  Holy  Spirit  would  abide  with  them, 
and  that  the  blessing  of  God  would 
attend  them.  See  Rom.  viii.  Col. 
iii.  16.  2  Tim.  i.  14.  f  And  walk  in 
them.  That  is,  I  will  walk  among  them. 
I  will  be  one  of  their  number.  He  was 
present  among  the  Jews  by  the  public 
manifestation  of  his  presence  by  a  sym- 
bol ;  he  is  present  with  Christians  by 
the  presence  and  guidance  of  his  Holy 
Spirit.  J  And  I  will  be  their  God. 
Not  only  the  God  whom  they  worship, 
but  the  God  who  will  protect  and  bless 
them.  I  will  take  them  under  my  pecu- 
liar protection,  and  they  shall  enjoy  my 
favour.  This  is  certainly  as  true  of 
Christians  as  it  was  of  the  Jews,  and 
Paul  has  not  departed  from  the  spirit 
of  the  promise  in  applying  it  to  the 
Christian  character.  His  object  in 
quoting  these  passages  is,  to  impress  on 
Christians  the  solemnity  and  importance 
of  the  truth  that  God  dwelt  among  them 
and  with  them ;  that  they  were  under 
his  care  and  protection  ;  that  they  be- 
longed to  him,  and  that  they  therefore 
should  be  separate  from  the  world. 


17  Wherefore  *  come  out  from 
among  them,  and  be  ye  separate, 
saith  the  Lord,  and  touch  not  the 
unclean  thing;  and  I  will  re- 
ceive you, 

b  Is.  52.  11.    c.  7.1.    Re.  18.4. 


17.  Wherefore.  Since  you  are  a  pe- 
culiar people.  Since  God,  the  holy  and 
blessed  God,  dwells  with  you  and  among 
you.  1  Come  out  from  among  them. 
That  is,  from  among  idolaters  and  un- 
believers; from  a  gay  and  vicious  world. 
These  words  are  taken,  by  a  slight 
change,  from  Isaiah  Hi.  11.  They  are 
there  applied  to  the  Jews  in  Babylon, 
and  are  a  solemn  call  which  God  makes 
on  them  to  leave  the  place  of  their  exile, 
to  come  out  from  among  the  idolaters 
of  that  city  and  return  to  their  own 
land.  See  my  Note  on  that  place. 
Babylon,  in  the  Scriptures,  is  the  em- 
blem of  whatever  is  proud,  arrogant, 
wicked,  and  opposed  to  God  ;  and  Paul, 
therefore,  applies  the  words  here  with 
great  beauty  and  force  to  illustrate  the 
duty  of  Christians  in  separating  them- 
selves from  a  vain,  idolatrous,  and  wick- 
ed world.  1  And  he  ye  separate. 
Separate  from  the  world,  and  all  its  cor- 
rupting influences.  1  Saith  the  Lord. 
See  Isaiah  Iii.  11.  Paul  does  not  use 
this  language  as  if  it  had  original  refer- 
ence to  Christians,  but  he  applies  it  as 
containing  an  important  principle  that 
was  applicable  to  the  case  which  he  was 
considering,  or  as  language  that  would 
appropriately  express  the  idea  which  he 
wished  to  convey.  The  language  of 
the  Old  Testament  is  often  used  in  this 
manner  by  the  writers  of  the  New. 
f  And  touch  not  the  unclean  thing. 
In  Isaiah,  "  touch  no  unclean  thing  ;" 
that  is,  they  were  to  be  pure,  and  to 
have  no  connexion  with  idolatry  in  any 
of  its  forms.  So  Christians  were  to 
avoid  all  unholy  contact  with  a  vain  and 
polluted  world.  The  sense  is,  '.  Have 
no  close  connexion  with  an  idolater,  or 
an  unholy  person.  Be  pure ;  and  feel 
that  you  belong  to  a  community  that  is 
under  its  own  laws,  and  that  is  to  be 
distinguished  in  moral  purity  from  all 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


157 


18  And  °  will  be  a  Father  un- 
to you,  and  ye  shall  be  my  sons 

oJe.  31.  9.    Re.  21.7. 


and    daughters,  saith  the  Lord 
Almighty. 


the  rest  of  the  world.'  t  And  I  will 
receive  you.  That  is,  I  will  receive  and 
recognise  you  as  my  friends  and  my 
adopted  children.  This  could  not  be 
done  until  they  were  separated  from  an 
idolatrous  and  wicked  world.  The  fact 
of  their  being  received  by  God,  and 
recognised  as  his  children,  depended 
on  their  coming  out  from  the  world. 
These  words  with  the  verse  following, 
though  used  evidently  somewhat  in 
the  form  of  a  quotation,  yet  are  not 
to  be  found  in  any  single  place  in  the 
Old  Testament.  In  2  Sam.  vii.  14. 
God  says  of  Solomon,  "I  will  be  his 
Father,  and  he  shall  be  my  son."  In 
Jer.  xxxi.  9,  God  says,  "  For  I  am  a 
Father  to  Israel,  and  Ephraim  is  my 
first-born."  It  is  probable  that  Paul  had 
such  passages  in  his  eye,  yet  he  doubt- 
less designed  rather  to  express  the  gene- 
ral sense  of  the  promises  of  the  Old 
Testament  than  to  quote  any  single 
passage.  Or  why  may  it  not  be  that 
we  should  regard  Paul  here  himself  as 
speaking  as  an  inspired  man  directly, 
and  making  a  promise  then  first  com- 
municated immediately  from  the  Lord  ? 
Paul  was  inspired  as  well  as  the 
prophets  ;  and  it  may  be  that  he  meant 
to  communicate  a  promise  directly  from 
God.  Grotius  supposes  that  it  was  not 
taken  from  any  particular  place  in  the 
Old  Testament,  but  was  a  part  of  a 
hymn  that  was  in  use  among  the  He- 
brews. 

1 8.  And  I  will  be  a  Father  unto  you. 
A  father  is  the  protector,  counsellor, 
and  guide  of  his  children.  He  in- 
structs them,  provides  for  them,  and 
counsels  them  in  time  of  perplexity. 
No  relation  is  more  tender  than  this. 
In  accordance  with  this,  God  says,  that 
he  will  be  to  his  people  their  protector, 
counsellor,  guide,  and  friend.  He  will 
cherish  towards  them  the  feelings  of  a 
father ;  he  will  provide  for  them,  he  will 
acknowledge  them  as  his  children.  No 
higher  honour  can  be  conferred  on  mor- 
tals than  to  be  adopted  into  the  family 
14 


of  God,  and  to  be  permitted  to  call  the 
Most  High  our  Father.  No  rank  is  so 
elevated  as  that  of  being  the  sons  and 
the  daughters  of  the  Lord  Almighty. 
Yet  this  is  the  common  appellation  by 
which  God  addresses  his  people;  and 
the  most  humble  in  rank,  the  most  poor 
and  ignorant  of  his  friends  on  earth, 
the  most  despised  among  men,  may  re- 
flect that  they  are  the  children  of  the 
ever  living  God,  and  have  the  Maker  of 
the  heavens  and  the  earth  as  their  Father 
and  their  eternal  Friend.  How  poor  are 
all  the  honours  of  the  world  compared 
with  this !  If  The  Lord  Almighty. 
The  word  here  used  (sravrcx^aT^)  oc- 
curs nowhere  except  in  this  place 
and  in  the  book  of  Revelation.  Rev. 
i.  8 ;  iv.  8  ;  xi.  17  ;  xv.  3  ;  xvi.  7.  14  ; 
xix.  6.  16  ;  xxi.22.  It  means  one  who 
has  all  power ;  and  is  applied  to  God 
in  contradistinction  from  idols  that  are 
weak  and  powerless.  God  is  able  to 
protect  his  people,  and  they  who  put 
their  trust  in  him  shall  never  be  con- 
founded. What  has  he  to  fear  who  has 
a  friend  of  almighty  power  ] 

REMARKS. 

1.  It  is  right  and  proper  to  exhort 
Christians  not  to  receive  the  grace  of 
God  in  vain.  ver.  I.  Even  they  some- 
times abuse  their  privileges ;  become 
neglectful  of  the  mercy  of  God  ;  under- 
value the  truths  of  religion,  and  do  not 
make  as  much  as  they  should  do  of  the 
glorious  truths  that  are  fitted  to  sanctify 
and  to  save.  Every  Christian  should 
endeavour  to  make  just  as  much  as 
possible  of  his  privileges,  and  to  become 
just  as  eminent  as  he  can  possibly  be 

in  his  Christian  profession. 

2.  The  benefits  of  salvation  to  this 
world  come  through  the  intercession 
of  Jesus  Christ,  ver.  2.  It  is  because 
God  is  pleased  to  hear  him  ;  because  he 
calls  on  God  in  an  accepted  time  that 
we  have  any  hope  of  pardon.  The 
sinner  enjoys  no  offer  of  mercy,  and  no 
possibility  of  pardon  except  what  he 


158 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


LA.  D.  60. 


owes  to  Jesus  Christ.  Should  he  cease 
to  plead  for  men,  the  offers  of  salvation 
would  be  withdrawn,  and  the  race  would 
perish  forever. 

3.  The  world  is  under  a  dispensation 
of  mercy,  ver.  2.  Men  may  be  saved. 
God  is  willing  to  show  compassion,  and 
to  rescue  them  from  ruin. 

4.  How  important  is  the  present  mo- 
ment !  ver.  2.  How  important  is  each 
moment !  It  may  be  the  last  period  of 
mercy.  No  sinner  can  calculate  with 
any  certainty  on  another  instant  of  time. 
God  holds  his  breath,  and  with  infinite 
ease  he  can  remove  him  to  eternity. 
Eternal  results  hang  on  the  present — 
the  fleeting  moment,  and  yet  how  un- 
concerned are  the  mass  of  men  about 
their  present  condition  ;  how  unanxious 
about  what  may  possibly  or  probably 
occur  the  next  moment!  Now,  the 
sinner  may  be  pardoned.  The  next 
moment  he  may  be  beyond  the  reach 
of  forgiveness.  This  instant,  the  bliss 
of  heaven  is  offered  him;  the  next,  he 
may  be  solemnly  excluded  from  hope 
and  heaven  ! 

5.  The  ministers  of  the  gospel  should 
give  no  occasion  of  offence  to  any  one. 
ver.  3.  On  each  one  of  them  depends 
a  portion  of  the  honour  of  the  ministry 
in  this  world,  and  of  the  honour  of  Jesus 
Christ  among  men.  How  solemn  is 
this  responsibility !  How  pure,  and 
holy,  and  unblameable  should  they  be ! 

6.  Ministers  and  all  Christians  should 
be  willing  to  suffer  in  the  cause  of  the 
Redeemer,  ver.  4,  5.  If  the  early  minis- 
ters and  other  Christians  were  called  to 
endure  the  pains  of  imprisonment  and 
persecution  for  the  honour  of  the  gos- 
pel, assuredly  we  should  be  willing 
also  to  suffer.  Why  should  there  be 
any  more  reason  for  their  suffering 
than  for  ours  1 

7.  We  see  what  our  religion  has  cost. 
ver.  4,  5.  It  has  come  down  to  us 
through  suffering.  All  the  privileges 
that  we  enjoy  have  been  the  fruit  of  toil, 
and  blood,  and  tears,  and  sighs.  The 
best  blood  in  human  veins  has  flowed  to 
procure  these  blessings ;  the  holiest  men 
on  earth  have  wept,  and  been  scourged, 
and   tortured,   that  we   might   possess 


these  privileges.  What  thanks  should 
we  give  to  God  for  all  this  !  How 
highly  should  we  prize  the  religion  that 
has  cost  so  much ! 

8.  In  trial  we  should  evince  such  a 
spirit  as  not  to  dishonour,  but  to  honour 
our  religion,  ver.  3 — 5.  This  is  as  in 
cumbent  on  all  Christians  as  it  is  on 
ministers  of  the  gospel.  It  is  in  such 
scenes  that  the  reality  of  religion  is 
tested.  It  is  then  that  its  power  is  seen. 
It  is  then  that  its  value  may  be  known. 
Christians  and  Christian  ministers  often 
do  good  in  circumstances  of  poverty, 
persecution,  and  sickness,  which  they 
never  do  in  health,  and  in  popular 
favour,  and  in  prosperity.  And  God 
often  places  his  people  in  trial  that  they 
may  do  good  then,  expecting  that  they 
will  accomplish  more  then  than  they 
could  in  prosperous  circumstances. 
They  whose  aim  it  is  to  do  good  have 
often  occasion  to  bless  God  that  they 
were  subjected  to  trial.  Bunyan  wrote 
the  "  Pilgrim's  Progress"  in  a  dungeon ; 
and  almost  all  the  works  of  Baxter  were 
written  when  he  was  suffering  under 
persecution,  and  forbidden  to  preach  the 
gospel.  The  devil  is  often  foiled  in  this 
way.  He  persecutes  and  opposes  Chris- 
tians ;  and  on  the  rack  and  at  the  stake 
they  do  most  to  destroy  his  kingdom ; 
he  throws  them  into  dungeons,  and  they 
make  books  which  go  down  even  to  the 
millennium,  making  successful  war  on 
the  empire  of  darkness.  Christians, 
therefore,  should  esteem  it  a  privilege 
to  be  permitted  to  suffer  on  account  of 
Christ.  Phil.  i.  29. 

9.  If  ministers  and  other  Christiana 
do  any  good  they  must  be  pure.  ver.  6, 
7.  The  gospel  is  to  be  commended  by 
pureness,  and  knowledge,  and  the  word 
of  truth,  and  the  armour  of  righteous- 
ness. It  is  in  this  way  that  they  are  to 
meet  opposition  ;  in  this  way  that  they 
are  to  propagate  their  sentiments.  No 
man  need  expect  to  do  good  in  the  mi- 
nistry or  as  a  private  Christian,  who  is 
not  a  holy  man.  No  man  who  is  a  holy 
man  can  help  doing  good.  It  will  be 
a  matter  of  course  that  he  will  shed  a 
healthful  moral  influence  around  him. 
And  he  will  no  more  live  without  effect 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


159 


than  the  sun  sheds  its  steady  beams  on 
the  earth  without  effect.  His  influence 
may  be  very  noiseless  and  still,  like  the 
sun-beams  or  the  dew,  but  it  will  be 
felt  in  the  world.  Wicked  men  can 
resist  any  thing  else  better  than  they 
can  a  holy  example.  They  can  make 
a  mock  of  preaching  ;  they  can  deride 
exhortation ;  they  can  throw  away  a 
tract ;  they  can  burn  the  Bible ;  but 
what  can  they  do  against  a  holy  exam- 
ple "?  No  more  than  they  can  against 
the  vivifying  and  enlightening  beams 
of  the  sun ;  and  a  man  who  leads  a  holy 
life  cannot  help  doing  good,  and  cannot 
be  prevented  from  doing  good. 

10.  They  who  are  Christians  must 
expect  to  meet  with  much  dishonour, 
and  to  be  subjected  often  to  the  influ- 
ence of  evil  report,  ver.  8.  The  world 
is  unfriendly  to  religion,  and  its  friends 
must  never  be  surprised  if  their  motives 
are  impeached,  and  their  names  calum- 
niated. 

11.  Especially  is  this  the  case  with 
ministers,  ver.  8.  They  should  make 
up  their  minds  to  it,  and  they  should 
not  suppose  that  any  strange  thing  had 
happened  to  them  if  they  are  called  thus 
to  suffer. 

12.  They  who  are  about  to  make  a 
profession  of  religion,  and  they  who 
are  about  entering  on  the  work  of  the 
ministry,  or  who  are  agitating  the  ques- 
tion whether  they  should  be  ministers, 
should  ask  themselves  whether  they  are 
prepared  for  this.  They  should  count 
the  cost ;  nor  should  they  either  make 
a  profession  of  religion  or  think  of  the 
ministry  as  a  profession,  unless  they  are 
willing  to  meet  with  dishonour,  and  to 
go  through  evil  report ;  to  be  poor  (ver. 
10),  and  to  be  despised  and  persecuted, 
or  to  die  in  the  cause  which  they 
embrace. 

13.  Religion  has  power  to  sustain  the 
soul  in  trials,  ver.  10.  Why  should  he 
be  sad  who  has  occasion  to  rejoice 
always  ?  Why  should  he  deem  him- 
self poor,  though  he  has  slender  earthly 
possessions,  who  is  able  to  make  many 
rich  ]  Why  should  he  be  melancholy 
as  if  he  had  nothing,  who  has  Christ  as 


his  portion,  and  who  is  an  heir  of  all 
things  1  Let  not  the  poor,  who  are  rich 
in  faith,  despond  as  though  they  had 
nothing.  They  have  a  treasure  which 
gold  cannot  purchase,  and  which  will 
be  of  infinite  value  when  all  other  trea- 
sure fails.  He  that  has  an  everlasting 
inheritance  in  heaven  cannot  be  called 
a  poor  man.  And  he  that  can  look  to 
such  an  inheritance  should  not  be  un- 
willing to  part  with  his  earthly  posses- 
sions. Those  who  seem  to  be  most 
wealthy  are  often  the  poorest  of  mortals ; 
and  those  who  seem  to  be  poor,  or 
who  are  in  humble  circumstances,  often 
have  an  enjoyment  of  even  this  world 
which  is  unknown  in  the  palaces  and 
at  the  tables  of  the  great.  They  look 
on  all  things  as  the  work  of  thein 
Father ;  and  in  their  humble  dwellings, 
and  with  their  humble  fare,  they  have 
an  enjoyment  of  the  bounties  of  their 
heavenly  Benefactor,  which  is  not  ex 
perienced  often  in  the  dwellings  of  the 
great  and  the  rich. 

14.  A  people  should  render  to  & 
minister  and  a  pastor  a  return  of  love 
and  confidence  that  shall  be  propor 
tionate  to  the  love  which  is  shown  to  ' 
them.  ver.  1 2.  This  is  but  a  reasonable 
and  fair  requital,  and  this  is  necessary 
not  only  to  the  comfort,  but  to  the  suc- 
cess of  a  minister.  What  good  can  he 
do  unless  he  has  the  affections  and  con- 
fidence of  his  people  ] 

15.  The  compensation  or  recompense 
which  a  minister  has  a  right  to  expect 
and  require  for  arduous  toil  is,  that  his 
people  should  be  "enlarged"  in  love 
towards  him,  and  that  they  should  yield 
themselves  to  the  laws  of  the  Redeemer, 
and  be  separate  from  the  world,  ver.  13. 
And  this  is  an  ample  reward.  It  is 
what  he  seeks,  what  he  prays  for,  what 
he  most  ardently  desires.  If  he  is  worthy 
of  his  office,  he  will  seek  not  theirs  but 
them  (2  Cor.  xii.  14),  and  he  will  be 
satisfied  for  all  his  toils  if  he  sees  them 
walking  in  the  truth  (3  John  4),  and 
showing  in  their  lives  the  pure  and 
elevated  principles  of  the  gospel  which 
they  profess  to  love. 

1 6.  The  welfare  of  religion  depends  on 


)G0 


II    CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60, 


the  fact  that  Christians  should  be  sepa- 
rate from  a  vain,  and  gay,  and  wicked 
world,  ver.  14 — 16.  Why  should  they 
partake  of  those  things  in  which  they 
can,  if  Christians,  have  nothing  in  com- 
mon] Why  attempt  to  mingle  light 
with  darkness  ?  to  form  a  compact 
between  Christ  and  Belial  1  or  to  set 
up  a  polluted  idol  in  the  temple  of 
the  living  God  1  The  truth  is,  there 
are  great  and  eternal  principles  in  the 
gospel  which  should  not  be  surrendered, 
and  which  cannot  be  broken  down. 
Christ  intended  to  set  up  a  kingdom 
that  should  be  unlike  the  kingdoms  of 
this  world.  And  he  designed  that  his 
people  should  be  governed  by  different 
principles  from  the  people  of  this  world. 

17.  They  who  are  about  to  make 
a  profession  of  religion  should  resolve 
to  separate  themselves  from  the  world. 
ver.  14, 15.  Religion  cannot  exist  where 
there  is  no  such  separation,  and  they 
who  are  unwilling  to  forsake  infidel 
companions  and  the  gay  amusements 
and  vanities  of  life,  and  to  find  their 
chosen  friends  and  pleasures  among 
the  people  of  God,  can  have  no  evi- 
dence that  they  are  Christians.  The 
world  with  all  its  wickedness  and  its 
gay  pleasures  must  be  forsaken,  and 
there  must  be  an  effectual  line  drawn 
between  the  friends  of  God  and  the 
friends  of  sin. 

Let  us,  then,  who  profess  to  be  the 
friends  of  the  Redeemer  remember  how 
pure  and  holy  we  should  be.  It  should 
not  be  indeed  with  the  spirit  of  the 
Pharisee  ;  it  should  not  be  with  a  spirit 
that  will  lead  us  to  say  "  stand  by,  for  I 
am  holier  than  thou ;"  but  it  should  be, 
while  we  discharge  all  our  duties  to  our 
impenitent  friends,  and  while  in  all  our 
intercourse  with  the  world  we  should 
be  honest  and  true,  and  while  we  do  not 
refuse  to  mingle  with  them  as  neigh- 
bours and  citizens  as  far  as  we  can 
without  compromitting  Christian  princi- 
ples, still  our  chosen  friends  and  our 
dearest  friendships  should  be  with  the 
people  of  God.  For,  his  friends  should 
be  our  friends ;  our  happiness  should 
be  with  them,  and  the  world  should  see 
that  we  prefer  the  friends  of  the  Re- 


deemer to  the  friends  of  gayety,  ambi- 
tion, and  sin. 

18.  Christians  are  the  holy  temple 
of  God.  ver.  16.  How  pure  should  they 
be  !  How  free  should  they  be  from  sin ! 
How  careful  to  maintain  consciences 
void  of  offence ! 

19.  What  an  inestimable  privilege  it 
is  to  be  a  Christian  !  (ver.  18)  ;  to  be  a 
child  of  God  !  to  feel  that  he  is  a  Father 
and  a  Friend  !  to  feel  that  though  we 
may  be  forsaken  by  all  others ;  though 
poor  and  despised,  yet  there  is  one 
who  never  forsakes ;  one  who  never 
forgets  that  he  has  sons  and  daughters 
dependent  on  him,  and  who  need 
his  constant  care.  Compared  with 
this,  how  small  the  honour  of  being 
permitted  to  call  the  rich  our  friends,  or 
to  be  regarded  as  the  sons  or  daughters 
of  nobles  and  of  princes !  Let  the 
Christian  then  most  highly  prize  his 
privileges,  and  feel  that  he  is  raised 
above  all  the  elevations  of  rank  and 
honour  which  this  world  can  bestow. 
All  these  shall  fade  away,  and  the  high- 
est and  the  lowest  shall  meet  on  the 
same  level  in  the  grave,  and  alike  return 
to  dust.  But  the  elevation  of  the  child 
of  God  shall  only  begin  to  be  visible  and 
appreciated  when  all  other  honours  fade 
away. 

20.  Let  all  seek  to  become  the  sons 
and  daughters  of  the  Lord  Almighty.  Let 
us  aspire  to  this  rather  than  to  earthly 
honours ;  let  us  seek  this  rather  than  to 
be  numbered  with  the  rich  and  the  great. 
All  cannot  be  honoured  in  this  world, 
and  fewr  are  they  who  can  be  regarded 
as  belonging  to  elevated  ranks  here. 
But  all  may  be  the  children  of  the 
living  God,  and  be  permitted  to  call 
the  Lord  Almighty  their  Father  and 
their  Friend.  O !  if  men  could  as  easily 
be  permitted  to  call  themselves  the  sons 
of  monarchs  and  princes  ;  if  they  could 
as  easily  be  admitted  to  the  palaces  of 
the  great  and  sit  down  at  their  tables 
as  they  can  enter  heaven,  how  greedily 
would  they  embrace  it !  And  yet  how 
poor  and  paltry  would  be  such  honour 
and  pleasure  compared  with  that  of 
feeling  that  we  are  the  adopted  children 
of  the  great  and  the  eternal  God ! 


A.  D.  60.] 

CHAPTER  VII. 

HAVING    therefore    these  a 
promises,    dearly  beloved, 

a  c.  6.  17, 18.     1  Jno.  3.  3. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


161 


CHAPTER  VII. 

The  first  verse  of  this  chapter  proper- 
ly belongs  to  the  previous  chapter,  and 
should  have  been  attached  to  that.  It 
is  an  exhortation  made  in  view  of  the 
promises  there  referred  to,  to  make  every 
effort  to  obtain  perfect  purity,  and  to  be- 
come entirely  holy. 

In  ver.  2,  3,  he  entreats  the  Corinth- 
ians, in  accordance  with  the  wish  which 
he  had  expressed  in  ch.vi.  13,  to  receive 
him  as  a  teacher,  and  a  spiritual  father ; 
as  a  faithful  apostle  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 
To  induce  them  to  do  this,  he  assures 
them  that  he  had  given  them,  at  no 
time,  any  occasion  of  offence.  He  had 
injured  no  man  ;  he  had  wronged  no 
man.  Possibly  some  might  suppose 
that  he  had  injured  them  by  the  stern- 
ness of  his  requirements  in  forbidding 
them  to  contract  friendships  and  al- 
liances with  infidels ;  or  in  the  case  of 
discipline  in  regard  to  the  incestuous 
person.  But  he  assures  them  that  all 
his  commands  had  been  the  fruit  of  most 
tender  love  for  them,  and  that  he  was 
ready  to  live  and  die  with  them. 

The  remainder  of  the  chapter  (ver. 
4 — 15)  is  occupied  mainly  in  stating  the 
joy  which  he  had  at  the  evidence  which 
they  had  given  that  they  were  ready  to 
obey  his  commands.  He  says,  there- 
fore (ver.  4),  that  he  was  full  of  com- 
fort and  joy ;  and  that  in  all  his  tribu- 
lation, the  evidence  of  their  obedience 
had  given  him  great  and  unfeigned 
satisfaction.  In  order  to  show  them 
the  extent  of  his  joy,  he  gives  a  pa- 
thetic description  of  the  anxiety  of 
mind  which  he  had  on  the  subject ;  his 
troubles  in  Macedonia,  and  particularly 
his  distress  on  not  meeting  with  Titus 
as  he  had  expected,  ver.  5.  But  this 
distress  had  been  relieved  by  his  com- 
ing, and  by  the  evidence  which  was 
furnished  through  him  that  they  were 
ready  to  yield  obedience  to  his  com- 
14* 


let  us  cleanse  b  ourselves  from 
all  filthiness  of  the  flesh  and 
spirit,  perfecting  holiness  in  the 
fear  of  God. 

b  Ps.  51.  10.    Ez.  36.  25,  26.     1  Jno.  1.  7,  9. 


mands.  ver.  6,  7.  This  joy  was  greatly 
increased  by  his  hearing  from  Titus  the 
effect  which  his  former  epistle  to  them 
had  produced,  ver.  8 — 13.  He  had  felt 
deep  anxiety  in  regard  to  that.  He  had 
even  regretted,  it  would  seem  (ver.  8), 
that  he  had  sent  it.  He  had  been  deeply 
pained  at  the  necessity  of  giving  them 
pain.  ver.  8.  But  the  effect  had  been 
all  that  he  had  desired  ;  and  when  he 
learned  from  Titus  the  effect  which  it 
had  produced — the  deep  repentance 
which  they  had  evinced,  and  the 
thorough  reformation  which  had  oc- 
curred (ver.  9 — 11),  he  had  great  occa- 
sion to  rejoice  that  he  had  sent  the 
epistle  to  them.  This  new  and  dis- 
tinguished instance  of  their  obedience 
had  given  him  great  joy,  and  confirmed 
him  in  the  proof  that  they  were  truly 
attached  to  him.  The  apostle  adds,  in 
the  conclusion  of  the  chapter,  that  his 
joy  was  greatly  increased  by  the  joy 
which  Titus  manifested,  and  his  entire 
satisfaction  in  the  conduct  of  the  Co- 
rinthians and  the  treatment  which  he 
had  received  from  them  (ver.  13),  so 
that  though  he,  Paul,  had  often  had 
occasion  to  speak  in  the  kindest  terms  of 
the  Corinthians,  all  that  he  had  ever 
said  in  their  favour  Titus  had  realized 
in  his  own  case  (ver.  14),  and  the  affec- 
tion of  Titus  for  them  had  been  greatly 
increased  by  his  visit  to  them.  ver.  1 5. 
The  whole  chapter,  therefore,  is  emi- 
nently adapted  to  produce  good  feeling 
in  the  minds  of  the  Corinthians  toward 
the  apostle,  and  to  strengthen  the  bonds 
of  their  mutual  attachment. 

1.  Having  therefore  these  promises. 
The  promises  referred  to  in  ch.  vi.  17, 
18  ;  the  promise  that  God  would  be  a 
Father,  a  protector,  and  a  friend.  The 
idea  is,  that  as  we  have  a  promise  that 
God  would  dwell  in  us,  that  he  would 
be  our  God,  that  he  would  be  to  us  a 
father,  we  should  remove  from  us  what 


J  62 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


ever  s  offensive  in  his  sight,  and  become 
perfectly  holy.  %  Let  us  cleanse  our- 
selves. Let  us  purify  ourselves.  Paul 
was  not  afraid  to  bring  into  view  the 
agency  of  Christians  themselves  in  the 
work  of  salvation.  He,  therefore,  says, 
'let  us  purify  ourselves,1  as  if  Christians 
had  much  to  do  ;  as  if  their  own  agency 
was  to  be  employed  ;  and  as  if  their 
purifying  was  dependent  on  their  own 
efforts.  While  it  is  true  that  all  purify- 
ing influence  and  all  holiness  proceeds 
from  God,  it  is  also  true  that  the  effect 
of  all  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
is  to  excite  us  to  diligence  to  purify  our 
own  hearts,  and  to  urge  us  to  make 
strenuous  efforts  to  overcome  our  own 
sins.  He  who  expects  to  be  made  pure 
without  any  effort  of  his  own  will  never 
become  pure;  and  he  who  ever  becomes 
holy  will  become  so  in  consequence 
of  strenuous  efforts  to  resist  the  evil  of 
his  own  heart,  and  to  become  like  God. 
The  argument  here  is,  that  we  have  the 
promises  of  God  to  aid  us.  We  do  not 
go  about  the  work  in  our  own  strength. 
It  is  not  a  work  in  which  we  are  to  have 
no  aid.  But  it  is  a  work  which  God 
desires,  and  where  he  will  give  us  all 
the  aid  which  we  need.  \  From  all 
filthiness  of  the  flesh.  The  noun  here 
used  (fAoxva-fAoc)  occurs  nowhere  else  in 
the  New  Testament.  The  verb  occurs 
in  1  Cor.  viii.  7.  Rev.  Hi.  4 ;  xiv.  4,  and 
means  to  stain,  defile,  pollute,  as  a 
garment;  and  the  word  here  used  means 
a  soiling,  hence  defilement,  pollution, 
and  refers  to  the  defiling  and  corrupting 
influence  of  fleshly  desires  and  carnal 
appetites.  The  filthiness  of  the  flesh 
here  denotes  evidently  the  gross  and 
corrupt  appetites  and  passions  of  the 
body,  including  all  such  actions  of  all 
kinds  as  are  inconsistent  with  the  virtue 
and  purity  with  which  the  body,  re- 
garded as  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
should  be  kept  holy — all  such  passions 
and  appetites  as  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God 
would  not  produce.  %  And  Spirit. 
By  '  filthiness  of  the  spirit,'  the  apostle 
means,  probably,  all  the  thoughts  or 
mental  associations  that  defile  the  man. 
Thus  the  Saviour  (Matt.  xv.  19)  speaks 
of  evil  thoughts,  &c.  that  proceed  out 


of  the  heart,  and  that  pollute  the  man. 
And  probably  Paul  here  includes  all 
the  sins  and  passions  which  appertain 
particularly  to  mind  or  to  the  soul  rather 
than  to  carnal  appetites,  such  as  the 
desire  of  revenge,  pride,  avarice,  ambi- 
tion, &c.  These  are  in  themselves  as 
polluting  and  defiling  as  the  gross  sen- 
sual pleasures.  They  stand  as  much  in 
the  way  of  sanctification,  they  are  as 
offensive  to  God,  and  they  prove  as 
certainly  that  the  heart  is  depraved  as 
the  grossest  sensual  passions.  The 
main  difference  is,  that  they  are  more 
decent  in  the  external  appearance ;  they 
can  be  better  concealed ;  they  are  usually 
indulged  by  a  more  elevated  class  in 
society  ;  but  they  are  not  the  less  offen- 
sive to  God.  It  may  be  added,  also, 
that  they  are  often  conjoined  in  the 
same  person  ;  and  that  the  man  who  is 
defiled  in  his  "  spirit"  is  often  a  man 
most  corrupt  and  sensual  in  his  "  flesh." 
Sin  sweeps  with  a  desolating  influence 
through  the  whole  frame,  and  it  usually 
leaves  no  part  unaffected,  though  some 
part  may  be  more  deeply  corrupted  than 
others.  %  Perfecting.  This  word 
(iTrirsxouvTic )  means  properly  to  bring  to 
an  end,  to  finish,  complete.  The  idea 
here  is,  that  of  carrying  it  out  to  the 
completion.  Holiness  had  been  com- 
menced in  the  heart,  and  the  exhortation 
of  the  apostle  is,  that  they  should  make 
every  effort  that  it  might  be  complete 
in  all  its  parts.  He  does  not  say  that 
this  work  of  perfection  had  ever  been 
accomplished — nor  does  he  say  that  it 
had  not  been.  He  only  urges  the  obli- 
gation to  make  an  effort  to  be  entirely 
holy  ;  and  this  obligation  is  not  affected 
by  the  inquiry  whether  any  one  has  been 
or  has  not  been  perfect.  It  is  an  obli- 
gation which  results  from  the  nature  of 
the  law  of  God  and  his  unchangeable 
claims  on  the  soul.  The  fact  that  no 
one  has  been  perfect  does  not  relax  the 
claim ;  the  fact  that  no  one  will  be  in 
this  life  does  not  weaken  the  obligation. 
It  proves  only  the  deep  and  dreadful 
depravity  of  the  human  heart,  and 
should  humble  us  under  the  stubbornness 
of  guilt.  The  obligation  to  be  perfect 
is  one  that  is  unchangeable  and  eternal 


A.  n  60.] 


CHAPTER  VII. 


163 


2  Receive  us ;  we  have  wrong- 
ed no  man,  we  have  corrupted 


See  Matt.  v.  48.  1  Pet.  i.  15.  Tindal 
renders  this,  "  and  grow  up  to  full  holi- 
ness in  the  fear  of  God."  The  unceas- 
ing and  steady  aim  of  every  Christian 
should  be  perfection — perfection  in  all 
things — in  the  love  of  God,  of  Christ, 
of  man ;  perfection  of  heart,  and  feel- 
ing, and  emotion;  perfection  in  his 
words,  and  plans,  and  dealings  with 
men ;  perfection  in  his  prayers,  and  in 
his  submission  to  the  will  of  God.  No 
man  can  be  a  Christian  who  does  not 
sincerely  desire  it,  and  who  does  not 
constantly  aim  at  it.  No  man  is  a  friend 
of  God  who  can  acquiesce  in  a  state  of 
sin,  and  who  is  satisfied  and  contented 
that  he  is  not  as  holy  as  God  is  holy. 
And  any  man  who  has  no  desire  to  be 
perfect  as  God  is,  and  who  does  not 
make  it  his  daily  and  constant  aim  to 
be  as  perfect  as  God,  may  set  it  down  as 
demonstrably  certain  that  he  has  no 
true  religion.  How  can  a  man  be  a 
Christian  who  is  willing  to  acquiesce 
in  a  state  of  sin,  and  who  does  not  de- 
sire to  be  just  like  his  Master  and  Lord  1 
Tf  In  the  fear  of  God.  Out  of  fear  and 
reverence  of  God.  From  a  regard  to 
his  commands,  and  a  reverence  for  his 
name.  The  idea  seems  to  be,  that  we 
are  always  in  the  presence  of  God ;  we 
are  professedly  under  his  law ;  and  we 
sheuld  be  awed  and  restrained  by  a 
sense  of  his  presence  from  the  com- 
mission of  sin,  and  from  indulgence  in 
the  pollutions  of  the  flesh  and  spirit. 
There  are  many  sins  that  the  presence 
of  a  child  will  restrain  a  man  from  com- 
mitting ;  and  how  should  the  conscious 
presence  of  a  holy  God  keep  us  from 
sin  !  If  the  fear  of  man  or  of  a  child 
will  restrain  us,  and  make  us  attempt 
to  be  holy  and  pure,  how  should  the 
fear  of  the  all-present  and  the  all-seeing 
God  keep  us  not  only  from  outward  sins, 
but  from  polluted  thoughts  and  unholy 
desires ! 

2.  Receive  us.     Tindal  renders  this, 
"  understand  us."    The  word  here  used 


no  man,  a  we  have  defrauded  no 
man. 

a  1  Sa.  12.  3,  4.    Ac.  20.  33.    c.  12.  17. 


(yagfra?*)  means  properly,  give  space, 
place,  or  room  ;  and  it  means  here  evi- 
dently, make  place  or  room  for  us  in 
your  affections ;  that  is,  admit  or  receive 
us  as  your  friends.  It  is  an  earnest 
entreaty  that  they  would  do  what  he 
had  exhorted  them  to  do  in  ch.  vi.  13. 
See  Note  on  that  verse.  From  that  he 
had  digressed  in  the  close  of  the  last 
chapter.  He  here  returns  to  the  subject, 
and  asks  an  interest  in  their  affections 
and  their  love.  |  We  have  wronged  no 
man.  We  have  done  injustice  to  no 
man.  This  is  given  as  a  reason  why 
they  should  admit  him  to  their  full  confi- 
dence and  affection.  It  is  not  improba- 
ble that  he  had  been  charged  with 
injuring  the  incestuous  person  by  the 
severe  discipline  which  he  had  found  it 
necessary  to  inflict  on  him.  Note  1  Cor. 
v.  5.  This  charge  would  not  impro- 
bably be  brought  against  him  by  the 
false  teachers  in  Corinth.  But  Paul 
here  says,  that  whatever  was  the  se- 
verity of  the  discipline,  he  was  conscious 
of  having  done  injury  to  no  member  of 
that  church.  It  is  possible,  however, 
that  he  does  not  here  refer  to  any  such 
charge,  but  that  he  says  in  general  that 
he  had  done  no  injury,  and  that  there  was 
no  reason  why  they  should  not  receive 
him  to  their  entire  confidence.  It  argues 
great  consciousness  of  integrity  when  a 
man  who  has  spent  a  considerable  time, 
as  Paul  had,  with  others,  is  able  to  say 
that  he  had  wronged  no  man  in  any 
way.  Paul  could  not  have  made  this 
solemn  declaration  unless  he  was  cer- 
tain he  had  lived  a  very  blameless  life. 
Comp.  Acts  xx.  33.  J  We  have  cor- 
rupted no  man.  This  means  that  he 
had  corrupted  no  man  in  his  morals, 
either  by  his  precept  or  his  example. 
The  word  (p.5h/ga>)  means  in  general  to 
bring  into  a  worse  state  or  condition, 
and  is  very  often  applied  to  morals.  The 
idea  is,  here,  that  Paul  had  not  by  his 
precept  or  example  made  any  man  the 
worse.   He  had  not  corrupted  his  princi- 


164 


H.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


3  I  speak  not  this  to  condemn 
you;  for  I  have  said  "before, 
that  ye  are  in  our  hearts  to  die 
and  live  with  you, 

4  Great   is  my  boldness   of 

a  c.  6.  11,  12. 

pies  or  his  habits,  or  led  him  into  sin. 
%  We  have  defrauded  no  man.  We 
have  taken  no  man's  property  by  cun- 
ning, by  trick,  or  by  deception.  The 
word  7rXKvtx.Tiai  means  literally  to  have 
more  than  another,  and  then  to  take 
advantage,  to  seek  unlawful  gain,  to 
circumvent,  defraud,  deceive.  The  idea 
is,  that  Paul  had  taken  advantage  of  no 
circumstances  to  extort  money  from 
them,  to  overreach  them,  or  to  cheat 
them.  It  is  the  conviction  of  a  man 
who  was  conscious  that  he  had  lived 
honestly,  and  who  could  appeal  to  them 
all  as  full  proof  that  his  life  among  them 
had  been  blameless. 

3.  /  speak  not  this  to  condemn  you. 
I  do  not  speak  this  with  any  desire  to 
reproach  you.  I  do  not  complain  of 
you  for  the  purpose  of  condemning,  or 
because  I  have  a  desire  to  find  fault, 
though  I  am  compelled  to  speak  in  some 
respect  of  your  want  of  affection  and 
liberality  towards  me.  It  is  not  because 
I  have  no  love  for  you,  and  wish  to  have 
occasion  to  use  words  implying  com- 
plaint and  condemnation.  \  For  I  have 
said  before,  chap.  vii.  11, 12.  t  That 
ye  are  in  our  hearts.  That  is,  we  are 
so  much  attached  to  you ;  or  you  have 
such  a  place  in  our  affections,  f  To  die 
and  live  with  you.  If  it  were  the  will 
of  God,  we  would  be  glad  to  spend  our 
lives  among  you,  and  to  die  with  you ; 
an  expression  denoting  most  tender  at- 
tachment. A  similar  well-known  ex- 
pression occurs  in  Horace : 

Tecum  vivere  amem,  tecum  obeam  libens. 

Odes,  B.  III.  IX.  24. 
With  the  world  I  live,  with  the  world  I  die. 
This  was  an  expression  of  the  tender- 
est  attachment.  It  was  true  that  the 
Corinthians  had  not  shown  themselves 
remarkably  worthy  of  the  affections  of 
Paul,  but  from  the  beginning  he  had 
felt  towards  them  the  tenderest  attach- 


speech  toward  you,  great  bis  my 
glorying  of  you  :  I  am  filled  with 
comfort,  I  am  exceeding  joyful 
c  in  all  our  tribulation. 

b  1  Co.  1.4.  c.  1.14.       c  Ph.  2. 17.   Col.  1.24. 


merit.  And  if  it  had  been  the  will  of 
God  that  he  should  cease  to  travel,  and 
to  expose  himself  to  perils  by  sea  and 
land  to  spread  the  knowledge  of  the 
Saviour,  he  would  gladly  have  confined 
his  labours  to  them,  and  there  have  ended 
his  days. 

4.  Great  is  my  boldness  of  speech 
toward  you.  This  verse  seems  designed 
to  soften  the  apparent  harshness  of  what 
he  had  said  (ch.  vi.  12),  when  he 
intimated  that  there  was  a  want  of  love 
in  them  towards  him  (Bloomfield),  as 
well  as  to  refer  to  the  plainness  which  he 
had  used  all  along  in  his  letters  to  them. 
He  says,  therefore,  that  he  speaks  freely ; 
he  speaks  as  a  friend  ;  he  speaks  with 
the  utmost  openness  and  frankness ;  he 
conceals  nothing  from  them.  He  speaks 
freely  of  their  faults,  and  he  speaks 
freely  of  his  love  to  them  ;  and  he  as 
frankly  commends  them  and  praises 
them.  It  is  the  open,  undisguised  lan- 
guage of  a  friend,  when  he  throws  open 
his  whole  soul  and  conceals  nothing. 
H  Great  is  my  glorying  of  you.  I  have 
great  occasion  to  commend  and  praise 
you,  and  I  do  it  freely.  He  refers  here 
to  the  fact  that  he  had  boasted  of  their 
liberality  in  regard  to  the  proposed  col- 
lection for  the  poor  saints  of  Judea 
(ch.  ix.  4)  ;  that  he  had  formerly  boasted 
much  of  them  to  Titus,  and  of  their 
readiness  to  obey  his  commands  (ver. 
14)  ;  and  that  now  he  had  had  abundant 
evidence,  by  what  he  had  heard  from 
Titus  (ver.  5.  seq.),  that  they  were  dis- 
posed to  yield  to  his  commands,  and 
obey  his  injunctions.  He  had  probablv 
often  had  occasion  to  boast  of  their 
favourable  regard  for  him.  f  /  am 
filled  with  comfort.  That  is,  by  the 
evidence  which  I  have  received  of  your 
readiness  to  obey  me.  %  I  am  exceed- 
ing joyful.  I  am  overjoyed.  The  word 
here  used  occurs  nowhere  else  in  the 


A.D.60.] 


CHAPTER  VII. 


165 


5  For,  when  we  were  come 
into  Macedonia,  our  flesh  had  no 
rest,  but  we  were  troubled  on 
every  side  ;  without  a  were  fight- 
ings, within  were  fears. 

6  Nf  vertheless  God  that  oom- 

a  De.  32.  25. 

New  Tte'ament  except  in  Rom.  v.  20. 
It  is  not  found  in  the  classic  writers ; 
and  is  a  word  which  Paul  evidently 
compounded  (from  v7rsg  and  7ri£i<r<ri-ja>), 
and  means  to  superabound  over,  to 
superabound  greatly,  or  exceedingly.  It 
is  a  word  which  would  be  used  only 
when  the  heart  was  full,  and  when  it 
would  be  difficult  to  find  words  to  ex- 
press its  conceptions.  Paul's  heart  was 
full  of  joy;  and  he  pours  forth  his 
feelings  in  the  most  fervid  and  glowing 
language.  I  have  joy  which  cannot  be 
expressed.  ^  In  all  our  tribulation. 
See  Note,  ch.  i.  4. 

5.  For  when  we  were  come  into 
Macedonia.  For  the  reasons  which 
induced  Paul  to  go  into  Macedonia, 
see  Notes  on  ch.  i.  1 6.  Comp.  Notes, 
ch.  ii.-12, 13.  ^  Our  flesh  had  no  rest. 
We  were  exceedingly  distressed  and 
agitated.  We  had  no  rest.  The  causes 
of  his  distress  he  immediately  states. 
If  But  we  were  troubled  on  every  side. 
In  every  way.  We  had  no  rest  in  any 
quarter.  We  were  obliged  to  enter 
into  harassing  labours  and  strifes  there, 
and  we  were  full  of  anxiety  in  regard 
to  you.  1  Without  were  fightings. 
Probably  he  here  refers  to  fierce  opposi- 
tion, which  he  met  with  in  prosecuting 
his  work  of  preaching  the  gospel.  He 
met  there,  as  he  did  everywhere,  with 
opposition  from  Pagans,  Jews,  and  false 
brethren.  Tumults  were  usually  excited 
wherever  he  went ;  and  he  preached  the 
gospel  commonly  amidst  violent  opposi- 
tion. ^  Within  were  fears.  Referring 
probably  to  the  anxiety  which  he  had 
in  regard  to  the  success  of  the  epistle 
which  he  had  sent  to  the  church  at 
Corinth.  He  felt  great  solicitude  on 
the  subject.  He  had  sent  Titus  there 
to  see  what  was  the  state  of  the  church 


forteth  those  that  are  cast  down, 
comforted  us  by  the  coming  of 
Titus ; h 

7  And  not  by  his  coming  only, 
but  by  the  consolation  where- 
with he  was  comforted  in  you, 

b  c.  2.  13. 


and  to  witness  the  effect  of  his  instruc- 
tions. Titus  had  not  come  to  him  as 
he  had  expected,  at  Troas  (ch.  ii.  13), 
and  he  felt  the  deepest  anxiety  in  regard 
to  him  and  to  the  success  of  his  epistle. 
His  fears  were  probably  that  they  would 
be  indisposed  to  exercise  the  discipline 
on  the  olfender  ;  or  lest  the  severity  of 
the  discipline  required  should  alienate 
them  from  him ;  or  lest  the  party  under 
the  influence  of  the  false  teachers  should 
prevail.  All  was  uncertainty,  and  his 
mind  was  filled  with  the  deepest  appre- 
hension. 

6.  God  that  comforteth  those  that 
are  cast  down.  Whose  characteristic 
is,  that  he  gives  consolation  to  those 
who  are  anxious  and  depressed.  All 
his  consolation  was  in  God ;  and  by 
whatever  instrumentality  comfort  was 
administered,  he  regarded  and  acknow 
ledged  God  as  the  author.  See  Note, 
ch.  i.  4.  If  By  the  coming  of  Titus. 
To  Macedonia.  He  rejoiced  not  only 
in  again  seeing  him,  but  especially  in 
the  intelligence  which  he  brought  re- 
specting the  success  of  his  epistle,  and 
the  conduct  of  the  church  at  Corinth. 

7.  And  not  by  his  coming  only. 
Not  merely  by  the  fact  that  he  was 
restored  to  me,  and  that  my  anxieties 
in  regard  to  him  were  now  dissipated. 
It  is  evident  that  Paul,  not  having  met 
with  Titus  as  he  had  expected,  at  Troas, 
had  felt  much  anxiety  on  his  account, 
perhaps  apprehending  that  he  was  sick, 
or  that  he  had  died.  If  But  by  the  con- 
solation wherewith  he  was  comforted 
in  you.  Titus  was  satisfied  and  de- 
lighted with  his  interview  with  you. 
He  had  been  kindly  treated,  and  he  had 
seen  all  the  effect  produced  by  the  letter 
which  he  had  desired.  He  had,  there- 
fore, been  much  comforted  by  his  visit 


166 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


when  he  told  us  your  earnest 
desire,  your  mourning,  your  fer- 
vent mind  toward  me  ;  so  that  I 
rejoiced  the  more. 

to  Corinth,  and  this  was  a  source  of 
additional  joy  to  Paul.  He  rejoiced  at 
what  he  had  witnessed  among  you,  and 
he  imparted  the  same  joy  to  me  also. 
The  joy  of  one  friend  will  diffuse  it- 
self through  the  heart  of  another.  Joy 
is  diffusive,  and  one  Christian  cannot 
well  be  happy  without  making  others 
happy  also.  %  When  he  told  us  of 
your  earnest  desire.  Either  to  rectify 
what  was  amiss  {Doddridge,  Clarke)  ; 
or  to  see  me. — Macknight,  Rusenmuller, 
Bloomjield.  It  seems  to  me  that  the 
connexion  requires  us  to  understand  it 
of  their  desire,  their  anxiety  to  comply 
with  his  commands,  and  to  reform  the 
abuses  which  existed  in  the  church,  and 
which  had  given  him  so  much  pain. 
Tf  Your  mourning.  Produced  by  the 
epistle.  Your  deep  repentance  over  the 
sins  which  had  prevailed  in  the  church. 
•J  Your  fervent  mind  toward  me. 
Greek,  '  Your  zeal  for  me.'  It  denotes 
that  they  evinced  great  ardour  of  attach- 
ment to  him,  and  an  earnest  desire  to 
comply  with  his  wishes.  %  So  that  I 
rejoiced  the  more.  I  not  only  rejoiced 
at  his  coming,  but  I  rejoiced  the  more 
at  what  he  told  me  of  you.  Under  any 
circumstances  the  coming  of  Titus 
would  have  been  an  occasion  of  joy  ; 
but  it  was  especially  so  from  the  account 
which  he  gave  me  of  you. 

8.  For  though  I  made  you  sorry,  &c. 
That  is,  in  the  first  epistle  which  he  had 
sent  to  them.  In  that  epistle  he  had 
felt  it  necessary  to  reprove  them  for 
their  dissensions  and  other  disorders 
which  had  occurred  and  which  were 
tolerated  in  the  church.  That  epistle 
was  fitted  to  produce  pain  in  them — as 
severe  and  just  reproof  always  does; 
and  Paul  felt  very  anxious  about  its 
effect  on  them.  It  was  painful  to  him 
to  write  it,  and  he  was  well  aware  that 
it  must  cause  deep  distress  among  them 
to  be  thus  reproved.  T  I  do  not  repent. 
I  have  seen  such  happy  effects  produced 


8  For  though  I  made  you 
sorry  with  a  letter,  I  do  not  re- 
pent, though  I  a  did  repent :  for 

a  c.  2.  4. 

by  it ;  it  has  so  completely  answered  the 
end  which  I  had  in  view ;  it  was  so 
kindly  received,  that  I  do  not  regret  now 
that  I  wrote  it.  It  gives  me  no  pain  in 
the  recollection,  but  I  have  occasion  to 
rejoice  that  it  was  done.  ^  Though  I 
did  repent.  Doddridge  renders  this, 
"  however  anxious  I  may  have  been." 
The  word  here  used  does  not  denote 
repentance  in  the  sense  in  which  that 
word  is  commonly  understood,  as  if  any 
wrong  had  been  done.  It  is  not  the 
language  of  remorse.  It  can  denote 
here  nothing  more  than  "  that  uneasi- 
ness which  a  good  man  feels,  not  from 
the  consciousness  of  having  done  wrong 
but  from  a  tenderness  for  others,  and  a 
fear  lest  that  which,  prompted  by  duty, 
he  had  said,  should  have  too  strong  an 
effect  upon  them." — Campbell,  diss.  vi. 
part  iii.  §  9.  See  the  meaning  of  the 
word  further  illustrated  in  the  same 
dissertation.  The  word  ( /umi^A/^au) 
denotes  properly  to  change  one's  pur- 
pose or  mind  after  having  done  any 
thing  {Robinson)  ;  or  an  uneasy  feel- 
ing of  regret  for  what  has  been  done 
without  regard  either  to  duration  or 
effects. — Campbell.  Here  it  is  not  to 
be  understood  that  Paul  meant  to  say  he 
had  done  any  thing  wrong.  He  was  an 
inspired  man,  and  what  he  had  said 
was  proper  and  right.  But  he  was  a 
man  of  deep  feeling,  and  of  tender 
affections.  He  was  pained  at  the  ne- 
cessity of  giving  reproof.  And  there 
is  no  improbability  in  supposing  that  af- 
ter the  letter  had  been  sent  off,  and  he 
reflected  on  its  nature  and  on  the  pain 
which  it  would  cause  to  those  whom  he 
tenderly  loved,  there  might  be  some 
misgiving  of  heart  about  it,  and  the 
deepest  anxiety,  and  regret  at  the  neces- 
sity of  doing  it.  What  parent  is  there 
who  has  not  had  the  same  feeling  as 
this  1  He  has  felt  it  necessary  to  cor- 
rect a  beloved  child,  and  has  formed  the 
purpose,  and  has  executed  it.     But  is 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  VII. 


167 


I  perceive  that  the  same  epistle 
hath  made  you  sorry,  though  it 
were  but  for  a  season. 

9  Now  I  rejoice,  not  that  ye 
were    made  sorry,  but   that  ye 

there  no  misgiving  of  heart?  No 
question  asked  whether  it  might  not 
have  been  dispensed  with  1  No  inter- 
nal struggle;  no  sorrow;  no  emotion 
which  may  be  called  regret  at  the 
resolution  which  has  been  taken  ?  Yet 
there  is  no  repentance  as  if  the  parent 
had  done  wrong.  He  feels  that  he  has 
done  what  was  right  and  necessary. 
He  approves  his  own  course,  and  has 
occasion  of  rejoicing  at  the  good  effects 
which  follow.  Such  appears  to  have 
been  the  situation  of  the  apostle  Paul 
in  this  case  ;  and  it  shows  that,  he  had  a 
tender  heart,  that  he  did  not  delight  in 
giving  pain,  and  that  he  had  no  desire 
to  overwhelm  them  with  grief.  When 
the  effect  was  seen,  he  was  not  un- 
willing that  they  should  be  apprized  of  the 
pain  which  it  had  cost  him.  When  a 
parent  has  corrected  a  child,  no  injury 
is  done  if  the  child  becomes  acquainted 
with  the  strugglings  which  it  has  cost 
him,  and  the  deep  pain  and  anxiety 
caused  by  the  necessity  of  resorting  to 
chastisement.  ^  For  I  perceive,  &c. 
I  perceive  the  good  effect  of  the  epistle. 
I  perceive  that  it  produced  the  kind  of 
sorrow  in  you  which  I  desired.  I  see 
that  it  has  produced  permanent  good 
results.  The  sorrow  which  it  caused 
in  you  is  only  for  a  season ;  the  good 
effects  will  be  abiding.  I  have,  there- 
fore, great  occasion  to  rejoice  that  I  sent 
the  epistle.  It  produced  permanent  re- 
pentance and  reformation  (ver.  9),  and 
thus  accomplished  all  that  I  wished  or 
desired. 

9.  Now  Irejoice,  not  that  ye  were  made 
sorry,  &c.  I  have  no  pleasure  in  giving 
pain  to  any  one,  or  in  witnessing  the 
distress  of  any.  When  men  are  brought 
to  repentance  under  the  preaching  of 
the  gospel,  the  ministers  of  the  gospel 
do  not  find  pleasure  in  their  grief  as 
such.  They  are  not  desirous  of  making 
men  unhappy  by  calling  them  to  re- 


sorrowed  to  repentance  :  for  ye 
were  made  sorry,  *  after  a  godly 
manner,  that  ye  might   receive* 
damage  by  us  in  nothing. 

1  or,  according  to  God. 


pentance,  and  they  have  no  pleasure  in 
the  deep  distress  of  mind  which  is  often 
produced  by  their  preaching,  in  itself 
considered.  It  is  only  because  such 
sorrow  is  an  indication  of  their  return 
to  God,  and  will  be  followed  by  happi- 
ness and  by  the  fruits  of  good  living, 
that  they  find  any  pleasure  in  it,  or  that 
they  seek  to  produce  it.  t  But  that  ye 
sorrowed  to  repentance.  It  was  not 
mere  grief;  it  was  not  sorrow  producing 
melancholy,  gloom,  or  despair ;  it  was 
not  sorrow  which  led  you  to  be  angry 
at  him  who  had  reproved  you  for  your 
errors — as  is  sometimes  the  case  with  the 
sorrow  that  is  produced  by  reproof;  but 
it  was  sorrow  that  led  to  a  change  and  re- 
formation. It  was  sorrow  that  was  follow- 
ed by  a  putting  away  of  the  evil  for  the 
existence  of  which  there  had  been  oc- 
casion to  reprove  you.  The  word  here 
rendered  "repentance"  ( juiidvotuv)  is  a 
different  word  from  that  which,  in  ver. 
8,  is  rendered  "  I  did  repent,"  and  in- 
dicates a  different  state  of  mind.  It 
properly  means  a  change  of  mind  or 
purpose.  Comp.  Heb.  xii.  7.  It  denotes 
a  change  for  the  better ;  a  change  of 
mind  that  is  durable  and  productive  in 
its  consequences;  a  change  which 
amounts  to  a  permanent  reformation. 
See  Campbell's  Diss,  ut  supra.  The 
sense  here  is,  that  it  produced  a  change, 
a  reformation.  It  was  such  sorrow  for 
their  sin  as  to  lead  them  to  reform  and 
to  put  away  the  evils  which  had  ex- 
isted among  them.  It  was  this  fact,  and 
not  that  they  had  been  made  sorry,  that 
led  Paul  to  rejoice.  1  After  a  godly 
manner.  Marg.  "  according  to  God." 
See  Note  on  the  next  verse.  1  That 
ye  might  receive  damage  by  us  in  no- 
thing. The  Greek  word  rendered  "  re- 
ceive damage"  (^^/aid-ars)  means  pro- 
perly to  bring  loss  upon  any  one ;  to 
receive  loss  or  detriment.  See  Note  on 
lCor.iii.  15.  Comp. Phil. iii. 8.  The  sense 


168 


H.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


10  For  godly  sorrow  a  work- 

aJe.  31.  9.    Ez.  7.  16. 


here  seems  to  be, '  So  that  on  the  whole  no 
real  injury  was  done  you  in  any  respect 
by  me.  You  were  indeed  put  to  pain  and 
grief  by  my  reproof.  You  sorrowed. 
But  it  has  done  you  no  injury  on  the 
whole.  It  has  been  a  benefit  to  you. 
If  you  had  not  reformed,  if  you  had 
been  pained  without  putting  away  the 
sins  for  which  the  reproof  was  adminis- 
tered, if  it  had  been  mere  grief  without 
any  proper  fruit,  you  might  have  said 
that  you  would  have  suffered  a  loss  of 
happiness,  or  you  might  have  given  me 
occasion  to  inflict  severer  discipline. 
But  now  you  are  gainers  in  happiness 
by  all  the  sorrow  which  I  have  caused.' 
Sinners  are  gainers  in  happiness  in  the 
end  by  all  the  pain  of  repentance  pro- 
duced by  the  preaching  of  the  gospel. 
No  man  suffers  loss  by  being  told  of 
his  faults  if  he  repents ;  and  men  are 
under  the  highest  obligations  to  those 
faithful  ministers  and  other  friends  who 
tell  them  of  their  errors,  and  who  are 
the  means  of  bringing  them  to  true  re- 
pentance. 

10.  For  godly  sorrow.  '  Sorrow  ac- 
cording to  God'  (*H  ya^  K*ra  Qtov  Kitth). 
That  is,  such  sorrow  as  has  respect  to 
God,  or  is  according  to  his  will,  or  as 
leads  the  soul  to  him.  This  is  a  very 
important  expression  in  regard  to  true 
repentance,  and  shows  the  exact  nature 
of  that  sorrow  which  is  connected  with 
a  return  to  God.  The  phrase  may  be 
regarded  as  implying  the  following 
things.  (1.)  Such  sorrow  as  God  ap- 
proves, or  such  as  is  suitable  to,  or  con- 
formable to  his  will  and  desires.  It 
cannot  mean  that  it  is  such  sorrow  or 
grief  as  God  has,  for  he  has  none  ;  but 
such  as  shall  be  in  accordance  with  what 
God  demands  in  a  return  to  him.  It  is 
a  sorrow  which  his  truth  is  fitted  to 
produce  on  the  heart ;  such  a  sorrow  as 
shall  appropriately  arise  from  viewing 
sin  as  God  views  it ;  such  sorrow  as 
exists  in  the  mind  when  our  views  ac- 
cord with  his  in  regard  to  the  existence, 
the  extent,  the  nature,  and  the  ill-desert 


eth  repentance  to  salvation  not 
to  be  repented  of:  but  the  sor- 


of  sin.  Such  views  will  lead  to  sorrow 
that  it  has  ever  been  committed;  and 
such  views  will  be  '  according  to  God.' 
(2.)  Such  sorrow  as  shall  be  exercised 
towards  God  in  view  of  sin  ;  which 
shall  arise  from  a  view  of  the  evil  of  sin 
as  committed  against  a  holy  God.  It  is 
not  mainly  that  it  will  lead  to  pain  ;  that 
it  will  overwhelm  the  soul  in  disgrace  ; 
that  it  will  forfeit  the  favour  or  lead  to 
the  contempt  of  man ;  or  that  it  will 
lead  to  an  eternal  hell ;  but  it  is  such 
as  arises  from  a  view  of  the  evil  of  sin 
as  committed  against  a  holy  and  just 
God,  deriving  its  main  evil  from  the 
fact  that  it  is  an  offence  against  his  in- 
finite Majesty.  Such  sorrow  David 
had  (Ps.  li.  4),  when  he  said,  "  against 
thee,  thee  only  have  I  sinned ;"  when  the 
offence  regarded  as  committed  against 
man,  enormous  as  it  was,  was  lost  and 
absorbed  in  its  greater  evil  when  re- 
garded as  committed  against  God.  So 
all  true  and  genuine  repentance  is  that 
which  regards  sin  as  deriving  its  main 
evil  from  the  fact  that  it  is  committed 
against  God.  (3.)  That  which  leads 
to  God.  It  leads  to  God  to  obtain  for- 
giveness ;  to  seek  for  consolation.  A 
heart  truly  contrite  and  penitent  seeks 
God,  and  implores  pardon  from  him. 
Other  sorrow  in  view  of  sin  than  that 
which  is  genuine  repentance  leads  the 
person  away  from  God.  He  seeks  con- 
solation in  the  world  ;  he  endeavours  to 
drive  away  his  serious  impressions  or  to 
drown  them  in  the  pleasures  and  the 
cares  of  life.  But  genuine  sorrow  for 
sin  leads  the  soul  to  God,  and  conducts 
the  sinner,  through  the  Redeemer,  to 
him  to  obtain  the  pardon  and  peace 
which  he  only  can  give  to  a  wounded 
spirit.  In  God  alone  can  pardon  and 
true  peace  be  found  ;  and  godly  sorrow 
for  sin  will  seek  them  there.  \  Work- 
eth  repentance.  Produces  a  change 
that  shall  be  permanent ;  a  reformation. 
It  is  not  mere  regret ;  it  does  not  soon 
pass  away  in  its  effects,  but  it  produces 
permanent  and  abiding  changes.  A  man 


/L  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  VIL 


169 


row  of  the  world  a  worketh  death. 

a  Pr.  17.  22. 

who  mourns  over  sin  as  committed 
against  God,  and  who  seeks  to  God  for 
pardon,  will  reform  his  life  and  truly 
repent.  He  who  has  grief  for  sin  only 
because  it  will  lead  to  disgrace  or  shame, 
or  because  it  will  lead  to  poverty  or 
pain,  will  not  necessarily  break  off  from 
it  and  reform.  It  is  only  when  it  is 
seen  that  sin  is  committed  against  God 
and  is  evil  in  his  sight,  that  it  leads  to 
a  change  of  life.  ^  Not  to  be  repented 
of  (djutrctfAiKHTcv).  See  Note  on  ver.  8. 
Not  to  be  regretted.  It  is  permanent 
and  abiding.  There  is  no  occasion  to 
mourn  over  such  repentance  and  change 
of  life.  It  is  that  which  the  mind  ap- 
proves, and  which  it  will  always  approve. 
There  will  be  no  reason  for  regretting 
it,  and  it  will  never  be  regretted.  And 
it  is  so.  Who  ever  yet  repented  of 
having  truly  repented  of  sin  ]  Who  is 
there,  who  has  there  ever  been,  who 
became  a  true  penitent,  and  a  true 
Christian,  who  ever  regretted  it  ?  Not 
an  individual  has  ever  been  known  who 
regretted  his  having  become  a  Christian. 
Not  one  who  regretted  that  he  had  be- 
come one  too  soon  in  life,  or  that  he  had 
served  the  Lord  Jesus  too  faithfully  or  too 
long,  t  But  the  sorrow  of  the  world.  All 
sorrow  which  is  not  toward  God,  and 
which  does  not  arise  from  just  views  of 
sin  as  committed  against  God,  or  lead  to 
God.  Probably  Paul  refers  here  to  the 
sorrow  which  arises  from  worldly  causes, 
and  which  does  not  lead  to  God  for  con- 
solation. Such  may  be  the  sorrow  which 
arises  from  the  loss  of  friends  or  pro- 
perty ;  from  disappointment,  or  from 
shame  and  disgrace.  Perhaps  it  may 
include  the  following  things.  (1.)  Sor- 
row arising  from  losses  of  property  and 
friends,  and  from  disappointment.  (2.) 
Sorrow  for  sin  or  vice  when  it  over- 
whelms the  mind  with  the  consciousness 
of  guilt,  and  when  it  does  not  lead  to 
God,  and  when  there  is  no  contrition  of 
soul  from  viewing  it  as  an  offence 
against  God.  Thus  a  female  who  has 
wandered  from  the  paths  of  virtue,  and 
involved  her  family  and  herself  in  dis- 
15 


1 1  For  behold  this  self-same 
thing,  that  ye  sorrowed  after  a 

grace ;  or  a  man  who  has  been  guilty 
of  forgery,  or  perjury,  or  any  other  dis- 
graceful crime,  and  who  is  detected  ;  a 
man  who  has  violated  the  laws  of  the 
land,  and  who  has  involved  himself  and 
family  in  disgrace,  will  often  feel  regret, 
and  sorrow,  and  remorse,  but  it  arises 
wholly  from  worldly  considerations,  and 
does  not  lead  to  God.  (3.)  When  the 
sorrow  arises  from  a  view  of  worldly 
consequences  merely,  and  when  there 
is  no  looking  to  God  for  pardon  and 
consolation.  Thus  men,  when  they  lose 
their  property  or  friends,  often  pine  in 
grief  without  looking  to  God.  Thus 
when  they  have  wandered  from  the  path 
of  virtue  and  have  fallen  into  sin,  they 
often  look  merely  to  the  disgrace  among 
men,  and  see  their  names  blasted,  and 
their  comforts  gone,  and  pine  away  in 
grief.  There  is  no  looking  to  God  for 
pardon  or  for  consolation.  The  sorrow 
arises  from  this  world,  and  it  terminates 
there.  It  is  the  loss  of  what  they  va- 
lued pertaining  to  this  world,  and  it  is 
all  which  they  had,  and  it  produces 
death.  It  is  sorrow  such  as  the  men  of 
this  world  have,  begins  with  this  world, 
and  terminates  with  this  world,  |  Work- 
eth death.  Tends  to  death,  spiritual,  tem- 
poral, and  eternal.  It  does  not  tend  to 
life.  (1.)  It  produces  distress  only.  It 
is  attended  with  no  consolation.  (2.)  It 
tends  to  break  the  spirit,  to  destroy  the 
peace,  and  to  mar  the  happiness.  (3.) 
It  often  leads  to  death  itself.  The  spirit 
is  broken,  and  the  heart  pines  away 
under  the  influence  of  the  unalleviated 
sorrow ;  or  under  its  influence  men 
often  lay  violent  hands  on  themselves 
and  take  their  lives.  Life  is  often 
closed  under  the  influence  of  such  sor- 
row. (4.)  It  tends  to  eternal  death. 
There  is  no  looking  to  God ;  no  look- 
ing for  pardon.  It  produces  murmur- 
ing, repining,  complaining,  fretfulness 
against  God,  and  thus  leads  to  his  dis- 
pleasure and  to  the  condemnation  and 
ruin  of  the  soul. 

11.  For  behold  this  self-same  thing. 
For  see  in  your  own  case  the  happy 


170 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


godly  a  sort,  what  carefulness  b  it 
wrought  in  you,  yea,  what  clear- 
ing c  of  yourselves,   yea,   ivhat 

a  Is.  66.2.  b  Til.  3.8.  cEp.  5.  11. 


effects  of  godly  sorrow'.  See  the  effects 
which  it  produced ;  see  an  illustration 
of  what  it  is  fitted  to  produce.  The 
construction  is,  '  For  lo !  this  very  thing, 
to  wit,  your  sorrowing  after  a  godly 
manner,  wrought  carefulness,  clearing  of 
yourselves,'  &c.  The  object  of  Paul  is 
to  illustrate  the  effects  of  godly  sorrow, 
to  which  he  had  referred  in  ver.  10. 
He  appeals,  therefore,  to  their  own  case, 
and  says  that  it  was  beautifully  illus- 
trated among  themselves,  f  What  care- 
fulness (<r7rcvJ»v).  This  word  properly 
denotes  speed,  haste ,-  then  diligence, 
earnest  effort,  forwardness.  Here  it  is 
evidently  used  to  denote  the  diligence 
and  the  great  anxiety  which  they  mani- 
fested to  remove  the  evils  which  existed 
among  them.  They  went  to  work  to 
remove  them.  They  did  not  sit  down 
to  mourn  over  them  merely,  nor  did 
they  wait  for  God  to  remove  them,  nor 
did  they  plead  that  they  could  do  no- 
thing, but  they  set  about  the  work  as 
though  they  believed  it  might  be  done. 
When  men  are  thoroughly  convinced 
of  sin,  they  will  set  about  removing  it 
with  the  utmost  diligence.  They  will 
feel  that  this  can  be  done,  and  must  be 
done,  or  that  the  soul  will  be  lost. 
^  What  clearing  of  yourselves  (urrcho- 
yiay).  Apology.  This  word  properly 
means  a  plea  or  defence  before  a  tribu- 
nal or  elsewhere.  Acts  xxii.  1.  2  Tim. 
iv.  16.  Tindal  renders  it,  "Yea,  it 
caused  you  to  clear  yourselves."  The 
word  here  properly  means  apology  for 
what  had  "been  done ;  and  it  probably 
refers  here  to  the  effort  which  would  be 
made  by  the  sounder  part  of  the  church 
to  clear  themselves  from  blame  in  what 
had  occurred.  It  does  not  mean  that 
the  guilty,  when  convicted  of  sin,  will 
attempt  to  vindicate  themselves  and  to 
apologize  to  God  for  what  they  had 
done ;  but  it  means  that  the  church  at 
Corinth  were  anxious  to  state  to  Titus 
all  the  mitigating  circumstances  of  the 


indignation,  d  yea,   what  fear,  • 
yea,  what  vehement  desire, f  yea, 

dEp.4.26.      c  He.  4.1.      /Ps.  42. 1.  130.6 


case  ;  they  showed  great  solicitude  to 
free  themselves,  as  far  as  could  be  done, 
from  blame ;  they  were  anxious,  as  far 
as  could  be,  to  show  that  they  had  not 
approved  of  what  had  occurred,  and 
perhaps  that  it  had  occurred  only  be- 
cause it  could  not  have  been  prevented. 
We  are  not  to  suppose  that  all  the 
things  here  referred  to  occurred  in  the 
same  individuals,  and  that  the  same 
persons  precisely  evinced  diligence,  and 
made  the  apology,  &c.  It  was  done  by 
the  church;  all  evinced  deep  feeling; 
but  some  manifested  it  in  one  way,  and 
some  in  another.  The  whole  church 
was  roused,  and  all  felt,  and  all  endea- 
voured in  the  proper  way  to  free  them- 
selves from  the  blame,  and  to  remove 
the  evil  from  among  them,  ^f  Yea, 
what  indignation.  Indignation  against 
the  sin,  and  perhaps  against  the  persons 
who  had  drawn  down  the  censure  of  the 
apostle.  One  effect  of  true  repentance 
is  to  produce  decided  hatred  of  sin.  It  is 
not  mere  regret,  or  sorrow,  it  is  positive 
hatred.  There  is  a  deep  indignation 
against  it  as  an  evil  and  a  bitter  thing. 
t  Yea,  what  fear.  Fear  lest  the  thing 
should  be  repeated.  Fear  lest  it  should 
not  be  entirely  removed.  Or  it  may 
possibly  mean  fear  of  the  displeasure 
of  Paul,  and  of  the  punishment  which 
would  be  inflicted  if  the  evil  were  not 
removed.  But  it  more  probably  refers 
to  the  anxious  state  of  mind  that  the 
whole  evil  might  be  corrected,  and  to 
the  dread  of  having  any  vestige  of  the 
evil  remaining  among  them,  t  Yea, 
what  vehement  desire.  This  may  either 
mean  their  fervent  wish  to  remove  the 
cause  of  complaint,  or  their  anxious  de- 
sire to  see  the  apostle.  It  is  used  in  the 
latter  sense  in  ver.  7,  and  according  to 
Doddridge  and  Bloomfield  this  is  the 
meaning  here.  Locke  renders  it,  "  de- 
sire of  satisfying  me."  It  seems  to  me 
more  probable  that  Paul  refers  to  their 
anxious  wish  to  remove  the  sin,  since 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  VII. 


171 


ivhat  zeal,  yea,  what  revenge  !  a 
In  all  things  ye  have  approved 
yourselves  b  to  be  clear  in  this 
matter. 

12  Wherefore,  though  I  wrote 
unto  you,  /  did  it  not  for  his 
cause  that  had  done  the  wrong, 


a  Re.  3.  19.    Mat.  5.  29,  30. 


b  Ro.  14. 18. 


this  is  the  topic  under  consideration. 
The  point  of  his  remarks  in  this  verse 
is  not  so  much  their  affection  for  him 
as  their  indignation  against  their  sin, 
and  their  deep  grief  that  sin  had  existed 
and  had  been  tolerated  among  them. 
%  Yea,  what  zeal.  Zeal  to  remove  the 
sin,  and  to  show  your  attachment  to 
me.  They  set  about  the  work  of  re- 
formation in  great  earnest.  ^  Yea, 
what  revenge !  Tindal  renders  this, 
"  it  caused  punishment."  The  idea  is, 
that  they  immediately  set  about  the 
work  of  inflicting  punishment  on  the 
offender.  The  word  here  used  (ix.Jix.na-i?) 
probably  denotes  maintenance  of  right, 
protection  ,•  then  it  is  used  in  the  sense 
of  avengement,  or  vengeance  ,•  and  then 
of  penal  retribution  or  punishment.  See 
Lukexxi.22.  2  Thess.  i.8.  lPetii.  14. 
%  In  all  things,  &c.  The  sense  of  this 
is,  'You  have  entirely  acquitted  your- 
selves of  blame  in  this  business.'  The 
apostle  does  not  mean  that  none  of  them 
had  been  to  blame,  or  that  the  church 
had  been  free  from  fault,  for  a  large 
part  of  his  former  epistle  is  occupied  in 
reproving  them  for  their  faults  in  this 
business,  but  he  means  that  by  their 
zeal  and  their  readiness  to  take  away 
the  cause  of  complaint,  they  had  re- 
moved all  necessity  of  further  blame, 
and  had  pursued  such  a  course  as 
entirely  to  meet  his  approbation.  They 
had  cleared  themselves  of  any  further 
blame  in  this  business,  and  had  become, 
so  far  as  this  was  concerned,  "clear" 
(d^viyc)  or  pure. 

12.  Wherefore,  though  I  wrote  unto 
you,  &c.  In  this  verse  Paul  states  the 
main  reason  why  he  had  written  to 
them  on  the  subject.  It  was  not  princi- 
pally on  account  of  the  man  who  had 


nor  for  his  cause  that  suffered 
wrong,  but  that  our  care  c  for  you 
in  the  sight  of  God  might  appear 
unto  you. 

13  Therefore  we  were  com- 
forted in  your  comfort :  yea,  and 
exceedingly  the  more  joyed  we 

c  c.  2.  4. 

done  the  wrong,  or  of  him  who  had 
been  injured  ;  but  it  was  from  tender 
anxiety  for  the  whole  church,  and  in 
order  to  show  the  deep  interest  which 
he  had  in  their  welfare.  |  Not  for  his 
cause  that  had  done  the  wrong.  Not 
mainly,  or  principally  on  account  of  the 
incestuous  person.  1  Cor.  v.  1.  It  was 
not  primarily  with  reference  to  him  as 
an  individual  that  I  wrote,  but  from  a 
regard  to  the  whole  church.  •  f  Nor  for 
his  cause  that  had  suffered  wrong.  Not 
merely  that  the  wrong  which  he  had 
suffered  might  be  rectified,  and  that  his 
rights  might  be  restored,  valuable  and 
desirable  as  was  that  object.  The  of- 
fence was  that  a  man  had  taken  his 
father's  wife  as  his  own  (I  Cor.  v.  1), 
and  the  person  injured,  therefore,  was 
his  father.  It  is  evident  from  this 
passage,  I  think,  that  the  father  was 
living  at  the  time  when  Paul  wrote  this 
epistle,  f  But  that  our  care,  &c.  I 
wrote  mainly  that  I  might  show  the 
deep  interest  which  I  had  in  the  church 
at  large,  and  my  anxiety  that  it  might 
not  suffer  by  the  misconduct  of  any  of 
its  members.  It  is  from  a  regard  to  the 
welfare  of  the  whole  church  that  disci- 
pline should  be  administered,  and  not 
simply  with  reference  to  an  individual 
who  has  done  wrong,  or  an  individual 
who  is  injured.  In  church  discipline 
such  private  interests  are  absorbed  in 
the  general  interest  of  the  church  at 
large. 

1 3.  Therefore  we  were  comforted  in 
your  comfort.  The  phrase  "  your  com. 
fort,"  here  seems  to  mean  the  happiness 
which  they  had,  or  might  reasonably  be 
expected  to  have  in  obeying  the  direc- 
tions of  Paul,  and  in  the  repentance 
which  they  had  manifested.     Paul  had 


172 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


LA.  D.  60. 


for  the  joy  of  Titus,  because  his 
spirit  was  refreshed  a  by  you  all. 
14  For  if  I  have  boasted  any 
thing  to  him  of  you,  I  am  not 
ashamed ;  but  as  we  spake  all 
things  to  you  in  truth,  even  so 
our  boasting,  which  /  made  be- 
fore Titus,  is  found  a  truth. 

o  Ro.  15.  32. 


spoken  of  no  other  consolation  or  comfort 
than  this ;  and  the  idea  seems  to  be  that 
they  were  a  happy  people,  and  would  be 
happy  by  obeying  the  commands  of 
God.  This  fact  gave  Paul  additional 
joy,  and  he  could  not  but  rejoice  that 
they  had  removed  the  cause  of  the  of- 
fence, and  that  they  would  not  thus  be 
exposed  to  the  displeasure  of  God.  Had 
they  not  repented  and  put  away  the 
evil,  the  consequences  to  them  must 
have  been  deep  distress.  As  it  was, 
they  would  be  blessed  and  happy. 
If  And  exceedingly  the  more,  &c.  Titus 
had  been  kindly  received,  and  hospitably 
entertained,  and  had  become  much  at- 
tached to  them.  This  was  to  Paul  an 
additional  occasion  of  joy.  See  ver.  7. 
14.  For  if  I  have  boasted  any  thing 
to  him,  &c.  This  seems  to  imply  that 
Paul  had  spoken  most  favourably  to 
Titus  of  the  Corinthians  before  he  went 
among  them.  He  had  probably  ex- 
pressed his  belief  that  he  would  be 
kindly  received ;  that  they  would  be 
disposed  to  listen  to  him.  and  to  comply 
with  the  directions  of  the  apostle  ;  per- 
haps he  had  spoken  to  him  of  what  he 
anticipated  would  be  their  liberality  in 
regard  to  the  collection  which  he  was 
about  to  make  for  the  poor  saints  at 
Jerusalem,  f  I  am  not  ashamed.  It 
has  all  turned  out  to  be  true.  He  has 
found  it  as  I  said  it  would  be.  All  my 
expectations  are  realized  ;  and  you  have 
been  as  kind,  and  hospitable,  and  be- 
nevolent as  I  assured  him  you  would  be. 
1  .4s  we  spake  all  things  to  you  in 
truth.  Every  thing  which  I  said  to 
you  was  said  in  truth.  All  my  promises 
to  you,  and  all  my  commands,  and  all 


15  And  his  *  inward  affection 
is   more  abundant  toward  you, 
whilst  he  remembereth  the  obe 
dience  of  you  all,  how  with  fearfc 
and  trembling  ye  received  him. 

16  I  rejoice,  therefore,  that  I 
have  confidence  e  in  you  in  all 
things. 

x  bowels.  b  Ph.  2.  12. 

»        c  2  Th.  3.  4.    Phile.  8.  21. 


my  reasonable  expectations  expressed 
to  you,  were  sincere.  I  practised  no 
disguise,  and  all  that  I  have  said  thus 
far  turned  out  to  be  true,  t  Even  so 
our  boasting,  &c.  My  boasting  of  your 
character,  and  of  your  disposition  to  do 
right,  which  I  made  before  Titus  has 
turned  out  to  be  true.  It  was  as  I  said 
it  would  be.  I  did  not  commend  you 
too  highly  to  him,  as  I  did  not  overstate 
the  matter  to  you  in  my  epistle. 

15.  And  his  inward  affection,  &c. 
He  has  become  deeply  and  tenderly 
attached  to  you.  His  affectionate  re- 
gard for  you  has  been  greatly  increased 
by  his  visit.  On  the  meaning  of  the 
word  here  rendered  "  inward  affection" 
(oTTKayxv*,  Marg.  bowels)  see  Note  on 
ch.  vi.  1 2.  It  denotes  here  deep,  tender 
attachment,  or  love.  ^  How  with  fear 
and  trembling  ye  received  him.  With 
fear  of  offending,  and  with  deep  appre- 
hension of  the  consequences  of  remain- 
ing in  sin.  He  saw  what  a  fear  there 
was  of  doing  wrong,  and  what  evidence 
there  was,  therefore,  that  you  were 
solicitous  to  do  right. 

16.  /  rejoice,  therefore,  that  I  have 
confidence,  &c.  I  have  had  the  most 
ample  proof  that  you  are  disposed  to 
obey  God,  and  to  put  away  every  thing 
that  is  offensive  to  him.  The  address 
of  this  part  of  the  epistle,  says  Dod- 
dridge, is  wonderful.  It  is  designed, 
evidently,  not  merely  to  commend  them 
for  what  they  had  done,  and  to  show 
them  the  deep  attachment  which  he  had 
for  them,  but  in  a  special  manner  to  pre- 
pare them  for  what  he  was  about  to  say 
in  the  following  chapter  respecting  the 
collection  which  he   had  so  much  at 


\.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  VII. 


173 


I  heart  for  the  poor  saints  at  Jerusalem. 
What  he  here  says  was  admirably 
adapted  to  introduce  that  subject.  They 
had  thus  far  showed  the  deepest  regard 
for  him.  They  had  complied  with  all 
his  directions.  All  that  he  had  said  of 
them  had  proved  to  be  true.  And  as 
he  had  boasted  of  them  to  Titus  (ver. 
14),  and  expressed  his  entire  confidence 
that  they  would  comply  with  his  requi- 
sitions, so  he  had  also  boasted  of  them 
to  the  churches  of  Macedonia,  and  ex- 
pressed the  utmost  confidence  that  they 
would  be  liberal  in  their  benefactions. 
ch.  ix.  2.  AH  that  Paul  here  says  in 
their  favour,  therefore,  was  eminently 
adapted  to  excite  them  to  liberality,  and 
to  prepare  them  to  comply  with  his 
wishes  in  regard  to  that  contribution. 

REMARKS. 

1.  Christians  are  bound  by  every  so- 
lemn and  sacred  consideration  to  endea- 
vour to  purify  themselves,  ver.  1.  They 
who  have  the  promises  of  eternal  life, 
and  the  assurance  that  God  will  be  to 
them  a  father,  and  evidence  that  they 
are  his  sons  and  daughters,  should  not 
indulge  in  the  filthiness  of  the  flesh 
and  spirit. 

2.  Every  true  Christian  will  aim  at 
perfection,  ver.  1.  He  will  desire  to  be 
perfect ;  he  will  strive  for  it ;  he  will 
make  it  a  subject  of  unceasing  and  con- 
stant prayer.  No  man  can  be  a  Chris- 
tian to  whom  it  would  not  be  a  pleasure 
to  be  at  once  as  perfect  as  God.  And 
if  any  man  is  conscious  that  the  idea 
of  being  made  at  once  perfectly  holy 
would  be  unpleasant  or  painful,  he  may 
set  it  down  as  certain  evidence  that  he 
is  a  stranger  to  religion. 

3.  No  man  can  be  a  Christian  who 
voluntarily  indulges  in  sin,  or  in  what 
he  knows  to  be  wrong,  ver.  1.  A  man 
who  does  that  cannot  be  aiming  at  per- 
fection. A  man  who  does  that  shows 
that  he  has  no  real  desire  to  be  perfect. 

4.  How  blessed  will  be  heaven,  ver.  1. 
There  we  shall  be  perfect.  And  the 
crowning  glory  of  heaven  is  not  that  we 
shall  be  happy,  but  that  we  shall  be 
holy.  Whatever  there  is  in  the  heart 
that  is  good  shall  there  be  perfectly  de- 

15* 


veloped ;  whatever  there  is  that  is  evil 
shall  be  removed,  and  the  whole  soul 
will  be  like  God.  The  Christian  desires 
heaven  because  he  will  be  there  perfect. 
He  desires  no  other  heaven.  He  could 
be  induced  to  accept  no  other  if  it  were 
offered  to  him.  He  blesses  God  day  by 
day  that  there  is  such  a  heaven,  and 
that  there  is  no  other ;  that  there  is  one 
world  which  sin  does  not  enter,  and 
where  evil  shall  be  unknown. 

5.  What  a  change  will  take  place  at 
death,  ver.  1.  The  Christian  will  be 
there  made  perfect.  How  this  change 
will  be  there  produced  we  do  not  know. 
Whether  it  will  be  by  some  extraordi- 
nary influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God  on 
the  heart,  or  by  the  mere  removal  from 
the  body,  and  from  a  sinful  world  to  a 
world  of  glory,  we  know  not.  The  fact 
seems  to  be  clear,  that  at  death  the 
Christian  will  be  made  at  once  as  holy 
as  God  is  holy,  and  that  he  will  ever 
continue  to  be  in  the  future  world. 

6.  What  a  desirable  thing  it  is  to 
die.  ver.  1.  Here,  should  we  attain  to 
the  age  of  the  patriarchs,  like  them  we 
should  continue  to  be  imperfect.  Death 
only  will  secure  our  perfection;  and 
death,  therefore,  is  a  desirable  event. 
The  perfection  of  our  being  could  not 
be  attained  but  for  death ;  and  every 
Christian  should  rejoice  that  he  is  to 
die.  It  is  better  to  be  in  heaven  than 
on  earth  ;  better  to  be  with  God  than  to 
be  away  from  him ;  better  to  be  made 
perfect  than  to  be  contending  here  with 
internal  corruption,  and  to  struggle  with 
our  sins.  "  I  would  not  live  always," 
was  the  language  of  holy  Job ;  "  I  de- 
sire to  depart  and  to  be  with  Christ," 
was  the  language  of  holy  Paul. 

7.  It  is  often  painful  to  be  compelled 
to  use  the  language  of  reproof,  ver.  8. 
Paul  deeply  regretted  the  necessity  of 
doing  it  in  the  case  of  the  Corinthians, 
and  expressed  the  deepest  anxiety  in 
regard  to  it.  No  man,  no  minister, 
parent,  or  friend  can  use  it  but  with 
deep  regret  that  it  is  necessary.  But 
the  painfulness  of  it  should  not  prevent 
our  doing  it.  It  should  be  done  tenderly 
but  faithfully.  If  done  with  the  deep 
feeling,  with  the  tender  affection  of  Paul, 


174 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


it  will  be  done  right ;  and  when  so  done, 
it  will  produce  the  desired  effect,  and 
do  good.  No  man  should  use  the  lan- 
guage of  reproof  with  a  hard  heart,  or 
with  severity  of  feeling.  If  he  is,  like 
Paul,  ready  to  weep  when  he  does  it, 
it  will  do  good.  If  he  does  it  because 
he  delights  in  it,  it  will  do  evil. 

8.  It  is  a  subject  of  rejoicing  where 
a  people  exercise  repentance,  ver.  8. 
A  minister  has  pleasure  not  in  the  pain 
which  his  reproofs  cause  ;  not  in  the 
deep  anxiety  and  distress  of  the  sinner, 
and  not  in  the  pain  which  Christians 
feel  under  his  reproofs,  but  he  has  joy  in 
the  happy  results  or  the  fruits  which 
follow  from  it.  It  is  only  from  the  be- 
lief that  those  tears  will  produce  abun- 
dant joy  that  he  has  pleasure  in  causing 
them,  or  in  witnessing  them. 

9.  The  way  to  bring  men  to  repent- 
ance is  to  present  to  them  the  simple 
and  unvarnished  truth,  ver.  8,  9.  Paul 
stated  simple  and  plain  truths  to  the 
Corinthians.  He  did  not  abuse  them  ; 
he  did  not  censure  them  in  general 
terms ;  he  stated  things  just  as  they 
were,  and  specified  the  things  on  account 
of  which  there  was  occasion  for  repent- 
ance. So  if  ministers  wish  to  excite 
repentance  in  others,  they  must  specify 
the  sins  over  which  others  should  weep ; 
if  we  wish,  as  individuals,  to  feel  regret 
for  our  sins,  and  to  have  true  repentance 
toward  God,  we  must  dwell  on  those 
particular  sins  which  we  have  com- 
mitted, and  should  endeavour  so  to  re- 
flect on  them  that  they  may  make  an 
appropriate  impression  on  the  heart. 
No  man  will  truly  repent  by  general 
reflections  on  his  sin  ;  no  one  who  does 
not  endeavour  so  to  dwell  on  his  sins 
as  that  they  shall  make  the  proper  im- 
pression which  each  one  is  fitted  to 
produce  on  the  soul.  Repentance  is 
that  state  of  mind  which  a  view  of  the 
truth  in  regard  to  our  own  depravity  is 
fitted  to  produce. 

10.  There  is  a  great  difference  be- 
tween godly  sorrow  and  the  sorrow  of 
the  world,  ver.  10.  All  men  feel  sorrow. 
All  men,  at  some  period  of  their  lives, 
grieve  over  their  past  conduct  Some 
in  their  sorrow  are  pained  because  they 


have  offended  God,  and  go  to  God,  and 
find  pardon  and  peace  in  him.  That 
sorrow  is  unto  salvation.  But  the  mass 
do  not  look  to  God.  They  turn  away 
from  him  even  in  their  disappointments, 
and  in  their  sorrows,  and  in  the  bitter 
consciousness  of  sin.  They  seek  to 
alleviate  their  sorrows  in  worldly  com- 
pany, in  pleasure,  in  the  intoxicating 
bowl ;  and  such  sorrow  works  death.  It 
produces  additional  distress,  and  deeper 
gloom  here,  and  eternal  wo  hereafter. 

11.  We  may  learn  what  constitutes 
true  repentance,  ver.  11.  There  should 
be,  and  there  will  be,  deep  feeling. 
There  will  be  "  carefulness,"  deep 
anxiety  to  be  freed  from  the  sin  ;  there 
will  be  a  desire  to  remove  it ;  "  indigna- 
tion" against  it;  "fear"  of  offending 
God  ;  "  earnest  desire"  that  all  that  has 
been  wrong  should  be  corrected  ;  "  zeal" 
that  the  reformation  should  be  entire  ; 
and  a  wish  that  the  appropriate  "  re- 
venge" or  expression  of  displeasure 
should  be  excited  against  it.  The  true 
penitent  hates  nothing  so  cordially  as 
he  does  his  sin.  He  hates  nothing  but 
sin.  And  his  warfare  with  that  is  de- 
cided, uncompromising,  inexorable,  and 
eternal. 

12.  It  is  an  evidence  of  mercy  and 
goodness  in  God  that  the  sorrow  which 
is  felt  about  sin  may  be  made  to  termi- 
nate in  our  good,  and  to  promote  our 
salvation,  ver.  10,  11.  If  sorrow  for 
sin  had  been  suffered  to  take  its  own 
course,  and  had  proceeded  unchecked, 
it  would  in  all  cases  have  produced 
death.  If  it  had  not  been  for  the  merci 
ful  interposition  of  Christianity,  by 
which  even  sorrow  might  be  turned  to 
joy,  this  world  would  have  been  every- 
where a  world  of  sadness  and  of  death. 
Man  would  have  suffered.  Sin  always 
produces,  sooner  or  later,  wo.  Chris- 
tianity has  done  nothing  to  make  men 
wretched,  but  it  has  done  every  thing 
to  bind  up  broken  hearts.  It  has  re- 
vealed a  way  by  which  sorrow  may  be 
turned  into  joy,  and  the  bitterness  of 
grief  may  be  followed  by  the  sweet 
calm  and  sunshine  of  peace. 

13.  The  great  purpose  of  Christian 
discipline  is  to  benefit  the  whole  church. 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


175 


ver.  12.  It  is  not  merely  on  account 
of  the  offender,  nor  is  it  merely  that  the 
injured  may  receive  a  just  recompense. 
It  is  primarily  that  the  church  may  be 
pure,  and  that  the  cause  of  religion  may 
not  be  dishonoured.  When  the  work 
of  discipline  is  entered  on  from  any 
private  and  personal  motives,  it  is  usu- 
ally attended  with  bad  feeling,  and 
usually  results  in  evil.  When  it  is  en- 
tered on  with  a  desire  to  honour  God, 
and  to  promote  the  purity  of  the  church, 
when  the  whole  aim  is  to  deliver  the 
church  from  opprobrium  and  scandal, 
and  to  have  just  such  a  church  as  Jesus 
Christ  desires,  then  it  will  be  prosecuted 
with  good  temper,  and  with  right  feel- 
ing, and  then  it  will  lead  to  happy  re- 
sults. Let  no  man  institute  a  process 
of  discipline  on  an  offending  brother  from 
private,  personal,  and  revengeful  feel- 
ings. Let  him  first  examine  his  own 
heart,  and  let  him  be  sure  that  his  aim 
is  solely  the  glory  of  Christ,  before  he 
attempts  to  draw  down  the  censure  of 
the  church  on  an  offending  brother. 
How  many  cases  of  church  discipline 
would  be  arrested  if  this  simple  rule 
were  observed !  And  while  the  case  be- 
fore us  shows  that  it  is  important  in  the 
highest  degree  that  discipline  should 
be  exercised  on  an  offending  member 
of  the  church  ;  while  no  consideration 
should  prevent  us  from  exercising  that 
discipline ;  and  while  every  man  should 
feel  desirous  that  the  offending  brother 
should  be  reproved  or  punished,  yet  this 
case  also  shows  that  it  should  be  done 
with  the  utmost  tenderness,  the  most 
strict  regard  to  justice,  and  the  deepest 
anxiety  that  the  general  interests  of  re- 
ligion should  not  suffer  by  the  manifesta- 
tion of  an  improper  spirit,  or  by  im- 
proper motives  in  inflicting  punishment 
on  an  offending  brother. 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Ix  the  previous  chapter  the  apostle 
had  expressed  his  entire  confidence  in 
the  ready  obedience  of  the  Corinthians 
in  all  things.  To  this  confidence  he 
had  been  led  by  the  promptitude  with 
which  they  had  complied  with  his  com- 
mands in  regard  to  the  case  of  discipline 


there,  and  by  the  respect  which  they  had 
shown  to  Titus,  whom  he  had  sent  to 
them.  All  that  he  had  ever  said  in  their 
favour  had  been  realized  ;  all  that  had 
ever  been  asked  of  them  had  been  ac- 
complished. The  object  of  his  state- 
ment in  the  close  of  ch.  vii.  seems  to 
have  been  to  excite  them  to  diligence  in 
completing  the  collection  which  they 
had  begun  for  the  poor  and  afflicted 
saints  of  Judea.  On  the  consideration 
of  that  subject,  which  lay  so  near  his 
heart,  he  now  enters ;  and  this  chapter 
and  the  following  are  occupied  with 
suggesting  arguments,  and  giving  di- 
rections for  a  liberal  contribution. 

Paul  had  given  directions  for  taking 
up  this  collection  in  the  first  epistle. 
Seech. xv i.  1.  seq.  Comp. Rom. xv. 26. 
This  collection  he  had  given  Titus  di- 
rection to  take  up  when  he  went  to 
Corinth.  See  ver.  6 — 17  of  this  chap- 
ter. But  from  some  cause  it  had  not 
been  completed,  ver.  10,  11.  What 
that  cause  was,  is  not  stated,  but  it  may 
have  been  possibly  the  disturbances 
which  had  existed  there,  or  the  opposi- 
tion of  the  enemies  of  Paul,  or  the 
attention  which  was  necessarily  bestow- 
ed in  regulating  the  affairs  of  the  church. 
But  in  order  that  the  contribution  might 
be  made,  and  might  be  a  liberal  one, 
Paul  presses  on  their  attention  several 
considerations  designed  to  excite  them 
to  give  freely.  The  chapter  is,  there- 
fore, of  importance  to  us,  as  it  is  a  state- 
ment of  the  duty  of  giving  liberally  to 
the  cause  of  benevolence,  and  of  the 
motives  by  which  it  should  be  done. 
In  the  presentation  of  this  subject,  Paul 
urges  upon  them  the  following  con- 
siderations. 

He  appeals  to  the  very  liberal  exam- 
ple of  the  churches  of  Macedonia,  where, 
though  they  were  exceedingly  poor,  they 
had  contributed  with  great  cheerfulness 
and  liberality  to  the  object,  ver.  1 — 5. 

From  their  example  he  had  been  in- 
duced to  desire  Titus  to  lay  the  subject 
before  the  church  at  Corinth,  and  to 
finish  the  collection  which  he  had  be- 
gun, ver.  6. 

He  directs  them  to  abound  in  this, 
not  as  a  matter  of  commandment,  but 


* 


176 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60 


CHAPTER  VIII. 
1X/TOREOVER,  brethren,   we 
*-       do  you  to  wit  of  the  grace 

excited  by  the  example  of  others,  ver. 
7,8. 

He  appeals  to  them  by  the  love  of  the 
Saviour ;  reminds  them  that  though  he 
was  rich  yet  he  became  poor,  and  that 
they  were  bound  to  imitate  his  example, 
ver.  9. 

He  reminds  them  of  their  intention 
to  make  such  a  contribution,  and  of  the 
effort  which  they  had  made  a  year  be- 
fore ;  and  though  they  had  been  em- 
barrassed in  it,  and  might  find  it  diffi- 
cult still  to  give  as  much  as  they  had 
intended,  or  as  much  as  they  would 
wish,  still  it  would  be  acceptable  to  God. 
For  if  there  was  a  willing  mind,  God 
accepted  the  offering,  ver.  10 — 12. 

He  assures  them  that  it  was  not  his 
wish  to  burden  or  oppress  them.  All 
that  he  desired  was  that  there  should  be 
an  equality  in  all  the  churches,  ver. 
13—15. 

To  show  them  how  much  he  was  in- 
terested in  this,  he  thanks  God  that  he 
had  put  it  into  the  heart  of  Titus  to  en- 
gage in  it.  And  in  order  more  effectually 
to  secure  it,  he  says  that  he  had  sent 
with  Titus  a  brother  who  was  well 
known,  and  whose  praise  was  in  all 
the  churches.  He  had  done  this  in 
order  that  the  churches  might  have  en- 
tire confidence  that  the  contribution 
would  be  properly  distributed.  Paul 
did  not  wish  it  to  be  intrusted  to  himself. 
He  would  leave  no  room  for  suspicion 
_n  regard  to  his  own  character ;  he  would 
furnish  the  utmost  security  to  the 
churches  that  their  wishes  were  com- 
plied with.  He  desired  to  act  honestly 
not  only  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  but 
to  furnish  evidence  of  his  entire  honesty 
to  men.  ver.  16 — 21. 

To  secure  the  same  object  he  had  also 
sent  another  brother,  and  these  three 
brethren  he  felt  willing  to  recommend 
as  faithful  and  tried ;  as  men  in  whom 
the  church  at  Corinth  might  repose  the 
utmost  confidence,  ver.  22 — 24. 

1.  Moreover,  brethren,  we  do  you  to 


of  God  bestowed  on  the  churches 
of  Macedonia ;  ° 

a  c.  9.  2,  4. 


wit.  We  make  known  to  you ;  we 
inform  you.  The  phrase  *  we  do  you 
to  wit,'  is  used  in  Tindal's  translation, 
and  means  'we  cause  you  to  know.' 
The  purpose  for  which  Paul  informed 
them  of  the  liberality  of  the  churches  of 
Macedonia  was  to  excite  them  to  similar 
liberality.  %  Of  the  grace  of  God,  &c. 
The  favour  which  God  had  shown  them 
in  exciting  a  spirit  of  liberality,  and  in 
enabling  them  to  contribute  to  the  fund 
for  supplying  the  wants  of  the  poor 
saints  at  Jerusalem.  The  word  '  grace' 
Cta'§'0  *s  sometimes  used  in  the  sense 
of  gift,  and  the  phrase  "  gift  of  God" 
some  have  supposed  may  mean  very 
great  gift,  where  the  words  "  of  God" 
may  be  designed  to  mark  any  thing  very 
eminent  or  excellent,  as  in  the  phrase 
'cedars  of  God,'  'mountains  of  God,' 
denoting  very  great  cedars,  very  great 
mountains.  Some  critics  (as  Macknight, 
Bloomfield,  Locke,  and  others)  have 
supposed  that  this  means  that  the 
churches  of  Macedonia  had  been  able  to 
contribute  largely  to  the  aid  of  the 
saints  of  Judea.  But  the  more  obvious 
and  correct  interpretation,  as  I  appre- 
hend, is  that  which  is  implied  in  the 
common  version,  that  the  phrase  '  grace 
of  God,'  means  that  God  had  bestowed 
on  them  grace  to  give  according  to  their 
ability  in  this  cause.  According  to  this 
it  is  implied,  (1.)  That  a  disposition  to 
contribute  to  the  cause  of  benevolence 
is  to  be  traced  to  God.  He  is  its  author. 
He  excites  it  It  is  not  a  plant  of  native 
growth  in  the  human  heart,  but  a  large 
and  liberal  spirit  of  benevolence  is  one 
of  the  effects  of  his  grace,  and  is  to  be 
traced  to  him.  (2.)  It  is  a  favour  be- 
stowed on  a  church  when  God  excites 
in  it  a  spirit  of  benevolence.  It  is 
one  of  the  evidences  of  his  love.  And 
indeed  there  cannot  be  a  higher  proof 
of  the  favour  of  God  than  when  by  his 
grace  he  inclines  and  enables  us  to 
contribute  largely  to  meliorate  the  con- 
dition, and  to  alleviate  the  wants  of  our 


4.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


177 


2  How  that,  in  a  great  trial 
of  affliction,  the  abundance  of 
their  joy  and  their  deep  a  poverty 

a  Mar.  12. 44. 

ellow-men.  Perhaps  the  apostle  here 
meant  delicately  to  hint  this.  He  did 
not  therefore  say  coldly  that  the  churches 
of  Macedonia  had  contributed  to  this 
object,  but  he  speaks  of  it  as  a  favour 
shown  to  them  by  God  that  they  were 
able  to  do  it.  And  he  meant,  probably, 
gently  to  intimate  to  the  Corinthians 
that  it  would  be  an  evidence  that  they 
were  enjoying  the  favour  of  God  if 
they  should  contribute  in  like  manner. 
%  The  churches  of  Macedonia.  Philippi, 
Thessalonica,  Berea.  For  an  account 
of  Macedonia,  see  Notes,  Acts  xvi.  9. 
Rom.  xv.  26.  Of  these  churches,  that 
at  Philippi  seems  to  have  been  most 
distinguished  for  liberality  (Phil.  iv.  10. 
15,  16.  18),  though  it  is  probable  that 
other  churches  contributed  according  to 
their  ability  as  they  are  commended 
(comp.  ch.  ix.  2)  without  distinction. 

2.  How  that,  in  a  great  trial  of 
affliction.  When  it  might  be  supposed 
they  were  unable  to  give  ;  when  many 
would  suppose  they  needed  the  aid  of 
others ;  or  when  it  might  be  supposed 
their  minds  would  be  wholly  engrossed 
with  their  own  concerns.  The  trial  to 
which  the  apostle  here  refers  was  doubt- 
less some  persecution  which  was  excited 
against  them,  probably  by  the  Jews.  See 
Acts  xvi.  20;  xvii.  5.  %  The  abundance 
of  their  joy.  Their  joy  arising  from  the 
hopes  and  promises  of  the  gospel.  Not- 
withstanding their  persecutions,  their  joy 
has  abounded,  and  the  effect  of  their 
joy  has  been  seen  in  the  liberal  contribu- 
tion which  they  have  made.  Their  joy 
could  not  be  repressed  by  their  persecu- 
tion, and  they  cheerfully  contributed 
largely  to  the  aid  of  others.  %  And 
their  deep  poverty.  Their  very  low 
estate  of  poverty  was  made  to  contribute 
liberally  to  the  wants  of  others.  It  is 
implied  here,  (1.)  That  they  were  very 
poor — a  fact  arising  probably  from  the 
consideration   that  the  poor   generally 


abounded  unto  the  riches  of  their 
1  liberality. 

3  For  to  their  power  (I  bear 

i  simplicity. 

embraced  the  gospel  first,  and  also  be- 
cause it  is  probable  that  they  were  mo- 
lested and  stripped  of  their  property  in 
persecutions  (comp.  Heb.  x.  34)  ;  (2.) 
That  notwithstanding  this  they  were 
enabled  to  make  a  liberal  contribution — 
a  fact  demonstrating  that  a  people  can 
do  much  even  when  poor  if  all  feel  dis- 
posed to  do  it,  and  that  afflictions  are 
favourable  to  the  effort;  and,  (3.)  That 
one  cause  of  this  was  the  joy  which 
they  had  even  in  their  trials.  If  a  peo- 
ple have  the  joys  of  the  gospel ;  if  they 
have  the  consolations  of  religion  them- 
selves, they  will  somehow  or  other  find 
means  to  contribute  to  the  welfare  of 
others.  They  will  be  willing  to  labour 
with  reference  to  it,  or  they  will  find 
something  which  they  can  sacrifice  or 
spare.  Even  their  deep  poverty  will 
abound  in   the  fruits   of  benevolence. 

1  Abounded.  They  contributed  libe- 
rally. Their  joy  was  manifested  in  a 
large  donation,  notwithstanding  their 
poverty.  If  Unto  the  riches  of  their 
liberality.  Marg.  "  Simplicity."  The 
word  ((br*oT»?)  here  used  means  pro- 
perly sincerity,  candour,  probity ;  then 
Christian  simplicity,  integrity ;  then 
liberality.      See   Rom.   xii.  8  (Marg.). 

2  Cor.  ix.  11.  13.  The  phrase  "riches 
of  liberality,"  is  a  Hebraism,  meaning 
rich,  or  abundant  liberality.  The  sense 
is,  their  liberality  was  much  greater  than 
could  be  expected  from  persons  so  poor ; 
and  the  object  of  the  apostle  is,  to  excite 
the  Corinthians  to  give  liberally  by  their 
example. 

3.  For  to  their  power.  To  the  ut- 
most of  their  ability.  1  I  bear  record 
Paul  had  founded  those  churches  and 
had  spent  much  time  with  them.  He 
was  therefore  well  qualified  to  bear 
testimony  in  regard  to  their  condition. 
1  Yea,  and  beyond  their  power.  Be- 
yond what  could  have  been  expected  ; 
or  beyond  what  it  would   have   been 


173 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


record)  yea,  and  beyond  their 
power,  they  were  willing  of 
themselves  : 

4  Praying  us  with  much  in- 
treaty  that  we  would  receive  the 
gift,  and  take  upon  us  the  fellow- 
ship a  of  the  ministering  to  the 
saints. 

a  Ac.  11.  29.    Ro.  15.  25,  26. 


thought  possible  in  their  condition. 
Doddridge  remarks  that  this  is  a  noble 
hyperbole  similar  to  that  used  by  De- 
mosthenes when  he  says,  "  I  have  per- 
formed all,  even  with  an  industry  be- 
yond my  power."  The  sense  is,  they 
were  willing  to  give  more  than  they 
were  well  able.  It  shows  the  strong 
interest  which  they  had  in  the  subject, 
and  the  anxious  desire  which  they  had 
to  relieve  the  wants  of  others.  ^  Of 
themselves  (aid-zigrrct).  Acting  from 
choice,  self-moved,  voluntarily,  of  their 
own  accord.  They  did  not  wait  to  be 
urged  and  pressed  to  do  it.  They  re- 
joiced in  the  opportunity  of  doing  it. 
They  came  forward  of  their  own  accord 
and  made  the  contribution.  "  God 
loveth  a  cheerful  giver"  (ch.  ix.  7)  ;  and 
from  all  the  accounts  which  we  have 
of  these  churches  in  Macedonia  it  is 
evident  that  they  were  greatly  distin- 
guished for  their  cheerful  liberality. 

4.  Praying  us  with  much  entreaty. 
Earnestly  entreating  me  to  receive  the 
contribution  and  convey  it  to  the  poor 
and  afflicted  saints  in  Judea.  ^  And 
take  upon  us  the  fellowship  of  the  mi- 
nistering to  the  saints.  Greek,  '  that  we 
would  take  the  gift  and  the  fellowship 
of  the  ministering  to  the  saints.'  They 
asked  of  us  to  take  part  in  the  labour 
of  conve3ring  it  to  Jerusalem.  The 
occasion  of  this  distress  which  made 
the  collection  for  the  saints  of  Judea 
necessary,  was  probably  the  famine 
which  was  predicted  by  Agabus,  and 
which  occurred  in  the  time  of  Claudius 
Caesar.  See  Note  on  Acts  xi.  28.  Bar- 
nabas was  associated  with  Paul  in  con- 
veying the  contribution  to  Jerusalem. 
Acts  vi.  30.     Paul  was  unwilling:  to  do 


5  And  this  they  did,  not  as 
we  hoped,  but  first  gave  their 
ownselves  to  the  Lord,  and  unto 
us  by  the  will  of  God. 

6  Insomuch  that  we  desired 
Titus,  that  as  he  had  begun,  so 
he  would  also  finish  in  you  the 
same  ■  grace  also. 

*  or  gift. 


it  unless  they  particularly  desired  it,  and 
he  seems  to  have  insisted  that  some 
person  should  be  associated  with  him. 
ver.  20.     1  Cor.  xvi.  3,  4. 

5.  And  this  they  did,  &c.  They  did 
not  give  what  we  expected  only.  We 
knew  their  poverty,  and  we  expected 
only  a  small  sum  from  them.  ^  Not 
as  we  hoped.  Not  according  to  the 
utmost  of  our  hopes.  We  were  greatly 
disappointed  in  the  amount  which  they 
gave,  and  in  the  manner  in  which  it 
was  done,  t  But  first  gave  their  own- 
selves  to  the  Lord.  They  first  made  an 
entire  consecration  of  themselves  and 
all  that  they  had  to  the  Lord.  They 
kept  nothing  back.  They  felt  that  all 
they  had  was  his.  And  where  a  peo- 
ple honestly  and  truly  devote  themselves 
to  God,  they  will  find  no  difficulty  in 
having  the  means  to  contribute  to  the 
cause  of  charity.  Tf  And  unto  us  by 
the  will  of  God.  That  is,  they  gave 
themselves  to  us  to  be  directed  in  regard 
to  the  contribution  to  be  made.  They 
complied  with  our  wishes  and  followed 
our  directions.  The  phrase  "by  the 
will  of  God,"  means  evidently  that  God 
moved  them  to  this,  or  that  it  was  to 
be  traced  to  his  direction  and  provi- 
dence. It  is  one  of  the  instances  in 
which  Paul  traces  every  thing  that  is 
right  and  good  to  the  agency  and  di- 
rection of  God. 

6.  Insomuch.  The  sense  of  Jiis 
passage  seems  to  be  this.  •  We  were 
encouraged  by  this  unexpected  success 
among  the  Macedonians.  We  were 
surprised  at  the  extent  of  their  liberality 
And  encouraged  by  this,  we  requested 
Titus  to  go  among  you  and  finish  the 
collection  which  you  had  proposed  and 


1         i 


A..  D.  60. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


179 


7  Therefore,  as  ye  abound  a  in 
every  thing,  in  faith,  and  utter- 
ance, and  knowledge,  and  in  all 
diligence,  and  in  your  love  to 
us,  see  that  ye  abound  in  this 
grace  also. 

a  1  Co.  1.  5. 

which  you  had  begun.  Lest  you  should 
be  outstripped  in  liberality  by  the  com- 
paratively poor  Macedonian  Christians, 
we  were  anxious  that  you  should  per- 
form what  you  had  promised  and  con- 
templated, and  we  employed  Titus,  there- 
fore, that  he  might  go  at  once  and  finish 
the  collection  among  you.'  Tf  The  same 
grace  also.  Marg.  "Gift."  See  Note 
on  ver.  1 .  The  word  refers  to  the  contri- 
bution which  he  wished  to  be  made. 

7.  Therefore  as  ye  abound  in  every 
thing.  See  Note,  1  Cor.  i.  5.  Paul 
never  hesitated  to  commend  Christians 
where  it  could  be  done  with  truth ;  and 
the  fact  that  they  were  eminent  in  some 
of  the  Christian  duties  and  graces,  he 
makes  the  ground  of  the  exhortation 
that  they  would  abound  in  all.  From 
those  who  had  so  many  eminent  cha- 
racteristics of  true  religion  he  had  a 
right  to  expect  much ;  and  he  therefore 
exhorts  them  to  manifest  a  symmetry 
of  Christian  character.  ^  In  faith.  In 
the  full  belief  of  the  truth  and  obliga- 
tion of  the  gospel.  %  And  utterance. 
In  the  ability  to  instruct  others ;  perhaps 
referring  to  their  power  of  speaking 
foreign  languages.  1  Cor.  xiv.  *i  And 
knowledge.  The  knowledge  of  God, 
and  of  his  truth.  Tf  And  in  all  dili- 
gence. Diligence  or  readiness  in  the 
discharge  of  every  duty.  Of  this,  Paul 
had  full  evidence  in  their  readiness  to 
comply  with  his  commands  in  the  case 
of  discipline  to  which  so  frequent  refer- 
ence is  made  in  this  epistle,  f  And  in 
your  love  to  us.  Manifested  by  the 
readiness  with  which  you  received  our 
commands.  See  ch.  vii.  4.  6,  7.  11.  16. 
*J  See  that  ye  abound  in  this  grace 
also.  The  idea  here  is,  that  eminence 
in  spiritual  endowments  of  any  kind, 
or  in  any  of  the  traits  of  the  Christian 
character  should  lead  to  great  benevo- 


8  I  speak  not  h  by  command- 
ment, but  by  occasion  of  the 
forwardness  of  others,  and  to 
prove  the  sincerity  of  your 
love. 


6  1  Co.  7.  6. 


lence,  and  that  the  character  is  not  com- 
plete unless  benevolence  be  manifested 
toward  every  good  object  that  may  be 
presented. 

8.  /  speak  not  by  commandment. 
This  does  not  mean  that  he  had  no 
express  command  of  God  in  the  case, 
but  that  he  did  not  mean  to  command 
them ;  he  did  not  speak  authoritatively ; 
he  did  not  intend  to  prescribe  what  they 
should  give.  He  used  only  moral 
motives,  and  urged  the  considerations 
which  he  had  done  to  persuade  rather 
than  to  command  them  to  give.  See 
ver.  10.  He  was  endeavouring  to  in- 
duce them  to  give  liberally  not  by  ab- 
stract command  and  law,  but  by  show- 
ing them  what  others  had  given  who 
had  much  less  ability  and  much  fewer 
advantages  than  they  had.  Men  cannot 
be  induced  to  give  to  objects  of  charity 
by  command,  or  by  a  spirit  of  dictation 
and  authority.  The  only  successful,  as 
well  as  the  only  lawful  appeal,  is  to 
their  hearts,  and  consciences,  and  sober 
judgments.  And  if  an  apostle  did  not 
take  upon  himself  the  language  of 
authority  and  command  in  matters  of 
Christian  benevolence,  assuredly  minis- 
ters and  ecclesiastical  bodies  now  have 
no  right  to  use  any  such  language. 
f  Bat  by  occasion  of  the  forwardness 
of  others.  I  make  use  of  the  example 
of  the  churches  of  Macedonia  as  an 
argument  to  induce  you  to  give  libe- 
rally to  the  cause.  f  And  to  prove  the 
sincerity  of  your  love.  The  apostle 
does  not  specify  here  what  "  love"  he 
refers  to,  whether  love  to  God,  to  Christ, 
to  himself,  or  to  the  church  at  large. 
It  may  be  that  he  designedly  used  the 
word  in  a  general  sense  to  denote  love 
to  any  good  object ;  and  that  he  meant 
to  say  that  liberality  in  assisting  the 
poor  and  afflicted  people  of  God  would 


180 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


9  For  ye  know  the  grace  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that, 
though  he  was  a  rich,  yet  for  your 

o  Jno.  1.  1. 

be  the  best  evidence  of  the  sincerity 
of  their  love  to  God,  to  the  Redeemer, 
to  him,  and  to  the  church.  Religion  is 
love ;  and  that  love  is  to  be  manifested 
by  doing  good  to  all  men  as  we  have 
opportunity.  The  most  substantial  evi- 
dence of  that  love  is  when  we  are  will- 
ing to  part  with  our  property,  or  with 
whatever  is  valuable  to  us,  to  confer 
happiness  and  salvation  on  others. 

9.  For  ye  know,  &c.  The  apostle 
Paul  was  accustomed  to  illustrate  every 
subject,  and  to  enforce  every  duty  where 
it  could  be  done,  by  a  reference  to  the 
life  and  sufferings  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  The  design  of  this  verse  is 
apparent.  It  is,  to  show  the  duty  of 
giving  liberally  to  the  objects  of  be- 
nevolence, from  the  fact  that  the  Lord 
Jesus  was  willing  to  become  poor  in 
order  that  he  might  benefit  others.  The 
idea  is,  that  he  who  was  Lord  and  pro- 
prietor of  the  universe,  and  who  possessed 
all  things,  was  willing  to  leave  his  ex- 
alted station  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father 
and  to  become  poor,  in  order  that  we 
might  become  rich  in  the  blessings  of 
the  gospel,  in  the  means  of  grace,  and 
as  heirs  of  all  things ;  and  that  we  who 
are  thus  benefited,  and  who  have  such 
an  example,  should  be  willing  to  part 
with  our  earthly  possessions  in  order 
that  we  may  benefit  others,  t  TAe 
grace.  The  benignity,  kindness,  mercy, 
goodness.  His  coming  in  this  manner 
was  a  proof  of  the  highest  benevolence. 
^  Though  he  was  rich.  The  riches  of 
the  Redeemer  here  referred  to,  stand 
opposed  to  that  poverty  which  he  as- 
sumed and  manifested  when  he  dwelt 
among  men.  It  implies,  (1.)  His  pre- 
existence,  for  he  became  poor.  He  had 
been  rich.  Yet  not  in  this  world.  He 
did  not  lay  aside  wealth  here  on  earth 
after  he  had  possessed  it,  for  he  had 
none.  He  was  not  first  rich  and  then 
poor  on  earth,  for  he  had  no  earthly 
wealth.      The  Socuiian  interpretation 


sakes  he  became  poor,  h  that  ye 
through  his  poverty  might  be 
rich. c 

b  Lu.  9.  58.    Ph.  2.  6,  7.  c  Re.  3.  18 

is,  that  he  was  "rich  in  power  and 
in  the  Holy  Ghost;"  but  it  was  not 
true  that  he  laid  these  aside,  and  that 
he  became  poor  in  either  of  them.  He 
had  power,  even  in  his  poverty,  to  still 
the  waves,  and  to  raise  the  dead,  and 
he  was  always  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
His  family  was  poor ;  and  his  parents 
were  poor ;  and  he  was  himself  poor 
all  his  life.  This  then  must  refer  to  a 
state  of  antecedent  riches  before  his 
assumption  of  human  nature  ;  and  the 
expression  is  strikingly  parallel  to  that 
in  Phil.  ii.  6,  seq.  "  Who  being  in  the 
form  of  God,  thought  it  not  robbery  to 
be  equal  with  God,  but  made  himself 
of  no  reputation,"  &c.  (2.)  He  was 
rich  as  the  Lord  and  proprietor  of  all 
things.  He  was  the  Creator  of  all 
(John  i.  3.  Col.  i.  16),  and  as  Creator 
he  had  a  right  to  all  things,  and  the 
disposal  of  all  things.  The  most  abso- 
lute right  which  can  exist  is  that 
acquired  by  the  act  of  creation  ;  and 
this  right  the  Son  of  God  possessed 
over  all  gold,  and  silver,  and  diamonds, 
and  pearls ;  over  all  earth  and  lands ; 
over  all  the  treasures  of  the  ocean,  and 
over  all  worlds.  The  extent  and  amount 
of  his  riches,  therefore,  is  to  be  measured 
by  the  extent  of  his  dominion  over 
the  universe ;  and  to  estimate  his  riches, 
therefore,  we  are  to  conceive  of  the 
sceptre  which  he  sways  over  the  distant 
worlds.  What  wealth  has  man  that 
can  compare  with  the  riches  of  the 
Creator  and  proprietor  of  all  ]  How 
poor  and  worthless  appears  all  the  gold 
that  man  can  accumulate  compared  with 
the  wealth  of  him  whose  are  the  silver, 
and  the  gold,  and  the  cattle  upon  a 
thousand  hills  ]  ^  Yet  for  your  sakes. 
That  is,  for  your  sakes  as  a  part  of  the 
great  family  that  was  to  be  redeemed. 
In  what  respect  it  was  for  their  sake, 
the  apostle  immediately  adds  when  he 
says,  it  was  that  they  might  be  made 
rich.     It  was  not  for  his  own  sate,  but 


A.  D.  60.  j 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


181 


it  was  for  ours,  f  He  became  poor. 
In  the  following  respects.  (1.)  He 
chose  a  condition  of  poverty,  a  rank  of 
life  that  was  usually  that  of  poverty. 
He  "  took  upon  himself  the  form  of  a 
servant."  Phil.  ii.  7.  (2.)  He  was  con- 
nected with  a  poor  family.  Though 
of  the  family  and  lineage  of  David 
(Luke  ii.  4),  yet  the  family  had  fallen 
into  decay,  and  was  poor.  In  the  Old 
Testament  he  is  beautifully  represented 
as  a  shoot  or  sucker  that  starts  up  from 
the  root  of  a  decayed  tree.  See  my  Note 
on  Isa.  xi.  1.  (3.)  His  whole  life  was 
a  life  of  poverty.  He  had  no  home. 
Luke  ix.  58.     He  chose  to  be  depend- 

Ient  on  the  charity  of  the  few  friends 
that  he  drew  around  him,  rather  than  to 
create  food  for  the  abundant  supply  of 
his  own  wants.  He  had  no  farms  or 
plantations ;  he  had  no  splendid  palaces ; 
he  had  no  money  hoarded  in  useless 
coffers  or  in  banks ;  he  had  no  property 
to  distribute  to  his  friends.  His  mother 
he  commended  when  he  died  to  the 
charitable  attention  of  one  of  his  dis- 
ciples (John  xix.  27),  and  all  his  per- 
sonal property  seems  to  have  been  the 
raiment  which  he  wore,  and  which  was 
divided  among  the  soldiers  that  crucified 
him.  Nothing  is  more  remarkable  than 
the  difference  between  the  plans  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  and  those  of  many  of  his 
followers  and  professed  friends.  He 
formed  no  plan  for  becoming  rich,  and 
he  always  spoke  with  the  deepest  earnest- 
ness of  the  dangers  which  attend  an 
effort  to  accumulate  property.  He  was 
among  the  most  poor  of  the  sons  of 
men  in  his  life ;  and  few  have  been  the 
men  on  earth  who  have  not  had  as  much 
as  he  had  to  leave  to  surviving  friends, 
or  to  excite  the  cupidity  of  those  who 
should  fall  heirs  to  their  property  when 
dead.  (4.)  He  died  poor.  He  made 
no  will  in  regard  to  his  property,  for  he 
had  none  to  dispose  of.  He  knew  well 
enough  the  effect  which  would  follow  if 
he  had  amassed  wealth,  and  had  left  it  to 

fbe  divided  among  his  followers.  They 
were  very  imperfect ;  and  even  around 
the  cross  there  might  have  been  anxious 
discussion,  and  perhaps  strife  about  it, 
as  there  is  often  now  over  the  coffin 
16 


and  the  unclosed  grave  of  a  rich  and 
foolish  father  who  has  died.  Jesus  in- 
tended that  his  disciples  should  never 
be  turned  away  from  the  great  work  to 
which  he  called  them  by  any  wealth 
which  he  would  leave  them  ;  and  he 
left  them  not  even  a  keepsake  as  a 
memorial  of  his  name.  All  this  is  the 
more  remarkable  from  two  considera- 
tions-, (a)  That  he  had  it  in  his  power 
to  choose  the  manner  in  which  he  would 
come.  He  might  have  come  in  the 
condition  of  a  splendid  prince.  He 
might  have  rode  in  a  chariot  of  ease, 
or  have  dwelt  in  a  magnificent  palace. 
He  might  have  lived  with  more  than 
the  magnificence  of  an  oriental  prince, 
and  might  have  bequeathed  treasures 
greater  than  those  of  Crcesus  or  Solo- 
mon to  his  followers.  But  he  chose  not 
to  do  it.  (b)  It  would  have  been  as 
right  and  proper  for  him  to  have  amassed 
wealth,  and  to  have  sought  princely 
possessions,  as  for  any  of  his  followers. 
What  is  right  for  them  would  have 
been  right  for  him.  Men  often  mistake 
on  this  subject ;  and  though  it  cannot 
be  demonstrated  that  all  his  followers 
should  aim  to  be  as  poor  as  he  was,  yet 
it  is  undoubtedly  true  that  he  meant 
that  his  example  should  operate  con- 
stantly to  check  their  desire  of  amassing 
wealth.  In  him  it  was  voluntary ,-  in 
us  there  should  be  always  a  readiness 
to  be  poor  if  such  be  the  will  of  God  ; 
nay,  there  should  be  rather  a  preference 
to  be  in  moderate  circumstances  that 
we  may  thus  be  like  the  Redeemer. 
f  That  ye  through  his  poverty  might- 
be  rich.  That  is,  might  have  durable 
and  eternal  riches,  the  riches  of  God's 
everlasting  favour.  This  includes, 
(1.)  The  present  possession  of  an  in- 
terest in  the  Redeemer  himself.  'Do 
you  see  these  extended  fields  V  said  the 
owner  of  a  vast  plantation  to  a  friend. 
1  They  are  mine.  All  this  is  mine.'  '  Do 
you  see  yonder  poor  cottage  V  was  the 
reply  of  the  friend  as  he  directed  his 
attention  to  the  abode  of  a  poor  widow. 
*  She  has  more  than  all  this.  She  has 
Chuist  as  her  portion ;  and  that  is 
more  than  all.'  He  who  has  an  interest 
in  the  Redeemer  has  a  possession  that 


182 


II.  COBINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


10  Ana  Acrein  1  give  my 
advice :  for  wild  is  expedient  for 
you,  who  have  oegun  before,  not 

is  of  more  value  than  ail  that  princes 
can  bestow.  (2.)  The  heirship  of  an 
eternal  inheritance,  the  prospect  of  im- 
mortal glory.  Rom.viii.  17.  (3.)  Ever- 
lasting treasures  in  heaven.  Thus  the 
Saviour  compares  the  heavenly  blessings 
to  treasures.  Matt.  vi.  20.  Eternal  and 
illimitable  wealth  is  theirs  in  heaven  ; 
and  to  raise  us  to  that  blessed  inherit- 
ance was  the  design  of  the  Redeemer 
in  consenting  to  become  poor.  This, 
the  apostle  says,  was  to  be  secured  by 
his  poverty.  This  includes  probably 
the  two  following  things,  viz.  (1.)  That 
it  was  to  be  by  the  moral  influence  of 
the  fact  that  he  was  poor  that  men 
were  to  be  blessed.  He  designed  by 
his  example  to  counteract  the  effect  of 
wealth ;  to  teach  men  that  this  was  not 
the  thing  to  be  aimed  at ;  that  there 
were  more  important  purposes  of  life 
than  to  obtain  money ;  and  to  furnish 
a  perpetual  reproof  of  those  who  are 
aiming  to  amass  riches.  The  example 
of  the  Redeemer  thus  stands  before  the 
whole  church  and  the  world  as  a  living 
and  constant  memorial  of  the  truth  that 
men  need  other  things  than  wealth ; 
and  that  there  are  objects  that  demand 
their  time  and  influence  other  than  the 
accumulation  of  property.  It  is  well  to 
have  such  an  example ;  well  to  have 
before  us  the  example  of  one  who  never 
formed  any  plan  for  gain,  and  who 
constantly  lived  above  the  world.  In 
a  world  where  gain  is  the  great  object, 
where  all  men  are  forming  plans  for  it, 
it  is  well  to  have  one  great  model  that 
shall  continually  demonstrate  the  folly 
of  it,  and  that  shall  point  to  better 
things.  (2.)  The  word  "  poverty"  here 
may  include  more  than  a  mere  want 
of  property.  It  may  mean  all  the  cir- 
cumstances of  his  low  estate  and  humble 
condition  ;  his  sufferings  and  his  woes. 
The  whole  train  of  his  privations  was 
included  in  this ;  and  the  idea  is,  that 
he  gave  himself  to  this  lowly  condition 
in  order  that  by  his  sufferings  he  might 


only  to  do,  but  also  to  be  '  for 
ward  a  year  ago. 

i  willing-. 

procure  for  us  a  part  in  the  kingdom 
of  heaven.  His  poverty  was  a  part  of 
the  sufferings  included  in  the  work  of 
the  atonement.  For  it  was  not  the 
sufferings  of  the  garden  merely,  or  the 
pangs  of  the  cross,  that  constituted  the 
atonement ;  it  was  the  series  of  sorrows 
and  painful  acts  of  humiliation  which 
so  thickly  crowded  his  life.  By  all  these 
he  designed  that  we  should  be  made  rich ; 
and  in  view  of  all  these  the  argument 
of  the  apostle  is,  we  should  be  willing 
to  deny  ourselves  to  do  good  to  others. 

10.  And  herein  I  give  my  advice. 
Not  undertaking  to  command  them,  or 
to  prescribe  how  much  they  should  give. 
Advice  will  go  much  farther  than  com- 
mands on  the  subject  of  charities.  ■"  For 
this  is  expedient  for  you  (c-y^p^a). 
That  is,  this  will  be  of  advantage  to 
you  ;  it  will  be  profitable ;  it  will  be 
becoming.  The  idea  is,  that  they  were 
bound  by  a  regard  to  consistency  and 
to  their  own  welfare,  to  perform  what 
they  had  purposed.  It  became  them ; 
it  was  proper,  and  was  demanded  ;  and 
there  would  have  been  manifest  dis- 
advantages if  it  had  not  been  done. 
U  Who  have  begun  before.  Who  com- 
menced the  collection  a  year  before. 
See  ver.  6.  It  had  been  commenced 
with  fair  prospects  of  success,  but  had 
been  interrupted  probably  by  the  dis- 
sensions which  arose  in  the  church 
there.  1  Not  only  to  do.  Not  merely 
to  accomplish  it  as  if  by  constraint,  or 
as  a  matter  of  compulsion  and  drudgery. 
%  But  also  to  be  forward.  Marg.  "  Will- 
ing." So  the  Greek  (to  3-«a«V).  They 
were  voluntary  in  this,  and  they  set 
about  it  with  vigorous  and  determined 
zeal  and  courage.  There  was  a  resolute 
determination  in  the  thing,  and  a  will- 
ingness and  heartiness  in  it  which 
showed  that  they  were  actuated  by 
Christian  principle.  Consistency,  and 
their  own  reputation  and  advantage, 
now  demanded  that  they  should  com 
plete  what  they  had  begun. 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


183 


11  Now  therefore  perform  a 
the  doing  of  it;  that  as  there 
was  a  readiness  to  will,  so  there 
rnay  be  a  performance  also  out 
of  that  which  ye  have. 

a  1  Ti.  6.  19.    He.  13.  16.    Ja.  2. 15, 16. 

11.  As  there  was  a  readiness  to  will. 
Now  accomplish  the  thing,  and  be  not 
satisfied  with  having  begun  it.  Do  not 
suppose  that  the  intention  was  sufficient, 
or  that  you  are  now  released  from  the 
obligation.  A  year  indeed  has  elapsed ; 
but  the  necessity  of  the  aid  for  the  poor 
has  not  ceased.  The  sentiment  here  is, 
that  if  we  have  felt  it  our  duty  to  aid 
in  a  cause  of  benevolence,  and  have 
commenced  it,  and  have  then  been  in- 
terrupted in  executing  our  purpose,  we 
should  seize  the  first  favourable  oppor- 
tunity to  accomplish  what  we  had  de- 
signed. We  should  not  regard  our- 
selves as  released  from  our  obligation, 
but  should,  from  a  regard  to  consistency 
and  our  obligation  to  God,  accomplish 
what  we  had  intended.  %  Out  of  that 
which  ye  have.  According  to  your 
ability.  See  ver.  12.  It  should  be  in 
proportion  to  your  means. 

II 2.  For  if  there  be  first  a  willing 
mind.  If  there  is  a  readiness  (^cSv/mia.), 
a  disposition  to  give  ;  if  the  heart  is  in 
it,  then  the  offering  will  be  acceptable 
to  God,  whether  you  be  able  to  give  much 
or  little.  A  willing  mind  is  the  first 
consideration.  No  donation  however 
large  can  be  acceptable  where  that  does 
not  exist ;  none  however  small  can  be 
otherwise  than  acceptable  where  that  is 
found.  This  had  relation  as  used  by 
Paul  to  the  duty  of  almsgiving ;  but  the 
principle  is  as  applicable  to  every  thing 
in  the  way  of  duty.  A  willing  mind  is 
the  first  and  main  thing.  It  is  that 
which  God  chiefly  desires,  and  that 
without  which  every  thing  else  will  be 
offensive,  hypocritical,  and  vain.  See 
Note,  ch.  ix.  7.  f  It  is  accepted.  Dod- 
dridge, Rosenmiiller,  Macknight,  and 
some  others  apply  this  to  the  person, 
and  render  it,  "  he  is  accepted ;"  but  the 
more  usual,  and  tb,e  more  natural  in- 
terpretation is  to  apply  it  to  the  gift — it 


12  For  if  h  there  be  first  a 
willing  mind,  it  is  accepted  ac- 
cording to  that  a  man  hath,  and 
not  according  to  that  he  hath 
not. 

b  Lu.  21.  3. 


is  accepted.  God  will  approve  of  it, 
and  will  receive  it  favourably,  ^  Ac- 
cording to  that  a  man  hath,  &c.  He 
is  not  required  to  give  what  he  has  not. 
His  obligation  is  proportioned  to  his 
ability.  His  offering  is  acceptable  to 
God  according  to  the  largeness  and 
willingness  of  his  heart,  and  not  accord- 
ing to  the  narrowness  of  his  fortune. — 
Locke.  If  the  means  are  small,  if  the 
individual  is  poor,  and  if  the  gift  shall 
be,  therefore,  small  in  amount,  yet  it  may 
be  proof  of  a  larger  heart  and  of  more 
true  love  to  God  and  his  cause  than  when 
a  much  more  ample  benefaction  is  made 
by  one  in  better  circumstances.  This 
sentiment  the  Saviour  expressly  stated 
and  defended  in  the  case  of  the  poor 
widow.  Mark  xii.  42 — 44.  Luke  xxi. 
1 — 4.  She  who  had  cast  in  her  two 
mites  into  the  treasury  had  put  in 
more  than  all  which  the  rich  men  had 
contributed,  for  they  had  given  of  their 
abundance,  but  she  had  cast  in  all  that 
she  had,  even  all  her  living.  The  great 
and  obviously  just  and  equal  principle 
here  stated,  was  originally  applied  by 
Paul  to  the  duty  of  giving  alms.  But 
it  is  equally  true  and  just  as  applied  to 
all  the  duties  which  we  owe  to  God. 
He  demands,  (1.)  A  willing  mind,  a 
heart  disposed  to  yield  obedience.  He 
claims  that  our  service  should  be  volun- 
tary and  sincere,  and  that  we  should 
make  an  unreserved  consecration  of  what 
we  have.  Secondly,  he  demands  only 
what  we  have  power  to  render.  He  re- 
quires a  service  strictly  according  to 
our  ability,  and  to  be  measured  by  that. 
He  demands  no  more  than  our  powers 
are  fitted  to  produce ;  no  more  than  we 
are  able  to  render.  Our  obligations  in 
all  cases  are  limited  by  our  ability. 
This  is  obviously  the  rule  of  equity, 
and  this  is  all  that  is  anywhere  de- 
manded in  the  Bible,  and  this  is  every- 


184 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


13  For  I  mean  not  that  other 
men  be  eased,  and  ye  burdened: 


where  demanded.  Thus  our  love  to 
him  is  to  be  in  proportion  to  our  ability, 
and  not  to  be  graduated  by  the  ability 
of  angels  or  other  beings.  "  And  thou 
shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  ail 
THY  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul, 
and  with  all  thy  mind,  and  with  all 
thy  strength."  Mark  xii.  30.  Here 
the  obligation  is  limited  by  the  ability, 
and  the  love  is  to  be  commensurate  with 
the  ability.  So  of  repentance,  faith,  and 
of  obedience  in  any  form.  None  but 
a  tyrant  ever  demands  more  than  can 
be  rendered  ;  and  to  demand  more  is 
the  appropriate  description  of  a  tyrant, 
and  cannot  appertain  to  the  ever  blessed 
God.  Thirdly,  if  there  is  any  service 
rendered  to  God,  according  to  the  ability, 
it  is  accepted  of  him.  It  may  not  be  as 
much  or  as  valuable  as  may  be  rendered 
by  beings  of  higher  powers ;  it  may  not 
be  as  much  as  we  would  desire  to  ren- 
der, but  it  is  all  that  God  demands, 
and  is  acceptable  to  him.  The  poor 
widow  was  not  able  to  give  as  much 
as  the  rich  man ;  but  her  offering  was 
equally  acceptable,  and  might  be  more 
valuable,  for  it  would  be  accompanied 
with  her  prayers.  The  service  which 
we  can  render  to  God  may  not  be 
equal  to  that  which  the  angels  render ; 
but  it  may  be  equally  appropriate  to  our 
condition  and  our  powers,  and  may  be 
equally  acceptable  to  God.  God  may  be 
as  well  pleased  with  the  sighings  of  peni- 
tence as  the  praises  of  angels  ;  with  the 
offerings  of  a  broken  and  a  contrite 
heart  as  with  the  loud  hallelujahs  of  un- 
fallen  beings  in  heaven. 

13.  For  I  mean  not  that  other  men 
be  eased,  &c.  I  do  not  intend  that  others 
should  be  eased  in  order  to  relieve  you. 
Literally,  'Not  that  there  should  be 
rest  (avsT/c,  a  letting  loose,  remission, 
relaxation)  to  others,  but  affliction 
(d-Kt^i;)  to  you.'  Probably  the  Corinth- 
ians were  able  to  contribute  more  than 
many  other  churches,  certainly  more 
than  the  churches  of  Macedonia  (ver. 
2),  and    Paul  therefore  presses   upon 


14  But  by  an   equality,  that 
now  at  this  time  your  abundance 

them  the  duty  of  giving  according  to 
their  means,  yet  he  by  no  means  in- 
tended that  the  entire  burden  should 
come  on  them. 

14.  But  by  an  equality.  On  just 
and  equal  principles.  ^  That  now  at 
this  time,  &c.  That  at  the  present  time 
your  abundance  may  be  a  supply  for 
their  wants,  so  that  at  some  future  time, 
if  there  should  be  occasion  for  it,  their 
abundance  may  be  a  supply  for  your 
wants.  The  idea  is  this.  Corinth  was 
then  able  to  give  liberally,  but  many  of 
the  other  churches  were  not.  They 
were  poor,  and  perhaps  persecuted  and 
in  affliction.  But  there  might  be  great 
reverses  in  their  condition.  Corinth 
might  be  reduced  from  its  affluence,  and 
might  itself  become  dependent  on  the 
aid  of  others,  or  might  be  unable  to 
contribute  any  considerable  amount  for 
the  purposes  of  charity.  The  members 
of  the  church  in  Corinth,  therefore, 
should  so  act  in  their  circumstances  of 
prosperity,  that  others  would  be  disposed 
to  aid  them  should  their  condition  ever 
be  such  as  to  demand  it.  And  the 
doctrine  here  taught  is,  (1.)  That  the 
support  of  the  objects  of  benevolence 
should  be  on  equal  principles.  The  rich 
should  bear  an  equal  .and  fair  propor- 
tion, and  if  more  frequent  demands  are 
made  on  their  benefaction  than  on  others 
they  should  not  complain.  (2.)  Chris- 
tians should  contribute  liberally  while 
they  have  the  means.  *In  the  vicissitudes 
of  life  no  one  can  tell  how  soon  he 
may  be  unable  to  contribute,  or  may  even 
be  dependent  on  the  charity  of  others 
himself.  A  change  in  the  commercial 
world  ;  losses  by  fire  or  at  sea ;  want 
of  success  in  business ;  loss  of  health, 
and  the  failure  of  his  plans,  may  soon 
render  him  unable  to  aid  the  cause  of 
benevolence.  While  he  is  prospered  he 
should  embrace  every  opportunity  to 
do  good  to  all.  Some  of  the  most 
painful  regrets  which  men  ever  have, 
arise  from  the  reflection  that  when 
prospered  they  were  indisposed  to  give 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


185 


may  be  a  supply  for  their  want, 
that  their  abundance  also  may  be 
a  supply  for  your  want,  that 
there  may  be  equality  : 


to  benefit  others,  and  when  their  proper- 
ty is  swept  away  they  become  unable. 
God  often  sweeps   away  the  property 
which  they  were  indisposed  to  contribute 
to  aid  others,  and  leaves  them  to  penury 
and  want.     Too  late  they  regret  that 
they  were  not  the  liberal  patrons  of  the 
objects  of  benevolence  when  they  were 
able  to  be.    ^  That  there  may  be  equali- 
ty.    That  all   may  be  just  and  equal. 
That  no  unjust  burden  should  be  borne 
by  any  one  portion  of  the  great  family 
of    the    redeemed.       Every    Christian 
brother  should  bear  his  due  proportion. 
15.  As  it  is  written.     See  Ex.  xvi. 
18.       1  He  that  had  gathered  much, 
&c.     This  passage  was  originally  ap- 
plied to  the  gathering  of  manna  by  the 
children  of  Israel.     The  manna  which 
fell  around  the  camp  of  Israel  was  ga- 
thered every  morning.     All   that  were 
able  were   employed   in   gathering  it; 
and  when  it  was  collected  it  was  dis- 
tributed in  the  proportion  of  an  omer,  or 
about  five  pints  to  each  man.     Some 
would  be  more  active  and  more  success- 
ful than  others.     Some  by  age  or  in- 
firmity would   collect  little;    probably 
many  by  being   confined  to  the  camp 
would   collect  none.     They  who   had 
gathered  more  than  an  omer,  therefore, 
would  in  this  way  contribute  to  the 
wants  of  others,  and  would  be  constantly 
manifesting    a    spirit   of   benevolence. 
And   such  was  their  willingness  to  do 
good  in  this  way,  such  their  readiness 
to  collect  more  than  they  knew  would 
be   demanded  for   their  own  use,  and 
such  the  arrangement  of  Providence  in 
furnishing  it,  that  there  was  no  want ; 
and  there  was  no  more  gathered  than 
was  needful  to  supply  the  demands  of 
the  whole.     Paul  applies  this  passage, 
therefore,  in  the  very  spirit  in  which  it 
was  originally  penned.     He  means  to 
say  that  the  rich   Christians  at  Corinth 
should    impart 


15  As  it  is  written,  a  He  that 
had  gathered  much  had  nothing 
over  ;  and  he  that  had  gathered 
little  had  no  lack. 

a  Ex.  16.  18. 


brethren.     They   had    gathered    more 
wealth  than  was  immediately  necessary 
for  their  families  or  themselves.     They 
should,  therefore,  impart  freely  to  those 
who  had  been  less  successful.     Wealth, 
like  manna,  is  the  gift  of  God.     It  is 
like  that  spread  by  his  hand  around  us 
every  day.     Some  are  able  to   gather 
much  more  than  others.     By  their  skill, 
their  health,  their  diligence,  or  by  provi- 
dential arrangements,  they  are  eminently 
successful.     Others  are  feeble,  or  sick, 
or   aged,  or  destitute  of  skill,  and  are 
less  successful.     All  that  is  obtained  is 
by  the  arrangement  of  God.  The  health, 
the  strength,  the  skill,  the  wisdom  by 
which  we  are  enabled  to  obtain  it,  are 
all  his  gift.     That  which  is  thus  ho- 
estly  obtained,  therefore,   should  be  re- 
garded as  his  bounty,  and  we  should 
esteem  it  a  privilege  daily  to  impart  to 
others  less  favoured  and  less  successful. 
Thus  society  will  be  bound  more  close- 
ly together.     There  will   be,  as    there 
was  among  the  Israelites,  the  feelings 
of  universal  brotherhood.     There  will 
be  on  the  one  hand  the  happiness  flow- 
ing from  the   constant  exercise  of  the 
benevolent  feelings ;  on  the  other  the 
strong  ties  of  gratitude.  On  the  one  hand 
the  evils  of  poverty  will  be  prevented, 
and  on  the  other  the  not  less,  though  dif- 
ferent evils  resulting  from  superabundant 
wealth.     Is  it  a  forced  and  unnatural 
analogy  also  to   observe,   that  wealth, 
like  manna,  corrupts  by  being  kept  in 
store?     Manna  if  kept  more   than  a 
single  day  became  foul  and  loathsome. 
Does   not  wealth   hoarded  up  when  it 
might  be  properly  employed ;  wealth  that 
should  have  been  distributed  to  relieve 
the  wants  of  others,  become  corrupting 
in  its  nature,  and  offensive  in  the  sight 
of  holy  and  benevolent  minds  1    Comp. 
James  v.  2 — 4.     Wealth,  like  manna, 


should  be  employed  in  the  service  which 
freely  to  their  poorer  I  God  designs — employed  to  diffuse  every- 
16* 


186 


16  But  thanks  be  to  God, 
which  put  the  same  earnest  care 
into  the  heart  of  Titus  for  you. 

17  For  indeed  he  accepted 
the  exhortation  ;  a  but  being  more 


where  the  blessings  of  religion,  comfort, 
and  peace. 

1 6.  But  thanks  be  to  God.  Paul  re- 
garded every  right  feeling,  and  every 
pure  desire;  every  inclination  to  serve 
God  or  to  benefit  a  fellow  mortal,  as  the 
gift  of  God.  He,  therefore,  ascribes  the 
praise  to  him  that  Titus  was  disposed  to 
show  an  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the 
Corinthians.  ^  The  same  earnest  care. 
The  earnest  care  here  referred  to  was 
that  the  Corinthians  might  complete  the 
collection,  and  finish  what  they  had 
proposed.  Titus  was  willing  to  under- 
take this,  and  see  that  it  was  done. 
Tf  For  you.  For  your  completing  the 
collection.  Paul  represents  it  as  being 
done  for  them,  or  for  their  welfare.  The 
poor  saints  in  Judea  indeed  were  to  have 
the  immediate  benefit  of  the  contribu- 
tion, but  it  was  a  privilege  for  them  to 
give,  and  Paul  rejoiced  that  they  had 
that  privilege.  A  man  who  presents  to 
Christians  a  feasible  object  of  benevo- 
lence, and  who  furnishes  them  an  op- 
portunity of  doing  good  to  others,  is 
doing  good  to  them,  and  they  should 
esteem  it  an  act  of  kindness  done  to 
them. 

17.  For  indeed  lie  accepted  the  ex- 
hortation. He  cheerfully  complied  with 
the  exhortation  which  I  gave  him,  to 
wit,  to  visit  you,  and  excite  you  to  this 
good  work.  *f  But  being  more  forward. 
More  disposed  to  do  this  than  I  had 
»upposed.  The  idea  here  is,  that  he 
was  very  ready  to  engage  in  this ;  he 
vas  more  ready  to  engage  in  it  than 
(*aul  was  to  exhort  him  to  it ;  he  an- 
icipated  his  request;  he  had  already 
esoived  to  engage  in  it.  ^  Of  his  own 
xcord  he  went,  &c.  He  went  volunta- 
rily, and  without  urging.  The  ground 
of  Paul's  thankfulness  here  seems  to 
have  been  this,  lie  apprehended  pro- 
bably some  difhcUity  in  obtaining  the 


II.  CORINTHIANS.  [A.  D.  60* 

forward,  of  his   own  accord  he 


went  unto  you. 

18  And    we   have    sent  with 
him  the  brother,  b  whose  praise 

b  c.  12.  18. 


collection  there.  He  was  acquainted 
with  the  distracted  state  of  the  church, 
and  feared  that  Titus  might  have  some 
reluctance  to  engage  in  the  service.  He 
was  therefore  very  agreeably  surprised 
when  he  learned  that  Titus  was  willing 
to  make  another  journey  to  Corinth  and 
to  endeavour  to  complete  the  collection. 
18.  And  we  have  sent  with  him  the 
brother.  It  has  been  generally  supposed 
that  this  anonymous  brother  was  Luke. 
Some  have  supposed  however  that  it 
was  Mark,  others  that  it  was  Silas  or 
Barnabas.  It  is  impossible  to  determine 
with  certainty  who  it  was ;  nor  is  it 
material  to  know.  Whoever  it  was,  it 
was  some  one  well  known,  in  whom 
the  church  at  Corinth  could  have  entire 
confidence.  It  is  remarkable  that  though 
Paul  mentions  him  again  (ch.  xii.  18), 
he  does  it  also  in  the  same  manner, 
without  specifying  his  name.  The  only 
circumstances  that  can  throw  any  light 
on  this  are,  (1.)  That  Luke  was  the 
companion  and  intimate  friend  of  Paul, 
and  attended  him  in  his  travels.  From 
Acts  xvi.  10,  11,  where  Luke  uses 
the  term  "we"  it  appears  that  he 
was  with  Paul  when  he  first  went  into 
Macedonia,  and  from  ver.  15  it  is  clear 
that  he  went  with  Paul  to  Philippi. 
From  Acts  xvii.  1,  where  Luke  alters 
his  style  and  uses  the  term  "  they,"  it  is 
!  evident  that  he  did  not  accompany 
'  Paul  and  Silas  when  they  went  to 
j  Thessalonica,  but  either  remained  at 
J  Philippi  or  departed  to  some  other  place 
He  did  not  join  them  again  until  they 
|  went  to  Troas  on  the  way  to  Jerusalem. 
I  Acts  xx.  5.  In  what  manner  Luke 
!  spent  the  interval  is  not  known.  Mac- 
'  knight  supposes  that  it  might  have  been 
in  multiplying  copies  of  his  gospel  for 
the  use  of  the  churches.  Perhaps  also 
he  might  have  been  engaged  in  preach- 
ing, and  in  services  like  that  in  the  case 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


187 


is  in  the  gospel  throughout  all 
the  churches  ; 

19  And  not  that  only,  but 
who  was  also  chosen a  of  the 
churches  to  travel  with  us  with 
this  *  grace,  which  is    adminis- 

a  1  Co.  16.  3,  4.  x  or,  gift. 


before  us.  (2.)  It  seems  probable  that 
Luke  is  the  person  referred  to  by  the 
phrase  "  whose  praise  is  in  the  gospel 
throughout  all  the  churches."  This 
would  be  more  likely  to  be  applied  to 
one  who  had  written  a  gospel,  or  a  life 
of  the  Redeemer  that  had  been  exten- 
sively circulated,  than  to  any  other  per- 
son. Still  it  is  by  no  means  certain 
that  he  is  the  person  here  referred  to, 
nor  is  it  of  material  consequence. 
Tf  Whose  praise.  Who  is  well  known 
and  highly  esteemed.  ^  Is  in  the  gospel. 
Either  for  writing  the  gospel,  or  for 
preaching  the  gospel.  The  Greek  will 
bear  either  construction.  In  some  way 
he  was  celebrated  for  making  known 
the  truths  of  the  gospel. 

1 9.  And  not  that  only.  Not  only  is 
he  esteemed  on  account  of  other  ser- 
vices which  he  has  rendered  by  his 
preaching  and  writings ;  but  he  has 
had  a  new  mark  of  the  confidence  of 
the  churches  in  being  appointed  to 
convey  the  collection  to  Jerusalem. 
H  Chosen  of  the  churches.  Chosen  by 
the  churches.  Many  concurred  in  the 
choice,  showing  that  they  had  entire 
confidence  in  him.  Paul  had  been  un- 
willing to  have  charge  of  this  contribu- 
tion alone  (1  Cor.  xvi.  3,  4.  comp.  ver. 
20),  and  he  had  procured  the  appoint- 
ment of  some  one  to  undertake  it. 
Probably  he  expected  that  the  church 
at  Corinth  would  concur  in  this  appoint- 
ment. ^  With  this  grace.  Marg. 
"Gift."  See  ver.  1.  The  word  here 
refers  to  the  alms,  or  the  collection 
which  had  been  made.  Tf  Which  is  ad- 
ministered by  us.  That  is,  which  is 
undertaken  by  us.  Paul  had  been  the 
instrument  of  procuring  it.  f  To  the 
glory  of  the  same  Lord.    The  Lord  of 


tered  by  us  to  h  the  glory  of  the 
same  Lord,  and  declaration  of 
your  ready  mind : 

20  Avoiding  this,  that  no  man 
should  blame  us  in  this  abun- 
dance which  is  administered  by 
us: 

b  c.  4.  15. 


us  all.  The  design  was  to  promote  the 
glory  of  the  Lord  by  showing  the  influ- 
ence of  religion  in  producing  true  be- 
nevolence. If  And  declaration  of  your 
ready  mind.  That  is,  to  afford  you  an 
opportunity  of  evincing  your  readiness 
to  do  good  to  others,  and  to  promote 
their  welfare. 

20.  Avoiding  this.  That  is,  I  intend 
to  prevent  any  blame  from  being  cast 
upon  me  in  regard  to  the  management 
of  these  funds.  For  this  purpose  Paul 
had  refused  to  have  the  entire  manage- 
ment of  the  funds  (see  1  Cor.  xvi.  3, 4), 
and  had  secured  the  appointment  of  one 
who  had  the  entire  confidence  of  all 
the  churches.  %  That  no  man  should 
blame  us.  That  no  one  should  have 
any  occasion  to  say  that  I  had  appro- 
priated it  to  my  own  use  or  contrary  to 
the  will  of  the  donors.  Paul  felt  how 
dangerous  it  was  for  ministers  to  have 
much  to  do  with  money  matters.  He 
had  a  very  deep  impression  of  the  ne- 
cessity of  keeping  his  own  character 
free  from  suspicion  on  this  subject.  He 
knew  how  easy  it  might  be  for  his  ene- 
mies to  raise  the  charge  that  he  had  em- 
bezzled the  funds  and  appropriated  them 
to  his  own  use.  He  therefore  insisted 
on  having  associated  with  him  some  one 
who  had  the  entire  confidence  of  the 
churches,  and  who  should  be  appointed 
by  them,  and  thus  he  was  certain  of  be- 
ing forever  free  from  blame  on  the  sub- 
ject. A  most  important  example  for 
all  ministers  in  regard  to  the  pecuniary 
benefactions  of  the  churches,  ^  In  this 
abundance,  &c.  In  this  large  amount 
which  is  contributed  by  the  churches 
and  committed  to  our  disposal.  Large 
sums  of  money  are  in  our  time  com- 
mitted to  the  ministers  of  the  gospel  in 


188 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


21    Providing    for    honest  a 
»hings,   not    only  in   the    sight 

a  Rd.  12.  17.    Ph.  4.  8.    1  Pe.  2.  12. 


the  execution  of  the  objects  of  Chris- 
tian benevolence.  Nothing  can  be  more 
wise  than  the  example  of  Paul  here, 
that  they  should  have  associated  with 
them  others  who  have  the  entire  con- 
fidence of  the  churches,  that  there  may 
not  be  occasion  for  slander  to  move  her 
poisonous  tongue  against  the  ministers 
of  religion. 

21.  Providing  for  honest  things. 
The  expression  here  used  occurs  in 
Rom.  xii.  1 7.  See  the  Note  on  that 
place.  In  that  place,  however,  it  refers 
to  the  manner  in  which  we  are  to  treat 
those  who  injure  us ;  here  it  refers  to 
the  right  way  of  using  property ;  and  it 
seems  to  have  been  a  kind  of  maxim  by 
which  Paul  regulated  his  life,  a  vade 
mecum  that  was  applicable  to  every 
thing.  The  sentiment  is,  that  we  are 
to  see  to  it  beforehand  that  all  our  con- 
duct shall  be  comely  or  honest  The 
word  rendered  "  providing  for"  (tt^voov- 
fA&ru)  means  foreseeing,  or  perceiving 
beforehand ;  and  the  idea  is,  that  we  are 
to  make  it  a  matter  of  previous  calcula- 
tion, a  settled  plan,  a  thing  that  is  to  be 
attended  to  of  set  design.  In  the  middle 
voice,  the  form  in  which  it  occurs  here, 
it  means  to  provide  for  in  one's  own  be- 
half; to  apply  oneself  to  any  thing; 
to  practise  diligently. — Robinson.  The 
word  rendered  "  things  honest"  (jtaxa) 
means  properly  beautiful,  or  comely.  The 
idea  which  is  presented  here  is,  that  we  are 
to  see  beforehand,  or  we  are  to  make  it 
a  matter  of  set  purpose  that  what  we 
do  shall  be  comely,  i.  e.  just,  honoura- 
ble, correct,  not  only  in  the  sight  of  the 
Lord,  but  in  the  sight  of  men.  Paul 
applies  this  in  his  own  case  to  the  alms 
which  were  to  be  intrusted  to  him. 
His  idea  is,  that  he  meant  so  to  con- 
duct in  the  whole  transaction  as  that 
his  conduct  should  be  approved  by  God, 
but  that  it  should  also  be  regarded  as 
beautiful  or  correct  in  the  sight  of  men. 
He  knew  how  much  his  own  useful- 
ness  depended  on    an    irreproachable 


of  the  Lord,  but  also  in  the  sighJ 
of  men. 

22  And  we   have   sent   with 


character.  He,  therefore,  procured  the 
appointment  of  one  who  had  the  entire 
confidence  of  the  churches  to  travel 
with  him.  But  there  is  no  reason  for 
confining  this  to  the  particular  case 
under  consideration.  It  seems  to  have 
been  the  leading  maxim  of  the  life  of 
Paul,  and  it  should  be  of  ours.  The 
maxim  may  be  applied  to  every  thing 
which  we  have  to  do  ;  and  should  con- 
stantly regulate  us.  It  may  be  applied 
to  the  acquisition  and  use  of  property  ; 
to  the  discharge  of  our  professional 
duties ;  to  our  intercourse  with  others ; 
to  our  treatment  of  inferiors  and  de- 
pendents ;  to  our  charities,  &c. — in  all 
of  which  we  should  make  it  a  matter  of 
previous  thought,  of  earnest  diligence, 
that  our  conduct  should  be  perfectly 
honest  and  comely  before  God  and  man. 
Let  us  learn  from  this  verse  also,  that 
ministers  of  the  gospel  should  be  espe- 
cially careful  that  their  conduct  in 
money  matters,  and  especially  in  the 
appropriation  of  the  charities  of  the 
church,  should  be  above  suspicion. 
Much  is  often  intrusted  to  their  care, 
and  the  churches  and  individual  Chris- 
tians often  commit  much  to  their  dis- 
cretion. Their  conduct  in  this  should 
be  without  reproach  ;  and  in  order  to 
this,  it  is  well  to  follow  the  example  of 
Paul,  and  to  insist  that  others  who  have 
the  entire  confidence  of  the  churches 
should  be  associated  with  them.  No- 
thing is  easier  than  to  raise  a  slanderous 
report  against  a  minister  of  the  gospel ; 
and  nothing  gratifies  a  wicked  world 
more  than  to  be  able  to  do  it — and  per- 
haps especially  if  it  pertains  to  some 
improper  use  of  money.  It  is  not  easy 
to  meet  such  reports  when  they  are 
started  ;  and  a  minister,  therefore,  should 
be  guarded,  as  Paul  was,  at  every  possi- 
ble point,  that  he  may  be  freed  from 
that  "  whose  breath  outvenoms  all  the 
worms  of  Nile" — slander. 

22.  And  we  have  sent  with   them 
our  brother.     Who  this  was  is  wholly 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


189 


them  our  brother,  whom  we  have 
oftentimes  proved  diligent  in 
many  things,  but  now  much 
more  diligent,  upon  the  great  con- 
fidence which  *  /  have  in  you. 
23  Whether  any  do  inquire 

*■  or,  he  hath. 

unknown,  and  conjecture  is  useless. 
Some  have  supposed  that  it  was  Apollos, 
others  Silas,  others  Timothy.  But  there 
are  no  means  of  ascertaining  who  it 
was  ;  nor  is  it  material.  It  was  some 
one  in  whom  Paul  had  entire  confidence. 
If  Whom  we  have  oftentimes  proved 
diligent.  Of  whom  we  have  evidence 
that  he  has  been  faithful.  It  is  evident, 
therefore,  that  he  had  been  the  com- 
panion and  fellow-labourer  of  Paul. 
%  But  now  much  more  diligent,  &c. 
Who  will  now  prove  himself  much 
more  diligent  than  ever  before,  f  Upon 
the  confidence,  &c.  Marg.  "  he  hath." 
The  margin  is  doubtless  the  more  cor- 
rect reading  here.  The  idea  is,  that 
this  brother  had  great  confidence  in  the 
Corinthians  that  they  would  give  libe- 
rally, and  that  he  would,  therefore, 
evince  special  diligence  in  the  business. 
23.  Whether  any  do  inquire  of  Titus. 
It  is  to  be  observed  that  the  words  "  any 
do  inquire"  are  not  in  the  original ;  nor 
is  it  clear  that  these  are  the  most  proper 
words  to  be  introduced  here.  The  Greek 
may  mean  either,  "if  any  do  inquire 
about  Titus,"  or  it  may  mean  •  if  any 
thing  is  to  be  said  about  Titus.'  The 
sense  of  the  passage  may  either  be,  that 
some  of  the  faction  at  Corinth  might  be 
disposed  to  inquire  about  the  authority 
of  Titus  to  engage  in  this  work,  or  that 
Paul  having  said  so  much  in  commenda- 
tion of  the  persons  who  went  with 
Titus,  it  seemed  proper  also  to  say 
something  in  his  favour  also.  The  idea 
is,  '  If  any  inquiry  is  made  from  any 
quarter  about  him,  or  if  it  is  necessary 
from  any  cause  to  say  any  thing  about 
him,  I  would  say  he  is  my  partner,'  &c. 
Tf  He  is  my  partner,  &c.  He  partakes 
with  me  in  preaching  the  gospel,  and 
in  establishing  and  organizing  churches. 


of  Titus,  he  is  my  partner  and 
fellow-helper  concerning  you  : 
or  our  brethren  be  inquired  of, 
they  are  the  messengers  a  of  the 
churches,  and  the  glory  of 
Christ. 

a  Ph.  2.  25. 

Comp.  Tit.  i.  5.  To  the  Corinthians 
this  fact  would  be  a  sufficient  com- 
mendation of  Titus.  *!  Or  oar  brethren 
be  inquired  of.  That  is,  the  brethren 
who  accompanied  Titus.  If  any  inquiry 
was  made  about  their  character,  or  if  it 
was  necessary  to  say  any  thing  in  regard 
to  them.  If  They  are  the  messengers 
of  the  churches.  They  have  the  entire 
confidence  of  the  churches,  having  been 
selected  and  appointed  by  them  to  a  work 
of  labour  and  responsibility.  Comp. 
Phil.  ii.  25.  The  words  here  rendered 
'  messengers  of  the  churches,'  are  in 
the  original  'apostles  of  the  churches,' 
(-mo-roM  ix.x.\na-iZv).  The  word  apostles 
here  is  used  evidently  in  its  proper 
sense,  to  denote  one  who  is  sent  out  to 
transact  any  business  for  others,  or  as 
an  agent  or  legate.  These  persons 
were  not  apostles  in  the  technical  sense, 
and  this  is  an  instance  where  the  word 
is  applied  in  the  New  Testament  to 
those  who  had  no  claim  to  the  apostolic 
office.  It  is  also  applied  in  a  similar 
way  to  Apollos  and  Barnabas,  though 
neither,  strictly  speaking,  were  apostles. 
If  And  the  glory  of  Christ.  That  is, 
they  have  a  character  so  well  known 
and  established  for  piety  ;  they  are  so 
eminent  Christians  and  do  such  honour 
to  the  Christian  name  and  calling,  that 
they  may  be  called  the  glory  of  Christ. 
It  is  an  honour  to  Christ  that  he  has 
called  such  persons  into  his  church,  and 
that  he  has  so  richly  endowed  them. 
Every  Christian  should  so  live  as  that 
it  would  appear  to  all  the  world  that  it 
was  an  honour  and  glory  to  the  Re- 
deemer that  he  had  such  followers  ;  an 
honour  to  his  gospel  that  it  had  con- 
verted such  and  brought  them  into  his 
kingdom.  It  is  sufficient  honour,  more- 
over, to  any  man  to  say  that  he  is  "  the 


190 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


24    Wherefore    shew   ye    to 
them,  and  before   the  churches, 


glory  of  Christ."  Such  a  character 
should  be,  and  will  be,  as  it  was  here, 
a  recommendation  sufficient  for  any  to 
secure  them  the  confidence  of  others. 

24.  Wherefore  show  ye  to  them,  &c. 
By  a  liberal  contribution  in  the  cause  in 
which  they  are  engaged  and  for  which 
they  have  come  among  you  now,  furnish 
the  evidence  that  you  love  me  and  the 
Christian  cause,  and  show  that  I  have 
not  boasted  of  you  in  vain.  ^  The 
proof  of  your  love.  Your  love  to  me, 
to  God,  to  the  cause  of  religion.  See 
Note  on  ver.  8.  1  And  of  our  boast- 
ing, &c.  My  boasting  that  you  would 
give  liberally  to  the  object.  See  Note, 
ch.  vii.  14.  Let  it  now  be  seen  that 
my  boasting  was  well  founded,  and  that 
I  properly  understood  your  character, 
and  your  readiness  to  contribute  to  the 
objects  of  Christian  benevolence. 

REMARKS. 

1.  Let  us  bear  in  mind  that  a  dispo- 
sition to  be  liberal  proceeds  only  from 
God.  ver.  1.  The  human  heart  is  by 
nature  selfish,  and  indisposed  to  be- 
nevolence. It  is  only  by  the  grace  of 
God  that  men  are  excited  to  liberality  ; 
and  we  should  therefore  pray  for  this 
as  well  as  for  all  other  graces.  We 
should  beseech  God  to  remove  selfish- 
ness from  our  minds  ;  to  dispose  us  to 
feel  as  we  should  feel  for  the  wants  of 
others,  and  to  incline  us  to  give  just 
what  we  ought  to  give  to  relieve  them 
in  trouble,  and  to  promote  their  tempo- 
ral and  eternal  welfare. 

2.  It  is  an  inestimable  blessing  when 
God  gives  a  spirit  of  liberality  to  the 
church,  ver.  1.  It  should  be  regarded 
as  a  proof  of  his  special  favour ;  and 
as  an  evidence  of  the  prevalence  of  the 
principles  of  true  religion. 

3.  Men  are  often  most  liberal  when 
in  circumstances  of  distress,  perplexity, 
and  affliction,  ver.  2.  Prosperity  often 
freezes  the  heart,  but  adversity  opens  it. 
Success  in  life  often  closes  the  hand  of 


the  proof  of  your  love,  and  of 
our  boasting  a  on  your  benaii. 
a  c.  7.  14. 


benevolence,  but  adversity  opens  it.  We 
are  taught  to  feel  for  the  sufferings  of 
others  by  suffering  ourselves ;  and  in 
the  school  of  adversity  we  learn  invalu- 
able lessons  of  benevolence  which  we 
should  never  acquire  in  prosperity.  If 
you  want  the  tear  of  sympathy ;  if  you 
want  aid  in  a  good  cause,  go  to  a  man 
in  affliction,  and  his  heart  is  open.  And 
hence  it  is  that  God  often  suffers  his 
people  to  pass  through  trials  in  order 
that  they  may  possess  the  spirit  of  large 
and  active  benevolence. 

4.  If  Christians  desire  to  be  liberal 
they  must  first  devote  themselves  to 
God.  ver.  5.  If  this  is  not  done  they 
will  have  no  heart  to  give,  and  they 
will  not  give.  They  will  have  a  thou- 
sand excuses  ready,  and  there  will  be 
no  ground  of  appeal  which  we  can  make 
to  them.  True  liberality  is  always  based 
on  the  fact  that  we  have  given  ourselves 
wholly  to  God. 

5.  When  Christians  have  honestly 
devoted  themselves  to  God,  it  will  be 
easy  to  contribute  liberally  to  the  cause 
of  benevolence,  ver.  5.  They  will  find 
something  to  give;  or  if  they  have 
nothing  now  they  will  labour  and  deny 
themselves  in  order  that  they  may  have 
something  to  give.  If  every  professed 
Christian  on  earth  had  honestly  given 
himself  to  God,  and  should  act  in 
accordance  with  this,  the  channels  of 
benevolence  would  never  be  dry. 

6.  We  should  compare  ourselves  in 
the  matter  of  benevolence  with  the 
churches  here  referred  to.  ver.  3.  They 
were  poor ;  they  were  in  deep  affliction, 
and  yet  they  contributed  all  in  their 
power,  and  beyond  their  power.  Do 
we  do  this  1  Do  we  give  according  to 
our  ability  1  Do  we  deny  ourselves  of 
one  comfort  1  withhold  one  gratifica 
tion  ?  curtail  one  expense  which  fashion 
demands,  in  order  that  we  may  have 
the  means  of  doing  good  1  O  !  if  every 
Christian  would  give  according  to  his 
ability  to  the  sacred  cause  of  charity, 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


191 


how  soon  would  the  means  be  ample  to 
place  the  Bible  in  every  family  on  the 
globe,  to  preach  the  gospel  in  every 
country,  and  to  maintain  all  the  institu- 
tions which  the  cause  of  humanity  needs 
in  this  and  in  other  lands. 

7.  The  Christian  character  is  incom- 
plete unless  there  is  a  spirit  of  large  and 
liberal  beneficence,  ver.  7.  This  is  in- 
dispensable to  the  proper  symmetry  of 
the  Christian  graces,  and  this  should  be 
cultivated  in  order  to  give  beauty  and 
completeness  to  the  whole.  Yet  it  can- 
not be  denied  that  there  are  true  Chris- 
tians where  this  is  wanting.  There  are 
those  who  give  every  other  evidence  of 
piety ;  who  are  men  of  prayer,  and  who 
evince  humility,  and  who  are  submissive 
in  trials,  and  whose  conversation  is  that 
of  Christians,  who  are  yet  sadly  deficient 
in  this  virtue.  Either  by  an  original 
closeness  of  disposition,  or  by  a  defect 
of  education,  or  by  want  of  information 
in  regard  to  the  objects  of  Christian 
benevolence,  they  are  most  stinted  in 
their  benefactions,  and  often  excite  the 
amazement  of  others  that  they  give  so 
little  to  the  cause  of  benevolence.  Such 
persons  should  be  entreated  to  carry  out 
their  Christian  character  to  completion. 
As  they  abound  in  other  things,  they 
should  abound  in  this  grace  also.  They 
are  depriving  themselves  of  much  com- 
fort, and  are  bringing  much  injury  on 
the  cause  of  the  Redeemer  while  they 
refuse  to  sustain  the  great  objects  of 
Christian  charity.  No  Christian  cha- 
racter is  symmetrical  or  complete  unless 
it  is  crowned  with  the  spirit  of  large 
and  comprehensive  benevolence  towards 
every  object  that  tends  to  promote  the 
temporal  and  eternal  welfare  of  man. 

8.  The  sincerity  of  our  love  should 
be  tested,  and  will  be,  by  our  readiness 
to  deny  ourselves,  to  do  good  to  others, 
ver.  8.  The  love  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
was  tested  in  that  way ;  and  there  can 
be  no  true  love  to  God  or  man  where 
there  is  not  a  readiness  to  contribute  of 
our  means  for  the  welfare  of  others. 
If  we  love  the  Redeemer  we  shall 
devote  all  to  his  service  ;  if  we  love 
our  fellow-men  we  shall  evince  our 
"sincerity"  by  being  willing  to  part 


with  our  earthly  substance  to  alleviate 
their  woes,  enlighten  their  ignorance, 
and  save  their  souls. 

9.  Let  us  imitate  the  example  of  the 
Lord  Jesus,  ver.  9.  He  was  rich,  yet 
he  became  poor;  and,  O  !  how  poor! 
Let  the  rich  learn  to  copy  his  example, 
and  be  willing  to  part  with  their 
abundant  and  superfluous  wealth  in 
order  that  they  may  relieve  and  benefit 
others.  That  man  is  most  happy  as 
well  as  most  useful,  who  most  resembles 
the  Redeemer ;  that  man  will  be  most 
happy  who  stoops  from  the  highest 
earthly  elevation  to  the  lowest  condition 
that  he  may  minister  to  the  welfare  of 
others. 

10.  Charity  should  be  voluntary,  ver. 
12.  It  should  be  the  free  and  sponta- 
neous offering  of  the  heart ;  and  the 
first  promptings  of  the  heart,  before  the 
pleadings  of  avarice  come  in,  and  the 
heart  grows  cold  by  the  influence  of 
returning  covetousness,  are  likely  to  be 
the  most  correct. 

11.  Charity  should  be  in  an  honest  pro- 
portion to  our  means,  ver.  12.  It  should 
be  according  to  what  a  man  hath.  God 
has  left  the  determination  of  this  pro- 
portion to  every  individual,  responsible 
to  him  alone.  He  has  not  told  us  how 
much  we  shall  give,  or  in  what  propor- 
tion we  shall  give  ;  but  he  has  left  it 
for  every  individual  to  decide  what  he 
may  give,  and  what  he  ought  to  give. 

12.  If  men  do  not  give  according  to 
their  means  they  must  answer  for  it  to 
God.  Every  man  may  have  opportunity 
to  contribute  to  relieve  others  if  he  will 
open  his  heart  and  ears  to  the  cries  of  a 
suffering  and  a  dying  world.  No  man 
can  complain  that  he  has  no  opportunity 
to  give ;  •  or  that  he  may  not  procure  for 
his  own  soul  all  the  blessings  which 
can  be  produced  by  the  most  large  and 
liberal  benevolence. 

13.  Men  have  no  excuse  for  being 
lost.  ver.  12.  If  God  required  more 
of  them  than  they  could  render  they 
would  have.  They  would  not  be  to 
blame.  They  might  be  sufferers  and 
martyrs  in  hell,  but  no  one  would  blame 
them.  But  the  sinner  can  never  have 
any  such  excuse.     God  never  required 


192 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


any  more  of  him  than  he  had  power  to 
render ;  and  if  he  dies  it  will  be  his 
own  fault,  and  the  throne  of  God  will 
still  be  spotless  and  pure. 

14.  God's  government  is  an  equal, 
and  just,  and  good  government,  ver.  12. 
What  can  be  more  equitable  than  the 
principle  that  a  man  is  accepted  accord- 
ing to  what  he  has  1  What  ground  of 
complaint  can  the  sinner  have  in  regard 
to  this  administration  ? 

15.  The  churches  should  bear  then- 
just  proportion  in  the  cause  of  Christian 
beneficence,  ver.  13 — 15.  There  are 
great  interests  of  charity  which  must 
be  sustained.  The  world  cannot  do 
without  them.  Not  only  must  the  poor 
be  provided  for,  but  the  cause  of  tem- 
perance, and  of  Sabbath-schools,  and  of 
missions  must  be  sustained.  Bibles 
must  be  distributed,  and  men  must  be 
educated  for  the  ministry,  and  the  widow 
and  the  fatherless  must  be  the  objects 
of  Christian  benevolence.  These  bur- 
dens, if  they  are  burdens,  should  be 
equally  distributed.  The  rich  should 
furnish  their  fair  proportion  in  sus- 
taining them  ;  and  those  in  more  mode- 
rate circumstances  must  do  their  fair 
proportion  also  in  sustaining  them.  If 
this  were  done,  all  the  objects  of  Chris- 
tian benevolence  could  be  sustained,  and 
they  would  in  fact  not  be  burdensome 
to  the  churches.  With  infinite  ease  all 
might  be  contributed  that  is  necessary 
to  send  the  gospel  around  the  world. 

16.  Ministers  of  the  gospel  should 
have  as  little  as  possible  to  do  with 
money  matters,  ver.  19 — 21.  While 
they  should  be  willing,  if  it  is  necessary, 
to  be  the  almoners  of  the  churches,  and 
should  esteem  it  a  privilege  to  be  the 
means  of  conveying  to  the. poor  and 
needy,  and  to  the  great  cause  of  benevo- 
lence, what  the  churches  may  choose  to 
commit  to  them,  yet  they  should  not 
covet  this  office  ;  they  should  not  show 
any  particular  desire  for  it ;  nor  should 
they  do  it  unless,  like  Paul,  they  have 
the  most  ample  security  that  the  voice 
of  slander  can  never  be  raised  in  regard 
to  their  management.  Let  them  see  to 
it  that  they  have  persons  associated 
with  them  who  have  the  entire  confi- 


dence of  the  churches  ;  men  who  will 
be  responsible  also,  and  who  will  be 
competent  witnesses  of  the  manner  in 
which  they  discharge  their  duty.  In 
all  things  ministers  should  be  pure. 
On  few  points  is  there  more  danger 
that  the  enemy  will  endeavour  to  take 
advantage,  and  to  injure  their  character, 
than  in  regard  to  their  abuse  of  funds 
intrusted  to  their  care. 

17.  Let  all  Christians  so  live  that 
it  may  be  honestly  said  of  them  they 
are  "  the  glory  of  Christ."  ver.  23. 
Let  them  aim  so  to  live  that  it  will  be 
esteemed  to  be  an  honour  to  the  Re- 
deemer that  he  called  them  into  his 
kingdom,  and  that  he  so  richly  endowed 
them  by  his  grace.  This  would  be  a 
commendation  to  all  men  where  they 
might  go ;  to  say  this  is  enough  to  say 
of  any  man.  None  can  have  a  higher 
character  than  to  have  it  said  with  truth 
of  him  '  he  is  the  glory  of  Christ ;  he 
is  an  honour  to  his  Redeemer  and  to 
his  cause.' 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Is  this  chapter  the  apostle  continues 
the  subject  which  he  had  discussed  in 
ch.  viii. — the  collection  which  he  had 
purposed  to  make  for  the  poor  saints  in 
Judea.  The  deep  anxiety  which  he 
had  that  the  collection  should  be  liberal ; 
that  it  should  not  only  be  such  as 
to  be  really  an  aid  to  those  who  were 
suffering,  but  be  such  as  would  be 
an  expression  of  tender  attachment  to 
them  on  the  part  of  the  Gentile  con- 
verts, was  the  reason,  doubtless,  why 
Paul  urged  this  so  much  on  their  atten- 
tion. His  primary  wish  undoubtedly 
was,  to  furnish  aid  to  those  who  were 
suffering.  But  in  connexion  with  that, 
he  also  wished  to  excite  a  deep  interest 
among  the  Gentile  converts  in  behalf 
of  those  who  had  been  converted  to 
Christianity  among  the  Jews.  He 
wished  that  the  collection  should  be  so 
liberal  as  to  show  that  they  felt  that 
they  were  united  as  brethren,  and  that 
they  were  grateful  that  they  had  re- 
ceived the  true  religion  from  the  Jews. 
And  he  doubtless  wished  to  cement  as 
much  as  possible  the  great  body  of  the 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


193 


CHAPTER  IX. 

T^OR  as  touching  the  minister- 
•*-    ing  •  to  the  saints,  it  is  su- 


Christian  brotherhood,  and  to  impress 
on  their  minds  the  great  truths  that 
whatever  was  their  national  origin,  and 
whatever  were  their  national  distinctions, 
yet  in  Christ  they  were  one.  For  this 
purpose  he  presses  on  their  attention  a 
great  variety  of  considerations  why  they 
should  give  liberally,  and  this  chapter  is 
chiefly  occupied  in  stating  reasons  for 
that  in  addition  to  those  which  had 
been  urged  in  the  previous  chapter. 
The  following  view  will  present  the 
main  points  in  the  chapter. 

(1.)  He  was  aware  of  their  readi- 
ness to  give,  and  knowing  this,  he  had 
boasted  of  it  to  others,  and  others  had 
been  excited  to  give  liberally  from  what 
the  apostle  had  said  of  them.  ver.  1,  2. 
The  argument  here  is,  that  Paul's  ve- 
racity and  their  own  character  were  at 
stake  and  depended  on  their  now  giving 
liberally*. 

(2.)  He  had  sent  the  brethren  to 
them  in  order  that  there  might  by  no 
possibility  be  a  failure,  ver.  3 — 5. 
Though  he  had  the  utmost  confidence 
in  them,  and  fully  believed  that  they 
were  disposed  to  give  liberally,  yet  he 
knew  also  that  something  might  prevent 
it  unless  messengers  went  to  secure  the 
contributions,  and  that  the  consequence 
might  be,  that  he  and  they  would  be 
"  ashamed"  that  he  had  boasted  so  much 
of  their  readiness  to  give. 

(3.)  To  excite  them  to  give  liberally, 
Paul  advances  the  great  principles  that 
the  reward  in  heaven  will  be  in  propor- 
tion to  the  liberality  evinced  on  earth, 
and  that  God  loves  one  who  gives 
cheerfully,  ver.  6,  7.  By  the  prospect, 
therefore,  of  an  ample  reward,  and  by 
the  desire  to  meet  with  the  approbation 
of  God,  he  calls  upon  them  to  contribute 
freely  to  aid  their  afflicted  Christian 
brethren. 

(4.)  He  further  excites  them  to  libe- 
ral giving  by  the  consideration  that  if 
they  contributed  liberally,  God  was  able 
to  furnish  them  abundantly  with  the 
17 


perfluous    for    me   to   write   to 
you; 

ac.  8.  4,&c. 


means  of  doing  good  on  a  large  scale  in 
time  to  come.  ver.  8 — 11.  In  this  way 
he  would  enable  them  to  do  good  here- 
after in  proportion  as  they  were  disposed 
to  do  good  now,  and  the  result  of  all 
would  be,  that  abundant  thanks  would 
be  rendered  to  God — thanks  from  those 
who  were  aided,  and  thanks  from  those 
who  had  aided  them  that  they  had  been 
enabled  to  contribute  to  supply  their 
wants. 

(5.)  As  a  final  consideration  inducing 
them  to  give,  the  apostle  states  that  not 
only  would  they  thus  do  good,  but 
would  show  the  power  of  the  gospel, 
and  the  affection  which  they  had  for 
the  Jewish  converts,  and  would  thus 
contribute  much  in  promoting  the  glory 
of  God.  The  Jewish  converts  would 
see  the  power  of  the  gospel  on  their 
Gentile  brethren ;  they  woukl  feel  that 
they  now  appertained  to  one  great 
family  ;  they  would  praise  God  for  im- 
parting his  grace  in  this  manner ;  and 
they  would  be  led  to  pray  much  for 
those  who  had  thus  contributed  to  alle- 
viate their  wants,  ver.  12 — -14. 

(6.)  Paul  closes  the  whole  chapter, 
and  the  whole  discussion  respecting  the 
contribution  about  which  he  had  felt  so 
deep  an  interest,  by  rendering  thanks 
to  God  for  his  "  unspeakable  gift," 
Jesus  Christ,  ver.  15.  Paul  was 
ever  ready,  whatever  was  the  topic  be- 
fore him,  to  turn  the  attention  to  him. 
He  here  evidently  regards  him  as  the 
author  of  all  liberal  feeling,  and  of  all 
true  charity ;  and  seems  to  imply  that 
all  that  they  could  give  would  be  small 
compared  with  the  "  unspeakable  gift" 
of  God,  and  that  the  fact  that  God  had 
imparted  such  a  gift  to  the  world  was  a 
reason  why  they  should  be  willing  to 
devote  all  they  had  to  his  service. 

1.  For  as  touching  the  ministering 
to  the  saints.  In  regard  to  the  collec- 
tion that  was  to  be  taken  up  for  the  aid 
of  the  poor  Christians  in  Judea.  See 
Notes  on  Rom.  xv.  26.     1  Cor.  xri.  1 


194 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


2  For  I  know  the  forwardness 
of  your  mind,  for  which  I  boast 
of  you  to  them  of  Macedonia, 
that  Achaia  was  ready  a  year 
ago ;  and  your  zeal  hath  pro- 
voked very  many* 


2  Cor.  viii.  1  It  is  superfluous,  &c. 
It  is  needless  to  urge  that  matter  on 
you,  because  I  know  that  you  acknow- 
ledge the  obligation  to  do  it,  and  have 
already  purposed  it.  ■&  For  me  to  write 
to  you.  That  is,  to  write  more,  or  to 
write  largely  on  the  subject  It  is  un- 
necessary for  me  to  urge  arguments 
why  it  should  be  done ;  and  all  that  is 
proper  is  to  offer  some  suggestions  in 
regard  to  the  manner  in  which  it  shall 
be  accomplished. 

2.  For  I  know  the  forwardness  of 
your  mind.  I  know  your  promptitude, 
or  your  readiness  to  do  it.  See  ch.  viii. 
10.  Probably  Paul  here  means  that  he 
had  had  opportunity  before  of  witness- 
ing their  readiness  to  do  good,  and  that 
he  had  learned  in  particular  of  Titus 
that  they  had  formed  the  plan  to  aid  in 
this  contribution.  1  For  which  I  boast 
of  you  to  them  of  Macedonia.  To  the 
church  in  Macedonia.  See  ch.  viii.  1. 
So  well  assured  was  he  that  the  church 
at  Corinth  would  make  the  collection 
as  it  had  proposed,  that  he  boasted  of  it 
to  the  churches  of  Macedonia  as  if  it 
were  already  done,  and  made  use  of  this 
as  an  argument  to  stimulate  them  to 
make  an  effort,  f  That  Achaia  was 
ready  a  year  ago.  Achaia  was  that 
part  of  Greece  of  which  Corinth  was 
the  capital.  See  Note,  Acts  xviii.  12. 
It  is  probable  that  there  were  Christians 
in  other  parts  of  Achaia  besides  Corinth, 
and  indeed  it  is  known  that  there  was 
a  church  in  Cenchrea  (seeRom.xvi.  1) 
which  was  one  of  the  ports  of  Corinth. 
Though  the  contribution  would  be 
chieriy  derived  from  Corinth,  yet  it  is 
probable  that  the  others  also  would 
participate  in  it.  The  phrase  "  was 
ready"  means  that  they  had  been  pre- 
paring themselves  for  this  collection, 
and  doubtless  Paul  had  stated  that  the 


3  Yet  have  I  sent  the  brethren, 
lest  our  boasting  of  you  should 
be  in  vain  in  this  behalf;  that, 
as  I  said,  ye  may  be  ready  : 

4  Lest  haply  if  they  of  Mace- 
donia come  with   me,  and  find 


collection  was  already  made  and  waff 
waiting.  He  had  directed  them  (1  Cor. 
xvi.  1)  to  make  it  on  the  first  day  of  the 
week,  and  to  lay  it  by  in  store,  and  he 
did  not  doubt  that  they  had  complied 
with  his  request.  ^  And  your  zeal. 
Your  ardour  and  promptitude.  The 
readiness  with  which  you  entered  into 
this  subject,  and  your  desire  to  relieve 
the  wants  of  others.  ^  Hath  provoked. 
Has  roused,  excited,  impelled  to  give. 
We  use  the  word  provoke  commonly 
now  in  the  sense  of  to  irritate,  but  in 
the  Scriptures  it  is  confined  to  the 
signification  of  exciting,  or  rousing. 
The  ardour  of  the  Corinthians  would 
excite  others  not  only  by  their  prompti- 
tude, but  because  Corinth  was  a  splen- 
did city,  and  their  example  would  be 
looked  up  to  by  Christians  at  a  distance. 
This  is  one  instance  of  the  effect  which 
will  be  produced  by  the  example  of  a 
church  in  a  city. 

3.  Yet  have  I  sent  the  brethren.  The 
brethren  referred  to  in  ch.  viii.  1 8.  22, 
23.  ^  Lest  our  boasting  of  you.  That 
you  were  disposed  to  contribute,  and 
that  you  were  already  prepared,  and 
that  the  contribution  was  ready.  ^  Should 
be  in  vain.  Lest  any  thing  should  have 
occurred  to  prevent  the  collection.  I 
have  sent  them  that  they  may  facilitate 
it,  and  that  it  may  be  secure  and  certain. 
t  In  this  behalf.  In  this  respect.  That 
is,  lest  our  boasting  of  you,  in  regard  to 
your  readiness  to  contribute  to  relieve 
the  wants  of  others,  should  be  found  to 
haye  been  ill-grounded. 

4.  Lest  haply  if  they  of  Macedonia. 
If  any  of  the  Macedonians  should  hap- 
pen to  come  with  me,  and  should  find 
that  you  had  done  nothing.  He  does 
not  say  that  they  would  come  with  him, 
but  it  was  by  no  means  improbable  that 
they  would.     It  was  customary  for  some 


A.D   60.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


195 


you  Unprepared,  we  (that  we 
say  not,  ye)  should  be  ashamed 
in  this  same  confident  boast- 
ing.a 

5  Therefore  I  thought  it  ne- 
cessary to  exhort  the  brethren, 
that  they  would  go  before  unto 

a  c.  8.  24. 

of  the  members  of  the  churches  to  travel 
with  Paul  from  place  to  place,  and  the 
intercourse  was  constant  between  Ma- 
cedonia and  Achaia.  Paul  had,  there- 
fore, every  reason  to  suppose  that  some 
of  the  Macedonians  would  accompany 
him  when  he  should  go  to  Corinth. 
At  all  events  it  was  probable  that  the 
Macedonians  would  learn  from  some 
quarter  whether  the  Corinthians  were 
or  were  not  ready  when  Paul  should 
go  to  them,  ^  We  (that  we  say  nut 
ye)  should  be  ashamed,  &c.  "  In  this," 
says  Bloomfield,  "  one  cannot  but  re- 
cognise a  most  refined  and  delicate  turn 
inferior  to  none  of  the  best  classical 
writers."  Paul  had  boasted  confidently 
that  the  Corinthians  would  be  ready 
with  their  collection.  He  had  excited 
and  stimulated  the  Macedonians  by  this 
consideration.  He  had  induced  them 
in  this  way  to  give  liberally,  ch.  viii. 
1 — 4.  If  now  it  should  turn  out  after 
all  that  the  Corinthians  had  given  no- 
thing, or  had  given  stintedly,  the  cha- 
racter of  Paul  would  suffer.  His  ve- 
racity and  his  judgment  would  be  called 
in  question,  and  he  would  be  accused 
of  trick,  and  artifice,  and  fraud  in  in- 
ducing them  to  give.  Or  if  he  should 
not  be  charged  with  dishonesty,  yet  he 
would  be  humbled  and  mortified  him- 
self that  he  had  made  representations 
which  had  proved  to  be  so  unfounded. 
But  this  was  not  all.  The  character 
of  the  Corinthians  was  also  at  stake. 
They  had  purposed  to  make  the  collec- 
tion. They  had  left  the  impression  in 
the  mind  of  Paul  that  it  would  be  done. 
They  had  hitherto  evinced  such  a 
character  as  to  make  Paul  confident 
that  the  collection  would  be  made.  If 
now  by  any  means  this  should  fail,  their 
character  would  suffer,  and  they  would 


you,  and  make  up  beforehand 
your  x  bounty,  3  whereof  ye  had 
notice  before,  that  the  same 
might  be  ready,  as  a  matter  of 
bounty,  and  not  as  of  covetous- 
ness. 

1  blessing. 
a  or,  which  hath  been  so  much  spoken  of  before. 

have  occasion  to  be  ashamed  that  they 
had  excited  so  confident  expectations  of 
what  they  would  do. 

5.  Therefore  I  thought  it  necessary. 
&c.  In  order  to  secure  the  collection, 
and  to  avoid  all  unpleasant  feeling  on 
all  hands.  1  That  they  would  go  he- 
fore  unto  you.  Before  I  should  come. 
t  And  make  up  beforehand  your  boun- 
ty. Prepare  it  before  I  come.  The 
word  "  bounty"  is  in  the  Marg.  render- 
ed "  blessing."  The  Greek  (tlhoytA) 
means  properly  commendation,  eulogy. 
Then  it  means  blessing,  praise  applied 
to  God.  Then  that  which  blesses — a 
gift,  donation,  favour,  bounty — whether 
of  God  to  men,  or  of  one  man  to 
another.  Here  it  refers  to  their  con- 
tribution as  that  which  would  be  adapted 
to  confer  a  blessing  on  others,  or  fitted 
to  produce  happiness.  %  That  the  same 
might  be  ready  as  a  matter  of  bounty. 
That  it  may  truly  appear  as  a  liberal 
and  voluntary  offering ;  as  an  act  of 
generosity  and  not  as  wrung  or  extorted 
from  you.  That  it  may  be  truly  a 
blessing — a  thank-offering  to  God  and 
adapted  to  do  good  to  men.  t  And  not 
as  of  covetousness.  "And  not  like  a  sort 
of  extortion,  wrung  from  you  by  mere 
dint  of  importunity." — Doddridge.  The 
word  here  used  (tassv^**)  means  usually 
covetousness,  greediness  of  gain  which 
leads  a  person  to  defraud  others.  The 
idea  here  is,  that  Paul  would  have  them 
give  this  as  an  act  of  bounty,  or  libe- 
rality on  their  part,  and  not  as  an  act 
of  covetousness  on  his  part,  not  as  ex- 
torted by  him  from  them. 

6.  But  this  I  say.  This  I  say  in 
order  to  induce  you  to  give  liberally. 
This  I  say  to  prevent  your  supposing 
that  because  it  is  to  be  a  voluntary 
offering  you  may  give  only  from  youf 


196 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60 


6  But  this  /  say,  He  a  which 
soweth  sparingly  shall  reap  also 

a  Ps.  41.  1—3.   Pr.  11.24,25;  19.  17;  22.U 
Ga.  6.  7,  9. 

superfluity,  and  may  give  sparingly. 
Tf  He  which  soweth  sparingly.  This 
expression  has  all  the  appearance  of  a 
proverb,  and  doubtless  is  such.  It  does 
not  occur  indeed  elsewhere  in  the 
Scriptures,  though  substantially  the 
same  sentiment  exciting  to  liberality 
often  occurs.  See  Ps.  xli.  1 — 3.  Prov. 
xi.  24,  25  ;  xix.  17  ;  xxii.  9.  Paul  here 
says  that  it  is  in  giving  as  it  is  in  agri- 
culture. A  man  that  sows  little  must 
expect  to  reap  little.  If  he  sows  a  small 
piece  of  land  he  will  reap  a  small  har- 
vest ;  or  if  he  is  niggardly  irf*  sowing 
and  wishes  to  save  his  seed  and  will  not 
commit  it  to  the  earth,  he  must  expect 
to  reap  little.  So  it  is  in  giving.  Money 
given  in  alms,  money  bestowed  to  aid 
the  poor  and  needy,  or  to  extend  the 
influence  of  virtue  and  pure  religion, 
is  money  bestowed  in  a  way  similar  to 
the  act  of  committing  seed  to  the  earth. 
It  will  be  returned  again  in  some  way 
with  an  abundant  increase.  It  shall 
not  be  lost.  The  seed  may  be  buried 
long.  It  may  lie  in  the  ground  with  no 
indication  of  a  return  or  of  increase. 
One  who  knew  not  the  arrangements 
of  Providence  might  suppose  it  was 
lost  and  dead.  But  in  due  time  it  shall 
spring  up  and  produce  an  ample  in- 
crease. So  with  money  given  to  objects 
of  benevolence.  To  many  it  may  seem 
to  be  a  waste,  or  may  appear  to  be  thrown 
away.  But  in  due  time  it  will  be  re- 
paid in  some  way  with  abundant  in- 
crease. And  the  man  who  wishes  to 
make  the  most  out  of  his  money  for 
future  use  and  personal  comfort  will  give 
liberally  to  deserving  objects  of  charity — 
just  as  the  man  who  wishes  to  make  the 
most  out  of  his  grain  will  not  suffer  it 
to  lie  in  his  granary,  but  will  commit  the 
seed  to  the  fertile  earth.  "Cast  thy 
bread  upon  the  waters :  for  thou  shalt 
find  it  again  after  many  days"  (Eccl. 
xi.  1)  ;  that  is,  when  the  waters  as  of 
the  Nile  have  overflown  the  banks  and 
flooded  the  whole  adjacent  country,  then 


sparingly  ;  and  he  which  soweth 
bountifully  shall  reap  also  boun- 
tifully. 

is  the  time,  to  cast  abroad  thy  seed.  The 
waters  will  retire,  and  the  seed  will  sink 
into  the  accumulated  fertile  mud  that  is 
deposited,  and  will  spring  up  in  an 
abundant  harvest.  So  it  is  with  that 
which  is  given  for  objects  of  benevolence. 
1  Shall  reap  also  sparingly.  Shall 
reap  in  proportion  to  what  he  sowed. 
This  every  one  knows  is  true  in  regard 
to  grain  that  is  sowed.  It  is  also  no 
less  true  in  regard  to  deeds  of  charity. 
The  idea  is,  that  God  will  bestow  re- 
wards in  proportion  to  what  is  given. 
These  rewards  may  refer  to  results  in 
this  life,  or  to  the  rewards  in  heaven, 
or  both.  All  who  have  ever  been  in 
the  habit  of  giving  liberally  to  the  ob- 
jects of  benevolence  can  testify  that  they 
have  lost  nothing,  but  have  reaped  in 
proportion  to  their  liberality.  This 
follows  in  various  ways.  (I.)  In  the 
comfort  and  peace  which  results  from 
giving.  If  a  man  wishes  to  purchase 
happiness  with  his  gold,  he  can  secure 
the  most  by  bestowing  it  liberally  on 
objects  of  charity.  It  will  produce  him 
more  immediate  peace  than  it  would  to 
spend  it  In  sensual  gratifications,  and 
far  more  than  to  hoard  it  up  useless  in 
his  coffers.  (2.)  In  reflection  on  it 
hereafter.  It  will  produce  more  hap- 
piness in  remembering  that  he  has  done 
good  with  it,  and  promoted  the  happi- 
ness of  others,  than  it  will  to  reflect  that 
he  has  hoarded  up  useless  wealth,  or 
that  he  has  squandered  it  in  sensual 
gratification.  The  one  will  be  unmin- 
gled  pleasure  when  he  comes  to  die  ; 
the  other  will  be  unmingled  self-reproach 
and  pain.  (3.)  In  subsequent  life,  God 
will  in  some  way  repay  to  him  far  more 
than  he  has  bestowed  in  deeds  of  charity. 
By  augmented  prosperity,  by  health 
and  future  comfort,  and  by  raising  up 
for  us  and  our  families,  when  in  distress 
and  want,  friends  to  aid  us,  God  can 
and  often  does  abundantly  repay  the 
liberal  for  all  their  acts  of  kindness  and 
deeds  of  beneficence.  (4.)  God  can  and 


A.  D.  60.]  CHAPTER  IX.  197 

7  Every  man  according  as  he    purposeth  in   his   heart,   so  let 


will  reward  his  people  in  heaven  abun- 
dantly for  all  their  kindness  to  the  poor, 
and  all  their  self-denials  in  endeavouring 
to  diffuse  the  influence  of  truth  and  the 
knowledge  of  salvation.  Indeed  the 
rewards  of  heaven  will  be  in  no  small 
degree  apportioned  in  this  manner,  and 
determined  by  the  amount  of  benevo- 
lence which  we  have  shown  on  earth. 
See  Matt.  xxv.  34 — 40.  On  all  accounts, 
therefore,  we  have  every  inducement  to 
give  liberally.  As  a  farmer  who  desires 
an  ample  harvest  scatters  his  seed  with 
a  liberal  hand ;  as  he  does  not  grudge 
it  though  it  falls  into  the  earth ;  as  he 
scatters  it  with  the  expectation  that  in 
due  time  it  will  spring  up  and  reward 
his  labours,  so  should  we  give  with  a 
liberal  hand  to  aid  the  cause  of  benevo- 
lence, nor  should  we  deem  w,hat  we 
give  to  be  lost  or  wasted  though  we 
wait  long  before  we  are  recompensed, 
or  though  we  should  be  in  no  other  way 
rewarded  than  by  the  comfort  which 
arises  from  the  act  of  doing  good. 

7.  Every  man  according  as  he  pur- 
poseth in  his  heart,  &c.  The  main 
idea  in  this  verse  is,  that  the  act  of  giv- 
ing should  be  voluntary  and  cheerful. 
It  should  not  seem  to  be  extorted  by 
the  importunity  of  others  (ver.  6)  ;  nor 
should  it  be  given  from  urgent  necessity, 
but  it  should  be  given  as  an  offering  of 
the  heart.  On  this  part  of  the  verse 
we  may  remark,  (1.)  That  the  heart  is 
usually  more  concerned  in  the  business 
of  giving  than  the  head.  If  liberality 
is  evinced,  it  will  be  the  heart  which 
prompts  to  it ;  if  it  is  not  evinced,  it  will 
be  because  the  heart  has  some  bad  pas- 
sions to  gratify,  and  is  under  the  influ- 
ence of  avarice,  or  selfishness,  or  some 
other  improper  attachment.  Very  often 
a  man  is  convinced  he  ought  to  give 
liberally,  but  a  narrow  heart  and  a  parsi- 
monious spirit  prevents  it.  (2.)  We 
should  follow  the  dictates  of  the  heart 
in  giving.  I  mean  that  a  man  will 
usually  give  more  correctly  who  fol- 
lows the  first  promptings  of  his  heart 
when  an  object  of  charity  is  presented 
17* 


than  he  will  if  he  takes  much  time  to 
deliberate.  The  instinctive  prompting 
of  a  benevolent  heart  is  to  give  liberally. 
And  the  amount  which  should  be  given 
will  usually  be  suggested  to  a  man  by  the 
better  feelings  of  his  heart.  But  if  he 
resolves  to  deliberate  much,  and  if  he 
suffers  the  heart  to  grow  cold,  and  if  he 
defers  it,  the  pleadings  of  avarice  will 
come  in,  or  some  object  of  attachment 
or  plan  of  life  will  rise  to  view,  or  he 
will  begin  to  compare  himself  with 
others,  and  he  will  give  much  less  than 
he  would  have  done  if  he  had  followed 
the  first  impulse  of  feeling.  God  im- 
planted the  benevolent  feelings  in  the 
bosom  that  they  should  prompt  us  to  do 
good  ;  and  he  who  acts  most  in  accord- 
ance with  them  is  most  likely  to  do  what 
he  ought  to  do ;  and  in  general  it  is  the 
safest  and  best  rule  for  a  man  to  give 
just  what  his  heart  prompts  him  to 
give  when  an  object  of  charity  is  pre- 
sented. Man  at  best  is  too  selfish  to 
be  likely  to  give  too  much,  or  to  go 
beyond  his  means ;  and  if  in  a  few 
instances  it  should  be  done,  more  would 
be  gained  in  value  in  the  cultivation 
of  benevolent  feeling  than  would  be  lost 
in  money.  I  know  of  no  better  rule  on 
the  subject,  than  to  cultivate  as  much 
as  possible  the  benevolent  feelings,  and 
then  to  throw  open  the  soul  to  every 
proper  appeal  to  our  charity,  and  to 
give  just  according  to  the  instinctive 
prompting  of  the  heart.  (3.)  Giving 
should  be  voluntary  and  cheerful.  It 
should  be  from  the  heart.  Yet  there  is 
much,  very  much  that  is  not  so,  and 
there  is,  therefore,  much  benevolence 
that  is  spasmodic  and  spurious ;  that 
cannot  be  depended  on,  and  that  will 
not  endure.  No  dependence  can  be 
placed  on  a  man  in  regard  to  giving 
who  does  not  do  it  from  the  steady 
influences  of  a  benevolent  heart.  But 
there  is  much  obtained  in  the  cause 
of  benevolence  that  is  produced  by  a 
kind  of  extortion.  It  is  given  because 
others  give,  and  the  man  would  be 
ashamed  to  give  less  than  they  do.    Or, 


198 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.D.60. 


him  give;  not  a grudgingly,  or 
of  necessity :  for  God  loveth  a 
cheerful  h  giver. 

8  And  c  God  is  able  to  make 

a  De.  15.  7,  8.  b  Ex.  35.  5.    Ro.  12.  8. 

c  Ph.  4.  19. 

it  is  given  because  he  thinks  his  rank 
in  life  demands  it,  and  he  is  prompted 
to  it  by  pride  and  vanity.  Or,  he  gives 
from  respect  to  a  pastor  or  a  friend,  or 
because  he  is  warmly  importuned  to 
give  ;  or  because  he  is  shut  up  to  a  kind 
of  necessity  to  give,  and  must  give  or 
he  would  lose  his  character  and  become 
an  object  of  scorn  and  detestation.  In 
all  this  there  is  nothing  cheerful  and 
voluntary ;  and  there  can  be  nothing  in 
it  acceptable  to  God.  Nor  can  U  be 
depended  on  permanently.  The  heart 
is  not  in  it,  and  the  man  will  evade  the 
duty  as  soon  as  he  can,  and  will  soon 
find  excuses  for  not  giving  at  all.  T  Not 
grudgingly.  Greek,  'Not  of  grief 
'(ju.»  \k  xt/T»f).  Not  as  if  he  were  sorry 
to  part  with  his  money.  Not  as  if  he 
were  constrained  to  do  a  thing  that  was 
extremely  painful  to  him.  f  Or  of 
necessity.  As  if  he  were  compelled  to 
do  it.  Let  him  do  it  cheerfully.  If  For 
God  loveth  a  cheerful  giver.  And  who 
does  not  1  Valuable  as  any  gift  may  be 
in  itself,  yet  if  it  is  forced  and  con- 
strained ;  if  it  can  be  procured  only 
after  great  importunity  and  persevering 
effort,  who  can  esteem  it  as  desirable  1 
God  desires  the  heart  in  every  service. 
No  service  that  is  not  cheerful  and 
voluntary ;  none  that  does  not  arise 
from  true  love  to  him  can  be  acceptable 
in  his  sight*  God  loves  it  because  it 
shows  a  heart  like  his  own — a  heart 
disposed  to  give  cheerfully  and  do  good 
on  the  largest  scale  possible ;  and  be- 
cause it  shows  a  heart  attached  from 
principle  to  his  service  and  cause.  The 
expression  here  has  all  the  appearance 
of  a  proverb,  and  expressions  similar  to 
this  occur  often  in  the  Scriptures.  In 
an  uninspired  writer,  also,  this  idea  has 
been  beautifully  expanded.  "In  all 
thy  gifts  show  a  cheerful  countenance, 
and  dedicate  thy  tithes  with  gladness. 
Give  unto  the  Most  High  according  as 


all  grace  abound  toward  you : 
that  ye,  always  having  all  suffi- 
ciency in  all  things,  may  abound 
to  every  good  work  : 


he  hath  enriched  thee ;  and  as  thou 
hast  gotten  give  with  a  cheerful  eye. 
For  the  Lord  recompenseth,  and  will 
give  thee  seven  times  as  much." — 
Wisdom  of  the  Son  of  Sirach,ch.xxxv. 
9 — 11.  In  nothing,  therefore,  is  it  more 
important  than  to  examine  the  motives 
by  which  we  give  to  the  objects  of  be- 
nevolence. However  liberal  may  be 
our  benefactions,  yet  God  may  see  that 
there  is  no  sincerity,  and  may  hate  the 
spirit  with  which  it  is  done. 

8.  And  God  is  able,  &c.  Do  not 
suppose  that  by  giving  liberally  you 
will  be  impoverished  and  reduced  to 
want.  You  should  rather  confide  in 
God,  who  is  able  to  furnish  you  abun- 
dantly with  what  is  needful  for  the 
supply  of  your  necessities.  Few  per- 
sons are  ever  reduced  to  poverty  by 
liberality.  Perhaps  in  the  whole  circle 
of  his  acquaintance  it  would  be  difficult 
for  an  individual  to  point  out  one  who 
has  been  impoverished  or  made  the 
poorer  in  this  way.  Our  selfishness  is 
generally  a  sufficient  guard  against  this; 
but  it  is  also  to  be  added,  that  the  divine 
blessing  rests  upon  the  liberal  man,  and 
that  God  keeps  him  from  want.  But 
in  the  mean  time  there  are  multitudes 
who  are  made  poor  by  the  want  of 
liberality.  They  are  parsimonious  in 
giving,  but  they  are  extravagant  in 
dress,  and  luxury,  and  in  expenses  for 
amusement  or  vice,  and  the  conse- 
quence is  poverty  and  want.  "There 
is  that  withholdeth  more  than  is  meet, 
and  it  tendcth  to  poverty."  Prov. 
xi.  24.  The  divine. blessing  rests  upon 
the  liberal ;  and  while  every  person 
should  make  a  proper  provision  for  his 
family,  every  one  should  give  liberally, 
confiding  in  God  that  he  will  furnish 
the  supplies  for  our  future  wants.  Let 
this  maxim  be  borne  in  mind,  that  no 
one  is  usually  made  the  poorer  by  being 
liberal,      f  All  grace.      All   kinds   ol 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


9  (As  it  is  written,  a  He  hath 
dispersed  abroad  ;  he  hath  given 
to  the  poor  :  his  righteousness 
remaineth  for  ever. 

10  Now  he  Hhat  ministereth 

a  Ts.  112.  9.  b  Is.  56.  10. 

favour.  He  is  able  to  impart  to  you 
those  things  which  are  needful  for  your 
welfare.  1  That  ye  always,  &c.  The 
sense  is,  *  If  you  give  liberally  you  are 
to  expect  that  God  will  furnish  you 
with  the  means,  so  that  you  will  be 
able  to  abound  more  and  more  in  it. 
You  are  to  expect  that  he  will  abun- 
dantly qualify  you  for  doing  good  in 
every  way,  and  that  he  will  furnish  you 
with  all  that  is  needful  for  this.  The 
man  who  gives,  therefore,  should  have 
faith  in  God.  He  should  expect  that 
God  will  bless  him  in  it ;  and  the  expe- 
rience of  the  Christian  world  may  be 
appealed  to  in  proof  that  men  are  not 
made  poor  by  liberality. 

9.  As  it  is  written.  Ps.  cxii.  9.  The 
idea  is,  •  in  this  way  will  the  saying  in 
the  Scriptures  be  verified,  or  the  promise 
confirmed.'  The  psalmist  is  describing 
the  character  of  the  righteous  man.  One 
of  his  characteristics,  he  says,  is,  that 
he  has  scattered  abroad,  he  has  given 
liberally  to  the  poor.  On  such  a  man 
a  blessing  is  pronounced  (ver.  1)  ;  and 
one  of  the  blessings  will  be  that  he  shall 
be  prospered.  Some  difficulty  has  been 
felt  by  commentators  to  see  how  the 
quotation  here  made  sustains  the  posi- 
tion of  Paul  that  the  liberal  man  would 
be  blessed  of  God,  and  would  receive 
an  increase  according  to  his  liberality. 
In  order  to  this,  they  have  supposed 
(see  Doddridge,  Bloomfield,  and  Clarke) 
that  the  word  "  righteousness"  means 
the  same  as  almsgiving,  or  that  "  he 
would  always  have  something  to  be- 
stow." But  I  would  suggest  that  per- 
haps Paul  quoted  this,  as  quotations 
are  frequently  made  in  the  Sciiptures, 
where  a  passage  was  familiar.  He 
quotes  only  a  part  of  the  passage,  mean- 
ing that  the  whole  passage  confirms  the 
point  under  consideration.  Thus  the 
whole  passage  in  the  Psalm  is,  "He 


seed  to  the  sower  both  minister 
bread  for  your  food,  and  multiply 
your  seed  sown,  and  increase 
the  fruits  c  of  your  righteous- 
ness ;) 

c  Hos.  10.  12. 

hath  dispersed ;  he  hath  given  to  the 
poor;  his  righteousness  endureth  for- 
ever ;  his  horn  shall  be  exalted  with 
honour  "  that  is,  he  shall  be  abundantly 
blessed  with  prosperity  and  with  the 
favour  of  God.  Thus  the  entire  pro- 
mise sustains  the  position  of  Paul,  that 
the  liberal  man  would  be  abundantly 
blessed.  The  phrase  "he  hath  dis- 
persed" ('Eo-Jci^Trta-iv),  may  refer  either 
to  the  act  of  sowing,  as  a  man  scatters 
seed  on  the  earth  ;  or  there  may  be  an 
allusion  to  the  oriental  custom  of  scatter- 
ing money  among  an  assembled  com- 
pany of  paupers.  Comp.  Prov.  xi.  24. 
t  His  righteousness.  His  deeds  of  be- 
nificence.  If  Remaineth.  In  its  fruits 
and  consequences ;  that  is,  either  in  its 
effects  on  others,  or  on  himself.  It  may 
mean  that  the  sums  so  distributed  will 
remain  with  him  forever,  inasmuch  as 
he  will  be  supplied  with  all  that  is  need- 
ful to  enable  him  to  do  good  to  others. 
This  interpretation  accords  with  the 
connexion. 

10.  Now  he  that  ministereth  seed  to 
the  sower.  This  is  an  expression  of  an 
earnest  wish.  In  the  previous  verses 
he  had  stated  the  promises,  or  had 
shown  what  we  had  a  right  to  expect 
as  a  consequence  of  liberality.  He  here 
unites  the  expression  of  an  earnest  de- 
sire that  they  might  experience  this 
themselves.  The  allusion  is  to  the  act 
of  sowing  seed.  The  idea  is,  that  when 
a  man  scatters  seed  in  his  field  God 
provides  him  with  the  means  of  sowing 
again.  He  not  only  gives  him  a  har- 
vest to  supply  his  wants,  but  he  blesses 
him  also  in  giving  him  the  ability  to 
sow  again.  Such  was  the  benevolent 
wish  of  Paul.  He  desired  not  only 
that  God  would  supply  their  returning 
wants,  but  he  desired  also  that  he  would 
give  them  the  ability  to  do  good  again  ,• 
that  he  would  furnish  them  the  means 


200 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


II  Being  enriched  in  every- 
thing to  all  bountifulness, 1  which 

1  simplicity,  or  liberality. 


of  future  benevolence.  He  acknow- 
ledges God  as  the  source  of  all  increase, 
and  wishes  that  they  may  experience 
the  results  of  such  increase.  Perhaps 
in  this  language  there  is  an  allusion  to 
Isa.  lv.  10 ;  and  the  idea  is,  that  it  is 
God  who  furnishes  by  his  providence 
the  seed  to  the  sower.  In  like  manner 
he  will  furnish  you  the  means  of  doing 
good.  U  Minister  bread  for  your  food. 
Furnish  you  with  an  ample  supply  for 
your  wants.  K  Multiply  your  seed 
sown.  Greatly  increase  your  means 
of  doing  good ;  make  the  result  of  all 
your  benefactions  so  to  abound  that  you 
may  have  the  means  of  doing  good 
again,  and  on  a  larger  scale,  as  the  seed 
sown  in  the  earth  is  so  increased  that 
the  farmer  may  have  the  means  of  sow- 
ing more  abundantly  again,  t  And 
increase  the  fruits  of  your  righteous- 
ness. This  evidently  means,  the  results 
and  effects  of  their  benevolence.  The 
word  'righteousness'  here  refers  to 
their  liberality;  and  the  wish  of  the 
apostle  is,  that  the  results  of  their  be- 
neficence might  greatly  abound,  that 
they  might  have  the  means  of  doing 
extensive  good,  and  that  they  might  be 
the  means  of  diffusing  happiness  from 
afar. 

11.  Being  enriched  in  everything, 
&c.  In  all  respects  your  riches  are 
conferred  on  you  for  this  purpose.  The 
design  of  the  apostle  is  to  state  to  them 
the  true  reason  why  wealth  was  be- 
stowed. It  was  not  for  the  purposes 
of  luxury  and  self-gratification  ;  not  to 
be  spent  in  sensual  enjoyment,  not  for 
parade  and  display  ;  it  was  that  it  might 
be  distributed  to  others  in  such  a  way 
as  to  cause  thanksgiving  to  God.  At 
the  same  time,  this  implies  the  expres- 
sion of  an  earnest  wish  on  the  part  of 
Paul.  He  did  not  desire  that  they 
should  be  rich  for  their  own  gratification 
or  pleasure ;  he  desired  it  only  as  the 
means  of  their  doing  good  to  others. 


a  causeth  through  us  thanksgiv- 
ing to  God. 

12  For  the  administration  of 

a  c.  1.  11.    4.  15. 

Right  feeling  will  desire  property  only 
as  the  means  of  promoting  happiness 
and  producing  thanksgiving  to  God. 
They  who  truly  love  their  children  and 
friends  will  wish  them  to  be  successful 
in  acquiring  wealth  only  that  they  may 
have  the  means  and  the  disposition  to 
alleviate  misery,  and  promote  the  happi- 
ness of  all  around  them.  No  one  who 
has  true  benevolence  will  desire  that  any 
one  in  whom  he  feels  an  interest  should 
be  enriched  for  the  purpose  of  living 
amidst  luxury,  and  encompassing  him- 
self with  the  indulgences  which  wealth 
can  furnish.  If  a  man  has  not  a  disposi- 
tion to  do  good  with  money,  it  is  not  true 
benevolence  to  desire  that  he  may  pos- 
sess it.  Tf  To  all  bountifulness.  Marg. 
Simplicity,  or  liberality.  The  word 
(cb*oT»?)  means  properly  sincerity, 
candour,  probity  ;  then  also  simplicity, 
frankness,  fidelity,  and  especially  as 
manifesting  itself  in  liberality.  See 
Rom.  xii.  8.  2  Cor.  viii.  2.  Here  it 
evidently  means  liberality,  and  the  idea 
is,  that  property  is  given  for  this  pur- 
pose, in  order  that  there  may  be  libe- 
rality evinced  in  doing  good  to  others. 
| ,  Which  causeth  through  us,  &c.  That 
is,  we  shall  so  distribute  your  alms  as 
to  cause  thanksgiving  to  God.  The 
result  will  be  that  by  our  instrumentality, 
thanks  will  be  given  to  the  great  Source 
and  Giver  of  all  wealth.  Property  should 
always  be  so  employed  as  to  produce 
thanksgiving.  If  it  is  made  to  con~ 
tribute  to  our  own  support  and  the  sup- 
port of  our  families,  it  should  excite 
thanksgiving.  If  it  is  given  to  others, 
it  should  be  so  given,  if  it  is  possible, 
that  the  recipient  should  be  more  grate- 
ful to  God  than  to  us ,-  should  feel  that 
though  we  may  be  the  honoured  instru- 
ment in  distributing  it,  yet  the  true 
benefactor  is  God. 

12.  For  the  administration  of  this 
service.  The  distribution  of  this  proof 
of  your  liberality.      The  wo*d  service 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


20J 


this  service  not  only  supplieth  a 
the  want  of  the  saints,  but  is 
abundant  also  by  many  thanks- 
givings unto  God  ; 

13  Whiles  by  the  experiment 
of  this  ministration  they  glorify6 
God  for  your  professed  subjec- 


a  c.  8.  14. 


b  Mat.  5.  16. 


nere,  says  Doddridge,  intimates  that 
this  was  to  be  regarded  not  merely  as 
an  act  of  humanity,  but  religion. 
1  The  want  of  the  saints.  Of  the  poor 
Christians  in  Judea  on  whose  behalf  it 
was  contributed.  %  But  is  abundant 
also  by  many  thanksgivings  unto  God. 
Will  abound  unto  God  in  producing 
thanksgivings.  The  result  will  be  that 
it  will  produce  abundant  thanksgiving 
in  their  hearts  to  God. 

13.  Whiles  by  the  experiment,  &c. 
Or  rather,  by  the  experience  of  this 
ministration ;  the  proof  (SoupHs),  the 
evidence  here  furnished  of  your  libe- 
rality. They  shall  in  this  ministration 
have  experience  or  proof  of  y our  Chris- 
tian principle.  ^  They  glorify  God. 
They  will  praise  God  as  the  source  of 
your  liberality,  as  having  given  you  the 
means  of  being  liberal,  and  having  in- 
clined your  hearts  to  it.  If  For  your 
professed  subjection,  &c.  Literally, 
*  For  the  obedience  of  your  profession 
of  the  gospel.'  It  does  not  imply  merely 
that  there  was  a  profession  of  religion, 
but  that  there  was  a  real  subjection  to 
the  gospel  which  they  professed.  This 
is  not  clearly  expressed  in  our  transla- 
tion. Tindal  has  expressed  it  better, 
"  Which  praise  God  for  your  obedience 
in  acknowledging  the  gospel  of  Christ." 
There  was  a  real  and  sincere  submission 
to  the  gospel  of  Christ,  and  that  was 
manifested  by  their  giving  liberally  to 
supply  the  wants  of  others.  The  doc- 
trine is,  that  one  evidence  of  true  sub- 
jection to  the  gospel;  one  proof  that 
our  profession  is  sincere  and  genuine,  is 
a  willingness  to  contribute  to  relieve  the 
wants  of  the  poor  and  afflicted  friends 
of  the   Redeemer.      %  And  unto   all 


tion  unto  the  gospel  of  Christ, 
and  for  your  liberal  distribution 
unto  them,  and  unto  all  men; 

14  And  by  their  prayer  for 
you,  which  long  after  you  for 
the  exceeding  grace  a  of  God  in 
you. 

oc.  8. 1. 


men.  That  is,  all  others  whom  you 
may  have  the  opportunity  of  relieving. 
14.  And  by  their  prayer  for  you. 
On  the  grammatical  construction  of  this 
difficult  verse,  Doddridge  and  Bloom- 
field  may  be  consulted.  It  is  probably 
to  be  taken  in  connexion  with  ver.  12, 
and  ver.  13  is  a  parenthesis.  Thus  in- 
terpreted, the  sense  will  be,  '  The  admi- 
nistration of  this  service  (ver.  12)  will 
produce  abundant  thanks  to  God.  It 
will  also  (ver.  14)  produce  another 
effect.  It  will  tend  to  excite  the  prayers 
of  the  saints  for  you,  and  thus  produce 
important  benefits  to  yourselves.  They 
will  earnestly  desire  your  welfare,  they 
will  anxiously  pray  to  be  united  in 
Christian  friendship  with  those  who 
have  been  so  signally  endowed  with 
the  grace  of  God.'  The  sentiment  is, 
that  charity  should  be  shown  to  poor 
and  afflicted  Christians  because  it  will 
lead  them  to  pray  for  us  and  to  desire 
our  welfare.  The  prayers  of  the  poor- 
est Christian  for  us  are  worth  more  than 
all  we  usually  bestow  on  them  in  charity ; 
and  he  who  has  secured  the  pleadings 
of  a  child  of  God,  however  humble,  in 
his  behalf,  has  made  a  good  use  of  his 
money.  J  Which  long  after  you. 
Who  earnestly  desire  to  see  and  know 
you.  Who  will  sincerely  desire  your 
welfare,  and  who  will  thus  be  led  to 
pray  for  you.  f  For  the  exceeding 
grace  of  God  in  you.  On  account  of 
the  favour  which  God  has  shown  to  you 
the  strength  and  power  of  the  Christian 
principle,  manifesting  itself  in  doing 
good  to  those  whom  you  have  nevet 
seen.  The  apostle  supposes  that  tha 
exercise  of  a  charitable  disposition  is  ta 
be  traced  entirely  to  God.     God  is  tht 


202 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60 


15  Thanks  a  be  unto  God  for 

a  Ja.  1.  17. 

author  of  all  grace ;  he  alone  excites  in 
us  a  disposition  to  do  good  to  others. 

15.  Thanks  be  unto  God.  Whitby 
supposes  that  this  refers  to  the  charita- 
ble disposition  which  they  had  mani- 
fested, and  that  the  sense  is,  that  God 
Was  to  be  adored  for  the  liberal  spirit 
which  they  were  disposed  to  manifest, 
and  the  aid  which  they  were  disposed 
to  render  to  others.  But  this,  it  is  be- 
lieved, falls  far  below  the  design  of  the 
apostle.  The  reference  is  rather  to  the 
inexpressible  gift  which  God  had  grant- 
ed to  them  in  bestowing  his  Son  to  die 
for  them ;  and  this  is  one  of  the  most 
striking  instances  which  occur  in  the 
New  Testament,  showing  that  the  mind 
of  Paul  was  full  of  this  subject ;  and 
that  wherever  he  began,  he  was  sure  to 
end  with  a  reference  to  the  Redeemer. 
The  invaluable  gift  of  a  Saviour  was  so 
familiar  to  his  mind,  and  he  was  so  ac- 
customed to  dwell  on  that  in  his  private 
thoughts,  that  the  mind  naturally  and 
easily  glanced  on  that  whenever  any 
thing  occurred  that  by  the  remotest  al- 
lusion would  suggest  it  The  idea  is, 
'Your  benefactions  are  indeed  valua- 
ble ;  and  for  them,  for  the  disposition 
which  you  have  manifested,  and  for  all 
the  good  which  you  will  be  enabled  thus 
to  accomplish,  we  are  bound  to  give 
thanks  to  God.  All  this  will  excite  the 
gratitude  of  those  who  shall  be  bene- 
fited. But  how  small  is  all  this  com- 
pared with  the  great  gift  which  God 
has  imparted  in  bestowing  a  Saviour ! 
That  is  unspeakable.  No  words  can 
express  it,  no  language  convey  an  ade- 
quate description  of  the  value  of  the 
gift,  and  of  the  mercies  which  result 
from  it.'  t  His  unspeakable  gift.  The 
word  here  used  (uvad^aTa)  means, 
what  cannot  be  related,  unutterable.  It 
occurs  nowhere  else  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment. The  idea  is,  that  no  words  can 
properly  express  the  greatness  of  the 
gift  thus  bestowed  on  man.  It  is  higher 
than  the  mind  can  conceive  ;  higher 
than  language  can  express.  On  this 
verse   we   may  observe,  (>  )  That  the 


his  unspeakable  gift. 

b  Jno.  3.  16. 


Saviour  is  a  gift  to  men.  So  he  is 
uniformly  represented.  See  John  hi. 
16.  Gal.  i.  4,  ii.  20.  Eph.  i.  22.  Tim. 
ii.  6.  Tit.  ii.  14.  Man  had  no  claim 
on  God.  He  could  not  compel  him  to 
provide  a  plan  of  salvation ;.  and  the 
whole  arrangement — the  selection  of 
the  Saviour,  the  sending  him  into  the 
world,  and  all  the  benefits  resulting 
from  his  work,  are  all  an  undeserved 
gift  to  man.  (2.)  This  is  a  gift  un- 
speakably great,  whose  value  no  language 
can  express,  no  heart  fully  conceive.  It 
is  so  because,  (a)  Of  his  own  greatness 
and  glory ;  (b)  Because  of  the  inex- 
pressible love  which  he  evinced;  (c) 
Because  of  the  unutterable  sufferings 
which  he  endured  ;  (d)  Because  of  the 
inexpressibly  great  benefits  which  re- 
sult from  his  work.  No  language  can 
do  justice  to  this  work  in  either  of 
these  respects ;  no  heart  in  this  world 
fully  conceives  the  obligation  which 
rests  upon  man  in  virtue  of  his  work. 
(3.)  Thanks  should  be  rendered  to 
God  for  this.  We  owe  him  our  highest 
praises  for  this.  This  appears,  (a)  Be- 
cause it  was  mere  benevolence  in  God. 
We  had  no  claim  ;  we  could  not  com- 
pel him  to  grant  us  a  Saviour.  The 
gift  might  have  been  withheld,  and  his 
throne  would  have  been  spotless.  We 
owe  no  thanks  where  we  have  a  claim ; 
where  we  deserve  nothing,  then  he  who 
benefits  us  has  a  claim  on  our  thanks. 
(6)  Because  of  the  benefits  which  we 
have  received  from  him.  Who  can 
express  this  ]  All  our  peace  and  hope ; 
all  our  comfort  and  joy  in  this  life ;  all 
our  prospect  of  pardon  and  salvation ;  all 
the  offers  of  eternal  glory  are  to  be 
traced  to  him.  Man  has  no  prospect 
of  being  happy  when  he  dies  but  in 
virtue  of  the  '  unspeakable  gift'  of  God. 
And  when  he  thinks  of  his  sins,  which 
may  now  be  freely  pardoned  ;  when  he 
thinks  of  an  agitated  and  troubled  con- 
science, which  may  now  be  at  peace; 
when  he  thinks  of  his  soul,  which  may 
now  be  unspeakably  and  eternally  hap- 
py ;  when  he  tlunks  of  the  hell  from 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


203 


which  he  is  delivered,  and  of  the  heaven 
to  whose  eternal  glories  he  may  now 
be  raised  up  by  the  gift  of  a  Saviour, 
his  heart  should  overflow  with  gratitude, 
and  the  language  should  be  continually 
on  his  lips  and  in  his  heart,  'thakks 
be  unto  God  for  his  unspeakable 
gift.'  Every  other  mercy  should  seem 
small  compared  with  this ;  and  every 
manifestation  of  right  feeling  in  the 
heart  should  lead  us  to  contemplate  the 
source  of  it,  and  to  feel,  as  Paul  did, 
that  all  is  to  be  traced  to  the  unspeaka- 
ble gift  of  God. 


1.  This  chapter  with  the  preceding 
derives  special  importance  from  the  fact 
that  it  contains  the  most  extended  dis- 
cussion of  the  principles  of  Christian 
charity  which  occurs  in  the  Bible.  No 
one  can  doubt  that  it  was  intended  by 
the  Redeemer  that  his  people  should  be 
distinguished  for  benevolence.  It  was 
important,  therefore,  that  there  should 
be  some  portion  of  the  New  Testament 
where  the  principles  on  which  charity 
should  be  exercised,  and  the  motives 
by  which  Christians  should  be  induced 
to  give,  should  be  fully  stated.  Such  a 
discussion  we  have  in  these  chapters  ; 
and  they  therefore  demand  the  profound 
and  prayerful  attention  of  all  who  love 
the  Lord  Jesus. 

2.  We  have  here  a  striking  speci- 
men of  the  manner  in  which  the  Bible 
is  written.  Instead  of  abstract  state- 
ments and  systematic  arrangement,  the 
principles  of  religion  are  brought  out  in 
connexion  with  a  case  that  actually 
occurred.  But  it  follows  that  it  is  im- 
portant to  study  attentively  the  Bible, 
and  to  be  familiar  with  every  part  of  it. 
In  some  part  of  the  Scriptures,  state- 
ments of  the  principles  which  should 
guide  us  in  given  circumstances  will  be 
found  ;  and  Christians  should,  therefore, 
be  familiar  with  every  part  of  the  Bible. 

3.  These  chapters  are  of  special  im- 
portance to  the  ministers  of  religion, 
and  to  all  whose  duty  it  is  to  press  upon 
their  fellow  Christians  the  duty  of  giving 
liberally  to  the  objects  of  benevolence. 
The  principles  on  which  it  should  be 


done  are  fully  developed  here.  The 
motives  which  it  is  lawful  to  urge  are 
urged  here  by  Paul.  It  may  be  added, 
also,  that  the  chapters  are  worthy  of 
our  profound  study  on  account  of  the 
admirable  tact  and  address  which  Paul 
evinces  in  inducing  others  to  give. 
Well  he  knew  human  nature.  Well 
he  knew  the  motives  which  would 
influence  others  to  give.  And  well 
he  knew  exactly  how  to  shape  his 
arguments  and  adapt  his  reasoning  to 
the  circumstances  of  those  whom  he 
addressed. 

4.  The  summary  of  the  motives  pre 
sented  in  this  chapter  contains  still  the 
most  important  argument  which  can  be 
urged  to  produce  liberality.  We  can- 
not but  admire  the  felicity  of  Paul  in 
this  address — a  felicity  not  the  result 
of  craft  and  cunning,  but  resulting  from 
his  amiable  feelings,  and  the  love  which 
he  bore  to  the  Corinthians  and  to  the 
cause  of  benevolence.  He  reminds 
them  of  the  high  opinion  which  he  had 
of  them,  and  of  the  honourable  men- 
tion which  he  had  been  induced  to  make 
of  them  (ver.  1,  2);  he  reminds  them 
of  the  painful  result  to  his  own  feelings 
and  theirs  if  the  collection  should  in 
any  way  fail,  and  it  should  appear  that 
his  confidence  in  them  had  been  mis- 
placed (ver.  3 — 5)  ;  he  refers  them  to 
the  abundant  reward  which  they  might 
anticipate  as  the  result  of  liberal  bene- 
factions, and  of  the  fact  that  God  loved 
those  who  gave  cheerfully  (ver.  6,  7)  ; 
he  reminds  them  of  the  abundant  grace 
of  God,  who  was  able  to  supply  all  their 
wants  and  to  give  them  the  means  to 
contribute  liberally  to  meet  the  wants 
of  the  poor  (ver.  8)  ;  he  reminds  them 
of  the  joy  which  their  liberality  would 
occasion,  and  of  the  abundant  thanks- 
giving to  God  which  would  result  from 
it  (ver.  12, 13)  ;  and  he  refers  them  to  the 
unspeakable  gift  of  God,  Jesus  Christ, 
as  an  example,  and  an  argument,  and 
as  urging  the  highest  claims  in  them, 
ver.  15.  "  Who,"  says  Doddridge, "  could 
withstand  the  force  of  such  oratory  ?" 
No  doubt  it  was  effectual  in  that  case, 
and  it  should  be  in  all  others. 

5.  May  the   motives  here  urged  bv 


204 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


fA.  D.  €0 


the  apostle  be  effectual  to  persuade  us 
all  to  liberal  efforts  to  do  good !  Assured- 
ly there  is  no  less  occasion  for  Christian 
liberality  now  than  there  was  in  the 
time  of  Paul.  There  are  still  multitudes 
of  the  poor  who  need  the  kind  and 
efficient  aid  of  Christians.  And  the 
whole  world  now  is  a  field  in  which 
Christian  beneficence  may  be  abundantly 
displayed,  and  every  land  may,  and 
should  experience  the  benefits  of  the 
charity  to  which  the  gospel  prompts, 
and  which  it  enjoins.  Happy  are  they 
who  are  influenced  by  the  principles 
of  the  gospel  to  do  good  to  all  men ! 
Happy  they  who  have  any  opportunity 
to  illustrate  the  power  of  Christian 
principle  in  this  ;  any  ability  to  alleviate 
the  wants  of  one  sufferer,  or  to  do  any 
thing  in  sending  that  gospel  to  be- 
nighted nations  which  alone  can  save 
the  soul  from  eternal  death  ! 

6.  Let  us  especially  thank  God  for 
his  unspeakable  gift,  Jesus  Christ.  Let 
us  remember  that  to  him  we  owe  every 
opportunity  to  do  good  :  that  it  was  be- 
cause he  came  that  there  is  any  possi- 
bility of  benefiting  a  dying  world  ;  and 
that  all  who  profess  to  love  him  •  are 
bound  to  imitate  his  example  and  to 
show  their  sense  of  their  obligation  to 
God  for  giving  a  Saviour.  How  poor 
and  worthless  are  all  our  gifts  compared 
with  the  great  gift  of  God ;  how  slight 
our  expressions  of  compassion,  even  at 
the  best,  for  our  fellow-men,  compared 
with  the  compassion  which  he  has 
shown  for  us !  When  God  has  given 
his  Son  to  die  for  us,  what  should  we 
not  be  willing  to  give  that  we  may  show 
our  gratitude,  and  that  we  may  benefit 
a  dying  world ! 

CHAPTER  X. 
Paul,  having  finished  the  subject  of 
the  duty  of  alms-giving  in  the  previous 
chapter,  enters  in  this  on  a  vindication 
of  himself  from  the  charges  of  his  ene- 
mies. His  general  design  is  to  vindi- 
cate his  apostolic  authority,  and  to  show 
that  he  had  a  right,  as  well  as  others, 
to  regard  himself  as  sent  from  God. 
This  vindication  is  continued  through 
•h.  xi.  and  xii.   In  this  chapter  the  stress 


j  of  the  argument  is,  that  he  did  not  de- 
pend on  any  thing  external  to  recom- 
mend him — on  any  "carnal  weapons;" 
on  any  thing  which  commended  itself 
by  the  outward  appearance ;  or  on  any 
thing  that  was  so  much  valued  by  the 
admirers  of  human  eloquence  and  learn- 
ing. He  seems  willing  to  admit  all  that 
his  enemies  could  say  of  him  on  that 
head,  and  to  rely  on  other  proofs  that  he 
was  sent  from  God.  In  ch.  xi.  he  pur- 
sues the  subject,  and  shows  by  a  com- 
parison of  himself  with  others,  that  he 
I  had  as  good  a  right  certainly  as  they  to 
j  regard  himself  as  sent  by  God.  In 
ch.  xii.  he  appeals  to  another  argument, 
to  which  none  of  his  accusers  was  able 
to  appeal,  that  he  had  been  permitted  to 
see  the  glories  of  the  heavenly  world, 
and  had  been  favoured  in  a  manner 
unknown  to  other  men. 

It  is  evident  that  there  was  one  or 
more  false  teachers  among  the  Corinth- 
ians who  called  in  question  the  divine 
authority  of  Paul.  "These  teachers  were 
native  Jews  (ch.  xi.  13.  22),  and  they 
boasted  much  of  their  own  endowments. 
It  is  impossible,  except  from  the  epistle 
itself,  to  ascertain  the  nature  of  their 
charges  and  objections  against  him. 
From  the  chapter  before  us  it  would 
seem  that  one  principal  ground  of  their 
objection  was,  that  though  he  was  bold 
enough  in  his  letters  and  had  threatened 
to  exercise  discipline,  yet  that  he  would 
not  dare  to  do  it.  They  accused  him 
of  being,  when  present  with  them, 
timid,  weak,  mild,  pusillanimous,  of 
lacking  moral  courage  to  inflict  the 
punishment  which  he  had  threatened 
in  his  letters.  To  this  he  replies  in 
this  chapter. 

(1.)  He  appeals  to  the  meekness  and 
gentleness  of  Christ ;  thus  indirectly 
and  delicately  vindicating  his  own  mild- 
ness from  their  objections,  and  entreats 
them  not  to  give  him  occasion  to  show 
the  boldness  and  severity  which  he  had 
purposed  to  do.  He  had  no  wish  to  be 
bold  and  severe  in  the  exercise  of  dis- 
cipline, ver.  1.  2. 

(2.)  He  assures  them  that  the 
weapons  of  his  warfare  were  not  carnal, 
but  spiritual.     He  relied  on  the  truth 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  X, 


CHAPTER  X. 

"MOW  I  Paul  myself  beseech  a 
-^    you  by  the  meekness  and 

alio.  12.  1. 

of  the  gospel  and  on  the  power  of  mo- 
tives ;  and  these  weapons  were  mighty 
by  the  aid  of  God  to  cast  down  all  that 
offend  him.  Yet  he  was  ready  to  re- 
venge and  punish  all  disobedience  by 
severe  measures  if  it  were  necessary, 
ver.  3—6. 

(3.)  They  looked  on  the  outward 
appearance.  He  cautioned  them  to 
remember  that  he  had  as  good  claims 
to  be  regarded  as  belonging  to  Christ  as 
they  had.  ver.  7.  He  had  given  proofs 
that  he  was  an  apostle,  and  the  false 
teachers  should  look  at  those  proofs  lest 
they  should  be  found  to  be  opposing 
God.  He  assured  them  that  if  he  had 
occasion  to  exercise  his  power  he  would 
have  no  reason  to  be  ashamed  of  it. 
ver.  8.  It  would  be  found  to  be  ample 
to  execute  punishment  on  his  foes. 

(4.)  The  false  teachers  had  said  that 
Paul  was  terrible  only  in  his  letters. 
He  boasted  of  his  power,  but  it  was, 
they  supposed,  only  epistolary  bravery. 
He  would  not  dare  to  execute  his 
threatening.  In  reply  to  this,  Paul,  in 
a  strain  of  severe  irony,  says  that  he 
would  not  seem  to  terrify  them  by  mere 
letters.  It  would  be  by  something  far 
more  severe.  He  advised  such  objectors, 
therefore,  to  believe  that  he  would  prove 
himself  to  be  such  as  he  had  shown 
himself  to  be  in  his  letters ;  to  look  at 
the  evidence,  since  they  boasted  of  their 
talent  for  reasoning,  that  he  would 
show  himself  in  fact  to  be  what  he  had 
threatened  to  be.  ver.  9 — 12. 

(5.)  He  pursues  the  strain  of  severe 
irony  by  secretly  comparing  himself 
with  them.  ver.  12 — 16.  They  boasted 
much,  but  it  was  only  by  comparing 
themselves  with  one  another,  and  not 
with  any  elevated  standard  of  excel- 
lence. Paul  admitted  that  he  had  not 
the  courage  to  do  that.  ver.  12.  Nor  did 
he  dare  to  boast  of  things  wholly  be- 
yond his  ability  as  they  had  done.  He 
was  contented  to  act  only  within  the 
18 


gentleness    of   Christ,  who  *in 
presence  b  am  base  among  you, 

*  or,  in  outward  appearance, 
b  ver.  10. 


proper  limits  prescribed  to  him  by  his 
talents  and  by  the  appointment  of  God. 
Not  so  they.  They  had  boldness  and 
courage  to  go  far  beyond  that,  and  to 
boast  of  things  wholly  beyond  their 
ability,  and  beyond  the  proper  measure, 
ver.  13,  14.  Nor  had  he  courage  to 
boast  of  entering  into  other  men's  la- 
bours. It  required  more  courage  than 
he  had,  to  make  a  boast  of  what  he  had 
done  if  he  had  availed  himself  of  things 
made  ready  to  his  hand  as  if  they  were 
the  fruit  of  his  own  labours,  implying 
that  they  had  done  this ;  that  they  had 
come  to  Corinth,  a  church  founded  by 
his  labours,  and  had  quietly  set  them- 
selves down  there,  and  then,  instead 
of  going  into  other  fields  of  labour,  had 
called  in  question  the  authority  of  him 
who  had  founded  the  church,  and  who 
was  labouring  indefatigably  elsewhere. 
ver.  15,  16.  Paul  adds,  that  such  was 
not  his  intention.  He  aimed  to  preach 
the  gospel  beyond,  to  carry  it  to  regions 
where  it  had  not  been  spread.  Such 
was  the  nature  of  his  courage ;  such 
the  kind  of  boldness  which  he  had,  and 
he  was  not  ambitious  to  join  them  in 
their  boasting. 

(6.)  He  concludes  this  chapter  with 
a  very  serious  admonition.  Leaving 
the  strain  of  irony,  he  seriously  says 
that  if  any  man  were  disposed  to  boast, 
it  should  be  only  in  the  Lord.  He 
should  glory  not  in  self-commendation, 
but  in  the  fact  that  he  had  evidence 
that  the  Lord  approved  him  ;  not  in  his 
own  talents  or  powers,  but  in  the  excel- 
lence and  glory  of  the  Lord.  ver.  17, 18. 

1.  Now  I  Paul  my  self  beseech  you. 
I  entreat  you  who  are  members  of  the 
church  not  to  give  me  occasion  for  the 
exercise  of  severity  in  discipline.  I  have 
just  expressed  my  confidence  in  the 
church  in  general,  and  my  belief  that 
you  will  act  in  accordance  with  the 
rules  of  the  gospel.  But  I  cannot  thus 
speak  of  all.     There  are  some  among 


206 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


but  being  absent  -am  bold  toward 
you : 

2  But  I  beseech  you,  that  I 
may  not  be  bold  when  I  am 
present    with    that    confidence, 


you  who  have  spoken  with  contempt 
of  my  authority  and  my  claims  as  an 
apostle.  Of  them  I  cannot  speak  in 
this  manner;  but  instead  of  command- 
ing them  I  entreat  them  not  to  give 
me  occasion  for  the  exercise  of  discipline. 
t  By  the  meekness  and  gentleness  of 
Christ.  In  view  of  the  meekness  and 
mildness  of  the  Redeemer ;  or  desiring 
to  imitate  his  gentleness  and  kindness. 
Paul  wished  to  imitate  that.  He  did 
not  wish  to  have  occasion  for  severity. 
He  desired  at  all  times  to  imitate,  and 
to  exhibit  the  gentle  feelings  of  the 
Saviour.  He  had  no  pleasure  in  seve- 
rity; and  he  did  not  desire  to  exhibit  it. 
1  Who  in  presence.  Marg.  In  outward 
appearance.  It  may  either  mean  that 
when  present  among  them  he  appeared, 
according  to  their  representation,  to  be 
humble,  mild,  gentle  (ver.  10)  ;  or  that 
in  his  external  appearance  he  had  this 
aspect.  See  on  ver.  10.  Most  probably 
it  means  that  they  had  represented  him 
as  timid  when  among  them,  and  afraid 
to  exercise  discipline,  however  much  he 
had  threatened  it.  ^  Am  buse  among 
you.  The  word  here  used  (tuttuvc;) 
usually  means  low,  humble,  poor.  Here 
it  means  timid,  modest,  the  opposite  of 
boldness.  Such  was  formerly  the  mean- 
ing of  the  English  word  base.  It  was 
applied  to  those  of  low  degree  or  rank  ; 
of  humble  birth  ;  and  stood  opposed  to 
those  of  elevated  rank  or  dignity.  Now 
it  is  commonly  used  to  denote  that 
which  is  degraded  or  worthless ;  of 
mean  spirit ;  vile  ;  and  stands  opposed 
to  that  which  is  manly  and  noble.  But 
Paul  did  not  mean  to  use  it  here  in  that 
sense.  He  meant  to  say  that  they  re- 
garded him  as  timid  and  afraid  to  exe- 
cute the  punishment  which  he  had 
threatened,  and  as  manifesting  a  spirit 
which  was  the  opposite  of  boldness. 
This  was  doubtless  a  charge  which 
they  brought  against  him  ;  but  we  are 


wherewith* I  think  to  be  bold 
against  some,  which  *  think  of 
us  as  if  we  walked  according  to 
the  flesh. 

a  1  Co.  4.  21.    c.  13.  2,  10.        i  or,  reckon. 


not  necessarily  to  infer  that  it  was  true. 
All  that  it  proves  is,  that  he  was  modest 
and  unobtrusive,  and  that  they  inter- 
preted this  as  timidity  and  want  of  spirit. 
%  But  being  absent  am  bold  toward 
you.  That  is,  in  my  letters.  See  on 
ver.  10.  This  they  charged  him  with, 
that  he  was  bold  enough  when  away 
from  them,  but  that  he  would  be  tame 
enough  when  he  should  meet  them  face 
to  face,  and  that  they  had  nothing  to 
fear  from  him. 

2.  That  I  may  not  be  bold.  I  entreat 
you  so  to  act  that  I  may  not  have  occa- 
sion to  exercise  the  severity  which  I 
fear  I  shall  be  compelled  to  against 
those  who  accuse  me  of  being  governed 
wholly  by  worldly  motives  and  policy. 
\  That  I  may  not  be  bold.  That  I  may 
not  be  compelled  to  be  bold  and  decisive 
in  my  measures  by  your  improper  con- 
duct. T  Which  think  of  us.  Marg. 
Reckon.  They  suppose  this ;  or,  they 
accuse  me  of  it.  By  the  word  "us" 
here  Paul  means  himself,  though  it  is 
possible  also  that  he  speaks  in  the  name 
of  his  fellow-apostles  and  labourers  who 
were  associated  with  him,  and  the  ob- 
jections may  have  referred  to  all  who 
acted  with  him.  Tf  As  if  we  walked. 
As  if  we  lived  or  acted.  The  word 
"  walk"  in  the  Scriptures  is  often  used 
to  denote  the  course  or  manner  of  life. 

i  Notes,  Rom.  iv.  12.  2  Cor.  v.  7.  <[  Ac- 
cording to   the  Jlesh.      See   Note  on 

I  ch.  i.  17.  As  if  we  were  governed 
by  the  weak  and  corrupt  principles  of 
human  nature.  As  if  we  had  no  higher 
motive  than  carnal  and  worldly  policy. 

;  As  if  we  were  seeking  our  own  advan- 
tage and  not  the  welfare  of  the  world. 

,  The  charge  was,  probably,  that  he  was 
not  governed  by  high  and  holy  princi- 
ples, but  by  the  principles  of  mere 
worldly  policy  ;  that  he  was  guided  by 
personal  interests,  and  by  worldly  views 
— by  ambition,  or  the  love  of  dominion, 


A.  D.  60.J 


CHAPTER  X. 


207 


3  For  though  we  walk  in  the 
flesh,  we  do  not  war  after  °  the 
flesh: 

4  (For  the  weapons  b  of  our 

a  Ro.  8.  13.  b  Ep.  6.  13.     1  Th.  5.  8. 


wealth,  or  popularity,  and  that  he  was 
destitute  of  every  supernatural  endow- 
ment and  every  evidence  of  a  divine 
commission. 

3.  For  though  we  walk  in  the  flesh. 
Though  we  are  mortal  like  other  men ; 
though  we  dwell  like  them  in  mortal 
bodies,  and  necessarily  must  devote 
some  care  to  our  temporal  wants  ;  and 
though,  being  in  the  flesh,  we  are  con- 
scious of  imperfections  and  frailties  like 
others.  The  sense  is,  that  he  did  not 
claim  exemption  from  the  common 
wants  and  frailties  of  nature.  The  best 
of  men  are  subject  to  these  wants  and 
frailties ;  the  best  of  men  are  liable  to 
err.  f  We  do  not  war  after  the  flesh. 
The  warfare  in  which  he  was  engaged 
was  with  sin,  idolatry,  and  all  forms 
of  evil.  He  means  that  in  conducting 
this  he  was  not  actuated  by  worldly 
views  or  policy,  or  by  such  ambitious 
and  interested  aims  as  controlled  the 
men  of  this  world.  This  refers  prima- 
rily to  the  warfare  in  which  Paul  was 
himself  engaged  as  an  apostle  ;  and  the 
idea  is,  that  he  went  forth  as  a  soldier 
under  the  great  Captain  of  his  salvation 
to  fight  his  battles  and  to  make  con- 
quests for  him.  A  similar  allusion 
occurs  in  2  Tim.  ii.  3,  4.  It  is  true, 
however,  that  not  only  all  ministers,  but 
all  Christians  are  engaged  in  a  warfare  ; 
and  it  is  equally  true  that  they  do  not 
maintain  their  conflict  "  after  the  flesh," 
or  on  the  principles  which  govern  the 
men  of  this  world.  The  warfare  of 
Christians  relates  to  the  following  points. 
(1.)  It  is  a  warfare  with  the  corrupt 
desires  and  sensual  propensities  of  the 
heart :  with  internal  corruption  and  de- 
pravity, with  the  remaining  unsubdued 
propensities  of  a  fallen  nature.  (2.)  With 
the  powers  of  darkness ;  the  mighty 
•pirits  of  evil  that  seek  to  destroy  us. 
See  Eph.  vi.  11—17.  (3.)  With  sin 
in  all  forms ;  with  idolatry,  sensuality, 


warfare  c  are  not  carnal,  but 
mighty  *  through  °  God  to  the 
pulling  down  '  of  strong  holds  ;) 

c  1  Ti.  1.  18.  »  or,  to.  d  c.  13.  3,  4. 

e  Jer.  1.  10. 

corruption,  intemperance,  profaneness, 
wherever  they  may  exist.  The  Chris- 
tian is  opposed  to  all  these,  and  it  is  the 
aim  and  purpose  of  his  life  as  far  as 
he  may  be  able  to  resist  and  subdue 
them.  He  is  a  soldier  enlisted  under 
the  banner  of  the  Redeemer  to  oppose 
and  resist  all  forms  of  evil.  But  his 
warfare  is  not  conducted  on  worldly 
principles.  Mahomet  propagated  his 
religion  with  the  sword ;  and  the  men 
of  this  world  seek  for  victory  by  arms 
and  violence.  The  Christian  looks  for 
his  conquests  only  by  the  force  and 
power  of  truth,  and  by  the  agency  of 
the  Spirit  of  God. 

4.  For  the  weapons  of  our  warfare. 
The  means  by  which  we  hope  to 
achieve  our  victory,  %  Are  not  carnal. 
Not  those  of  the  flesh.  Not  such  as 
the  men  of  the  world  use.  They  are 
not  such  as  are  employed  by  conquerors; 
nor  are  they  such  as  men  in  general 
rely  on  to  advance  their  cause.  We  do 
not  depend  on  eloquence,  or  talent,  or 
learning,  or  wealth,  or  beauty,  or  any 
of  the  external  aids  on  which  the  men 
of  this  world  rely.  They  are  not  such 
as  derive  advantage  from  any  power  in- 
herent in  themselves.  Their  strength 
is  derived  from  God  alone.  ^  But 
mighty  through  God.  Marg.  "to." 
They  are  rendered  mighty  or  powerful 
by  the  agency  of  God.  They  depend 
on  him  for  their  efficacy.  Paul  has  not 
here  specified  the  weapons  on  which 
he  relied  ;  but  he  had  before  specified 
them  (ch.  vi.  6,  7),  so  that  there  was 
no  danger  of  mistake.  The  weapons 
were  such  as  were  furnished  by  truth 
and  righteousness,  and  these  were  ren- 
dered mighty  by  the  attending  agency 
of  God.  The  sense  is,  that  God  is  the 
author  of  the  doctrines  which  we  preach, 
and  that  he  attends  them  with  the 
agency  of  his  Spirit,  and  accompanies 
them  to  the  hearts  of  men.     It  is  im- 


208 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


5  Casting  down  *  imagina- 
tions, ■  and  every  high  b  thing 
that  exalteth   itself  against  the 

*  or,  reasonings.  a  1  Co.  1.  19. 

b  Ps.  18.  27.    Ez.  17.  24. 

portant  for  all  ministers  to  feel  that 
their  weapons  are  mighty  only  through 
God.  Conquerors  and  earthly  warriors 
go  into  battle  depending  in  the  might 
of  their  own  arm,  and  on  the  wisdom 
and  skill  which  plans  the  battle.  The 
Christian  goes  on  his  warfare,  feeling 
that  however  well  adapted  the  truths 
which  he  holds  are  to  accomplish  great 
purposes,  and  however  wisely  his  plans 
are  formed,  yet  that  the  efficacy  of  all 
depends  on  the  agency  of  God.  He 
has  no  hope  of  victory  but  in  God.  And 
if  God  does  not  attend  him,  he  is  sure 
of  inevitable  defeat.  ^  To  the  put- 
ting down  of  strongholds.  The  word 
here  rendered  "  strongholds"  (s^w^a) 
means  properly  a  fastness,  fortress,  or 
strong  fortification.  It  is  here  beautifully 
used  to  denote  the  various  obstacles 
resembling  a  fortress  which  exist,  and 
which  are  designed  and  adapted  to 
oppose  the  truth  and  the  triumph  of  the 
Christian's  cause.  All  those  obstacles 
are  strongly  fortified.  The  sins  of  his 
heart  are  fortified  by  long  indulgence 
and  by  the  hold  which  they  have  on 
his  soul.  The  wickedness  of  the  world 
which  he  opposes  is  strongly  fortified 
by  the  fact  that  it  has  seized  on 
strong  human  passions ;  that  one  point 
stengthens  another  ;  that  great  numbers 
are  united.  The  idolatry  of  the  world 
was  strongly  fortified  by  prejudice,  and 
long  establishment,  and  the  protection 
of  laws,  and  the  power  of  the  priest- 
hood ;  and  the  opinions  of  the  world 
are  entrenched  behind  false  philosophy 
and  the  power  of  subtle  argumentation. 
The  whole  world  is  fortified  against 
Christianity;  and  the  nations  of  the 
earth  have  been  engaged  in  little  else 
than  in  raising  and  strengthening  such 
strongholds  for  the  space  of  six  thou- 
sand years.  The  Christian  religion 
goes  forth  against  all  the  combined  and 
concentrated  powers  of  resistance  of  the 


knowledge  of  God,  and  bringing 
into  captivity  c  every  thought  to  d 
the  obedience  of  Christ : 

c  Mat.  11.29,30. 
dGe.  8.  21.     Mat.  15.  19.    He.  4.  12. 


whole  world  ;  and  the  warfare  is  to  be 
waged  against  every  strongly  fortified 
place  of  error  and  of  sin.  These  strong 
fortifications  of  error  and  of  sin  are  to 
be  battered  down  and  laid  in  ruins  by 
our  spiritual  weapons. 

5.  Casting  down  imaginations. 
Marg.  reasonings.  The  word  is  pro- 
bably used  here  in  the  sense  of  device, 
and  refers  to  all  the  plans  of  a  wicked 
world ;  the  various  systems  of  false 
philosophy ;  and  the  reasonings  of  the 
enemies  of  the  gospel.  The  various 
systems  of  false  philosophy  were  so 
intrenched  that  they  might  be  called  the 
stronghold  of  the  enemies  of  God.  The 
foes  of  Christianity  pretend  to  a  great 
deal  of  reason,  and  rely  on  that  in  re- 
sisting the  gospel.  If  And  every  high 
thing,  &c.  Every  exalted  opinion 
respecting  the  dignity  and  purity  of 
human  .nature ;  all  the  pride  of  the 
human  heart  and  of  the  understanding. 
All  this  is  opposed  to  the  knowledge  of 
God,  and  all  exalts  itself  into  a  vain 
self-confidence.  Men  entertain  vain 
and  unfounded  opinions  respecting  their 
own  excellency,  and  they  feel  that  they 
do  not  need  the  provisions  of  the  gospel 
and  are  unwilling  to  submit  to  God. 
Tf  And  bringing  info  captivity,  &c. 
The  figure  here  is  evidently  taken  from 
military  conquests.  The  idea  is,  that 
all  the  strongholds  of  heathenism,  and 
pride,  and  sin  would  be  demolished  ;  and 
that  when  this  was  done,  like  throwing 
down  the  walls  of  a  city  or  making  a 
breach,  all  the  plans  and  purposes  of 
the  soul,  the  reason,  the  imagination, 
and  all  the  powers  of  the  mind  would 
be  subdued  or  led  in  triumph  by  the 
gospel,  like  the  inhabitants  of  a  captured 
city.  Christ  was  the  great  Captain  in 
this  warfare.  In  his  name  the  battle 
was  waged,  and  by  his  power  the  victory 
was  won.  The  captives  were  made  for 
him  and  under  his  authority ;  and  all 


A.D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


6  And  having  in  a  readiness 
to  revenge  all  disobedience,  when 
your  obedience  °  is  fulfilled. 

a  c.  7.  15. 

were  to  be  subject  to  his  control. 
Every  power  of  thought  in  the  heathen 
world ;  all  the  systems  of  philosophy 
and  all  forms  of  opinion  among  men ; 
all  the  purposes  of  the  soul ;  all  the 
powers  of  reason,  memory,  judgment, 
fancy  in  an  individual,  were  all  to  come 
under  the  laws  of  Christ.  All  doctrines 
were  to  be  in  accordance  with  his  will ; 
philosophy  should  no  longer  control 
them,  but  they  should  be  subject  to  the 
will  of  Christ.  All  the  plans  of  life 
Bhould  be  controlled  by  the  will  of  Christ, 
and  formed  and  executed  under  his 
control — as  captives  are  led  by  a  con- 
queror. All  the  emotions  an  d  feelings  of 
the  heart  should  be  controlled  by  him, 
and  led  by  him  as  a  captive  is  led  by 
a  victor.  The  sense  is,  that  it  was  the 
aim,  and  purpose  of  Paul  to  accomplish 
this,  and  that  it  would  certainly  be  done. 
The  strongholds  of  philosophy,  hea- 
thenism, and  sin  should  be  demolished, 
and  all  the  opinions,  plans,  and  purposes 
of  the  world  should  become  subject  to 
the  all-conquering  Redeemer. 

6.  And  having  in  a  readiness,  &c. 
I  am  ready  to  punish  all  disobedience, 
notwithstanding  all  that  is  said  to  the 
contrary.  See  Notes  on  ver.  1,  2. 
Clothed  as  I  am  with  this  power  ;  aim- 
ing to  subdue  all  things  to  Christ,  though 
the  weapons  of  my  warfare  are  not 
carnal,  and  though  I  am  modest  or 
timid  (ver.  1)  when  I  am  with  you,  I 
am  prepared  to  take  any  measures  of 
severity  required  by  my  apostolic  office 
in  order  that  I  may  inflict  deserved  pun- 
ishment on  those  who  have  violated  the 
laws  of  Christ.  The  design  of  this  is, 
to  meet  the  objection  of  his  enemies, 
that  he  would  not  dare  to  execute  his 
threatenings.  ^  When  your  obedience 
is  fulfilled.  Doddridge  renders  this, 
"now  your  obedience  is  fulfilled,  and 
the  sounder  part  of  your  church  restored 
to  due  order  and  submission."  The  j 
idea  seems  to  be,  that  Paul  was  ready  I 
18* 


7  Do  ye  look  on  things  after 
the  outward  b  appearance  ?  If 
any  man  trust  to  himself  that  he 

b  Jno.  7.  24. 

to  inflict  discipline  when  the  church 
had  showed  a  readiness  to  obey  his  laws, 
and  to  do  its  own  duty — delicately  inti- 
mating that  the  reason  why  it  was  not 
done  was  the  want  of  entire  promptness 
in  the  church  itself,  and  that  it  could  not 
be  done  on  any  offender  as  long  as  the 
church  itself  was  not  prepared  to  sustain 
him.  The  church  was  to  discountenance 
the  enemies  of  the  Redeemer ;  to  show 
an  entire  readiness  to  sustain  the  apostle, 
and  to  unite  with  him  in  the  effort  to 
maintain  the  discipline  of  Christ's 
house. 

7.  Do  ye  look  on  things  after  the 
outward  appearance  ?  This  is  address- 
ed evidently  to  the  members  of  the 
church,  and  with  reference  to  the  claims 
which  had  been  set  up  by  the  false 
teachers.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that 
they  valued  themselves  on  their  external 
advantages,  and  laid  claim  to  peculiar 
honour  in  the  work  of  the  ministry,  be- 
cause they  were  superior  in  personal 
appearance,  in  rank,  manners,  or  elo- 
quence to  Paul.  Paul  reproves  them 
for  thus  judging,  and  assures  them  thai 
this  was  not  a  proper  criterion  by  which 
to  determine  on  qualifications  for  the 
apostolic  office.  Such  things  were  high- 
ly valued  among  the  Greeks,  and  a  con- 
siderable part  of  the  eflbrt  of  Paul  in 
these  letters  is  to  show  that  these  things 
constitute  no  evidence  that  those  who 
possessed  them  were  sent  from  God. 
1  If  any  man  trust  to  himself  &c. 
This  refers  to  the  false  teachers  who 
laid  claims  to  be  the  followers  of  Christ 
by  way  of  eminence.  Whoever  these 
teachers  were,  it  is  evident  that  they 
claimed  to  be  on  the  side  of  Christ,  and 
to  be  appointed  by  him.  They  were 
probably  Jews,  and  they  boasted  of  their 
talents  and  eloquence,  and  possibly  that 
they  had  seen  the  Saviour.  The  phrase 
"  trust  to  himself,"  seems  to  imply  that 
they  relied  on  some  special  merit  of  their 
own,  or  some  special  advantage  which 


210 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


is  Christ's,  let  him  of  himself 
think  this  again,  that,  as  he  is 
Christ's,  even  so  are  we  Christ's. 
8  For  though  I  should  boast 
somewhat  more  of  our  authority, 
°  which  the  Lord  hath  given  us 

ac.  13.2,3. 

they  had. — Bloornjield.  It  may  have 
been  that  they  were  of  the  same  tribe 
that  he  was,  or  that  they  had  seen  him, 
or  that  they  confided  in  their  own  talents 
or  endowments  as  proof  that  they  had 
been  sent  by  him.  It  is  not  an  un- 
common thing  for  men  to  have  such 
confidence  in  their  own  gifts,  and  par- 
ticularly in  a  power  of  fluent  speaking, 
as  to  suppose  that  this  is  a  sufficient 
evidence  that  they  are  sent  to  preach 
the  gospel.  %  Let  him  of  himself  think 
this  again.  Since  he  relies  so  much 
on  himself;  since  he  has  such  confi- 
dence in  his  own  powers,  let  him  look 
at  the  evidence  that  I  also  am  of  Christ. 
%  That  as  he  is  Christ's,  even  so  are  we 
Chrisfs.  That  I  have  given  as  much 
evidence  that  I  am  commissioned  by 
Christ  as  they  can  produce.  It  may  be 
of  a  different  kind.  It  is  not  in  elo- 
quence, and  rank,  and  the  gift  of  a  rapid 
and  ready  elocution,  but  it  may  be  su- 
perior to  what  they  are  able  to  produce. 
Probably  Paul  refers  here  to  the  fact 
that  he  had  seen  the  Lord  Jesus,  and 
that  he  had  been  directly  commissioned 
by  him.  The  sense  is,  that  no  one 
could  produce  more  proofs  of  being 
called  to  the  ministry  than  he  could. 

8.  For  though  I  should  boast,  &c. 
If  I  should  make  even  higher  claims 
than  I  have  done  to  a  divine  commission. 
I  could  urge  higher  evidence  than  I  have 
done  that  I  am  sent  by  the  Lord  Jesus. 
1  Of  our  authority.  Of  my  authority 
as  an  apostle,  my  power  to  administer 
discipline,  and  to  direct  the  affairs  of  the 
church.  "|f  Which  the  Lord  hath  given 
us  for  edification.  A  power  primarily 
conferred  to  build  up  his  people  and  save 
them  and  not  to  destroy.  If  J  should 
not  be  ashamed.  It  would  be  founded 
on  good  evidence  and  sustained  by  the 
nature   of  my  commission.      I   should 


for  edification, h  and  not  for  your 
destruction,  I  should  not  be 
ashamed  : 

9  That  I  may  not  seem  as  if  I 
would  terrify  you  by  letters. 

10  For  his  letters,  •  say  they, 


b  c.  13. 


i  said  he. 


also  have  no  occasion  to  be  ashamed  of 
the  manner  in  which  it  has  been  exer- 
cised— a  power  that  has  in  fact  been 
employed  in  extending  religion  and 
edifying  the  church,  and  not  in  originat- 
ing and  sustaining  measures  fitted  to 
destroy  the  soul. 

9.  That  I  may  not  seem,  &c.  The 
meaning  of  this  verse  seems  to  be  this. 
'  I  say  that  I  might  boast  more  of  my 
power  in  order  that  I  may  not  appear 
disposed  to  terrify  you  with  my  letters 
merely.  I  do  not  threaten  more  than  I 
can  perform.  I  have  it  in  my  power  to 
execute  all  that  I  have  threatened,  and 
to  strike  an  awe  not  only  by  my  letters, 
but  by  the  infliction  of  extraordinary 
miraculous  punishments.  And  if  I 
should  boast  that  I  had  done  this,  and 
could  do  it  again,  I  should  have  no 
reason  to  be  ashamed.  It  would  not 
be  vain  and  empty  boasting ;  not  boast- 
ing which  is  not  well-founded.' 

10.  For  his  letters.  The  letters  which 
he  has  sent  to  the  church  when  absent. 
Reference  is  had  here  probably  to  the 
first  epistle  to  the  Corinthians.  They 
might  also  have  seen  some  of  Paul's 
other  epistles,  and  been  so  well  ac- 
quainted with  them  as  to  be  able  to 
make  the  general  remark  that  he  had 
the  power  of  writing  in  an  authorita- 
tive and  impressive  manner.  1  Say 
they.  Marg.  Said  he.  Greek  (<?»«•/) 
in  the  singular.  This  seems  to  have 
referred  to  some  one  person  who  had 
uttered  the  words — perhaps  some  one 
who  was  the  principal  leader  of  the 
faction  opposed  to  Paul.  %  Are  weighty 
and  powerful.  Tindal  renders  this, 
"  Sore  and  strong."  The  Greek  is,'  heavy 
and  strong'  (fiz^uai  x.*i  iV^w^at/).  The 
sense  is,  that  his  letters  were  energetic 
and  powerful.  They  abounded  with 
strong   argument,   manly  appeals,   and 


A.  D.  60.]  CHAPTER  X.  2,  i 

are  weighty  and  powerful ;  but   his   bodily   presence   is   weak, 


impressive  reproof.  This  even  his  ene- 
mies were  compelled  to  admit,  and  this 
no  one  can  deny  who  ever  read  them. 
Paul's  letters  comprise  a  considerable 
portion  of  the  New  Testament ;  and 
some  of  the  most  important  doctrines 
of  the  New  Testament  are  those  which 
are  alvocated  and  enforced  by  him ;  and 
his  .etters  have  done  more  to  give  shape 
to  the  theological  doctrines  of  the  Chris- 
tian world  than  any  other  cause  what- 
ever. He  wrote  fourteen  epistles  to 
churches  and  individuals  on  various 
occasions  and  on  a  great  variety  of 
topics  ;  and  his  letters  soon  rose  into 
very  high  repute  among  even  the  in- 
spired ministers  of  the  New  Testament 
(see  2  Pet.  iii.  15,  16),  and  were  re- 
garded as  inculcating  the  most  important 
doctrines  of  religion.  The  general 
characteristics  of  Paul's  letters  are, 
(1.)  They  are  strongly  argumentative. 
See  especially  the  epistles  to  the  Ro- 
mans and  the  Hebrews.  (2.)  They  are 
distinguished  for  boldness  and  vigor 
of  style.  (3.)  They  are  written  under 
great  energy  of  feeling  and  of  thought — 
a  rapid  and  impetuous  torrent  that  bears 
him  forcibly  along.  (4.)  They  abound 
more  than  most  other  writings  in  paren- 
theses, and  the  sentences  are  often  in- 
volved and  obscure.  (5.)  They  often 
evince  rapid  transitions  and  departures 
from  the  regular  current  of  thought. 
A  thought  strikes  him  suddenly,  and 
he  pauses  to  illustrate  it,  and  dwells 
upon  it  long,  before  he  returns  to  the 
main  subject.  The  consequence  is, 
that  it  is  often  difficult  to  follow  him. 
(G.)  They  are  powerful  in  reproof — 
abounding  with  strokes  of  great  bold- 
ness of  denunciation,  and  also  with 
specimens  of  most  withering  sarcasm 
and  most  delicate  irony.  (7.)  They 
abound  in  expressions  of  great  tender- 
ness and  pathos.  Nowhere  can  be 
found  expressions  of  a  heart  more  ten- 
der and  affectionate  than  in  the  writings 
of  Paul.  (8.)  They  dwell  much  on 
great  and  profound  doctrines,  and  on  the 
application  of  the  principles  of  Chris- 


tianity to  the  various  duties  of  life. 
(9.)  They  abound  with  references  to 
the  Saviour.  He  illustrates  every  thing 
by  his  life,  his  example,  his  death,  his 
resurrection.  It  is  not  wonderful  that 
letters  composed  on  such  subjects  and 
in  such  a  manner  by  an  inspired  man 
produced  a  deep  impression  on  the 
Christian  world  ;  nor  that  they  should 
be  regarded  now  as  among  the  most 
important  and  valuable  portions  of  the 
Bible.  Take  away  Paul's  letters,  and 
what  a  chasm  would  be  made  in  the 
New  Testament !  What  a  chasm  in 
the  religious  opinions  and  in  the  con- 
solations of  the  Christian  world  !  ^f  But 
his  bodily  presence.  His  personal  ap- 
pearance. 1  Is  weak.  Imbecile,  feeble 
(£?$»»;) — a  word  often  used  to  denote 
infirmity  of  body,  sickness,  disease. 
Matt.  xxv.  39.  43,  44.  Luke  x.  9.  Acts 
iv.  9  ;  v.  15,  10.  1  Cor.  xi.  30.  Here 
it  is  to  be  observed  that  this  is  a  mere 
charge  which  was  brought  against  him, 
and  it  is  not  of  necessity  to  be  supposed 
that  it  was  true,  though  the  presumption 
is,  that  there  was  some  foundation  for 
it.  It  is  supposed  to  refer  to  some  bodily 
imperfections,  and  possibly  to  his  dimi- 
nutive stature.  Chrysostom  says  that 
his  stature  was  low,  his  body  crooked, 
and  his  head  bald.  Lucian,  in  his  Phi- 
lopatris,  says  of  him,  corpore  erat  par- 
vo,  contracto,  incurvo,  tricubitali — pro- 
bably an  exaggerated  description,  perhaps 
a  caricature — to  denote  one  very  di- 
minutive and  having  no  advantages  of 
personal  appearance.  According  to 
Nicephorus,  Paul  "was  a  little  man, 
crooked,  and  almost  bent  like  a  bow  ; 
with  a  pale  countenance,  long  and 
wrinkled;  a  bald  head;  his  eyes  full 
of  fire  and  benevolence ;  his  beard  long, 
thick,  and  interspersed  with  gray  hairs, 
as  was  his  head,"  &c.  But  there  is  no 
certain  evidence  of  the  truth  of  these 
representations.  Nothing  in  the  Bible 
would  lead  us  to  suppose  that  Paul  was 
remarkably  diminutive  or  deformed ; 
and  though  there  may  be  some  founda- 
tion for  the  charge  here  alleged  that  his 


213 

and 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


his    speech    contemptible. 

11  Let  such  an  one  think  this, 

that,  such  as  we  are  in  word  by 

letters    when    we    are     absent, 

bodily  presence  was  weak,  yet  we  are 
to  remember  that  this  was  the  accusa- 
tion of  his  enemies,  and  that  it  was 
doubtless  greatly  exaggerated.  Nice- 
phorus  was  a  writer  of  the  sixteenth  cen- 
tury, and  his  statements  are  worthy  of 
no  regard.  That  Paul  was  eminently 
an  eloquent  man  may  be  inferred  from 
a  great  many  considerations ;  some  of 
which  are,  ( 1 .)  His  recorded  discourses 
in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  and  the 
effect  produced  by  them.  No  one  can 
read  his  defence  before  Agrippa  or  Fe- 
lix and  not  be  convinced  that  as  an 
orator  he  deserves  to  be  ranked  among 
the  most  distinguished  of  ancient  times. 
No  one  who  reads  the  account  in  the 
Acts  can  believe  that  he  had  any  re- 
markable impediment  in  his  speech  or 
that  he  was  remarkably  deformed.  (2.) 
Such  was  somehow  his  grace  and  power 
as  an  orator  that  he  was  taken  by  the 
inhabitants  of  Lycaonia  as  Mercury,  the 
god  of  eloquence.  Acts  xvi.  12.  As- 
suredly the  evidence  here  is,  that  Paul 
was  not  deformed.  (3.)  It  may  be 
added,  that  Paul  is  mentioned  by  Lon- 
ginus  among  the  principal  orators  of 
antiquity.  Prom  these  circumstances, 
there  is  no  reason  to  believe  that  Paul 
was  remarkably  deficient  in  the  quali- 
fications requisite  for  an  orator,  or  that 
he  was  in  any  way  remarkably  deform- 
ed. If  And  his  speech  contemptible. 
To  be  despised.  Some  suppose  that  he 
had  an  impediment  in  his  speech.  But 
conjecture  here  is  vain  and  useless. 
We  are  to  remember  that  this  is  a 
charge  made  by  his  adversaries,  and  that 
it  was  made  by  the  fastidious  Greeks, 
who  professed  to  be  great  admirers  of 
eloquence,  but  who  in  his  time  confided 
much  more  in  the  mere  art  of  the 
rhetorician  than  in  the  power  of  thought, 
and  in  energetic  appeals  to  the  reason 
and  conscience  of  men.  Judged  by 
their  standard  it  may  be  that  Paul  had 
not  the  graces  in  voice  or  manner,  or  in 


[A.  D.  60. 

in  deed 


such    will  we   be  also 
when  we  are  present. 

12  For  a  we   dare   not   make 

oc.  3.  1. 


the  knowledge  of  the  Greek  language, 
which  they  esteemed  necessary  in  a 
finished  orator ;  but  judged  by  his  power 
of  thought,  and  his  bold  and  manly 
defence  of  truth,  and  his  energy  of 
character  and  manner,  and  his  power 
of  impressing  truth  on  mankind,  he 
deserves,  doubtless,  to  be  ranked  among 
the  first  orators  of  antiquity.  No  man 
has  left  the  impress  of  his  own  mind  on 
more  other  minds  than  Paul. 

11.  Let  such  an  one  think  this,  &c. 
Let  them  not  flatter  themselves  that 
there  will  be  any  discrepancy  between 
my  words  and  my  deeds.  Let  them 
feel  that  all  which  has  been  threatened 
will  be  certainly  executed  unless  there 
is  repentance.  Paul  here  designedly 
contradicts  the  charge  which  was  made 
against  him  ;  and  means  to  say  that  all 
that  he  had  threatened  in  his  letters  would 
be  certainly  executed  unless  there  was 
reform.  I  think  that  the  evidence  here 
is  clear  that  Paul  does  not  intend  to  ad- 
mit what  they  said  about  his  bodily 
presence  to  be  true ;  and  most  probably 
all  that  has  been  recorded  about  his  de- 
formity is  mere  fable. 

12.  For  we  dare  not  make  ourselves 
of  the  number.  We  admit  that  we  are 
not  bold  enough  for  that.  They  had 
accused  him  of  a  want  of  boldness  and 
energy  when  present  with  them.  ver. 
1.  10.  Here,  in  a  strain  of  severe  but 
delicate  irony,  he  says  he  was  not  bold 
enough  to  do  things  which  they  had 
done.  He  did  not  dare  to  do  the  things 
which  had  been  done  among  them.  To 
such  boldness  of  character,  present  or 
absent,  he  could  lay  no  claim.  If  Or 
compare  ourselves,  &c.  I  am  not  bold 
enough  for  that.  That  requires  a  stretch 
of  boldness  and  energy  to  which  I  can 
lay  no  claim.  %  That  commend  them~ 
selves.  That  put  themselves  forward, 
and  that  boast  of  their  endowments 
and  attainments.  It  is  probable  that 
this  was   commonly  done   by  those  to 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


213 


ourselves  of  the  number,  or  com- 
pare ourselves  with  some  that 
commend  themselves  :  but  they 
measuring  themselves  by  them- 


whom  the  apostle  here  refers ;  and  it 
is  certain  that  it  is  everywhere  the 
characteristic  of  pride.  To  do  this, 
Paul  say  s,  required  greater  boldness  than 
he  possessed,  and  on  this  point  he  yield- 
ed to  them  the  palm.  The  satire  here 
is  very  delicate,  and  yet  very  severe,  and 
was  such  as  would  doubtless  be  felt  by 
them.  "I  But  they  measuring  them- 
selves by  themselves.  Whitby  and 
Clarke  suppose  that  this  means  that 
they  compared  themselves  with  each 
other ;  and  that  they  made  the  false 
apostles  particularly  their  standard. 
Doddridge,  Grotius,  Bloomfield,  and 
some  others  suppose  the  sense  to  be, 
that  they  made  themselves  the  stand- 
ard of  excellence.  They  looked  con- 
tinually on  their  own  accomplish- 
ments, and  did  not  look  at  the  excel- 
lences of  others.  They  thus  formed  a 
disproportionate  opinion  of  themselves, 
and  undervalued  all  others.  Paul  says 
that  he  had  not  boldness  enough  for 
that.  It  required  a  moral  courage  to 
which  he  could  lay  no  claim.  Horace 
(Epis.  i.  7.  98)  has  an  expression  simi- 
lar to  this. 

Metiri  se  quemque  suo   modulo  ac  pede, 
verum  est. 

The  sense  of  Paul  is,  that  they  made 
themselves  the  standard  of  excellence  ; 
that  they  were  satisfied  with  their  own 
attainments ;  and  that  they  overlooked 
the  superior  excellence  and  attainments 
of  others.  This  is  a  graphic  description 
of  pride  and  self-complacency ;  and, 
alas  !  it  is  what  is  often  exhibited.  How 
many  there  are,  and  it  is  to  be  feared 
even  among  professing  Christians,  who 
have  no  other  standard  of  excellence 
than  themselves.  Their  views  are  the 
standard  of  orthodoxy ;  their  modes  of 
worship  are  the  standard  of  the  proper 
manner  of  devotion ;  their  habits  and 
customs  are  in  their  own  estimation  per- 
fect ;  and  their  own  characters  are  the 


selves,  and  comparing  themselves 
among  themselves,  *  are  not 
wise.  • 

13  But  we  will  not  boast  of 

*  understand  it  not.  a  Pr.  26.  12. 


models  of  excellence,  and  they  see  little 
or  no  excellence  in  those  who  differ 
from  them.  They  look  on  themselves 
as  the  true  measure  of  orthodoxy,  hu- 
mility, zeal,  and  piety ;  and  they  con- 
demn all  others,  however  excellent  they 
may  be,  who  differ  from  them,  f  And 
comparing  themselves,  &c.  Or  rather 
comparing  themselves  with  themselves. 
Themselves  they  make  to  be  the  stand- 
ard, and  they  judge  of  every  thing  by 
that,  1  Are  not  wise.  Are  stupid  and 
foolish.  Because,  (1.)  They  had  no 
such  excellence  as  to  make  themselves 
the  standard.  (2.)  Because  this  was 
an  indication  of  pride.  (3.)  Because 
it  made  them  blind  to  the  excellences  of 
others.  It  was  to  be  presumed  that 
others  had  endowments  not  inferior  to 
theirs.  (4.)  Because  the  requirements 
of  God,  and  the  character  of  the  Re- 
deemer were  the  proper  standard  of 
conduct.  Nothing  is  a  more  certain 
indication  of  folly  than  for  a  man  to 
make  himself  the  standard  of  excellence. 
Such  an  individual  must  be  blind  to  his 
own  real  character  ;  and  the  only  thing 
certain  about  his  attainments  is,  that  he 
is  inflated  with  pride.  And  yet  how 
common !  How  self-satisfied  are  most 
persons !  How  pleased  with  their  own 
character  and  attainments  !  How  grieved 
at  any  comparison  which  is  made  with 
others  implying  their  inferiority  !  How 
prone  to  undervalue  all  others  simply 
because  they  differ  from  them! — The 
margin  renders  this,  "understand  it  not," 
that  is,  they  do  not  understand  their 
own  character  or  their  inferiority. 

1 3.  But  we  will  not  boast  of  things 
without  our  measure.  Tindal  renders 
this,  "But  we  will  not  rejoice  above 
measure."  There  is  great  obscurity  in 
the  language  here,  arising  from  its 
brevity.  But  the  general  idea  seems  to 
be  plain.  Paul  says  that  he  had  not 
boldness  as  they  had  to  boast  of  things 


214 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


things  without  our  measure,  but 
according  to  the  measure  of  the 
1  rule  which  God  hath  distributed 


i  or,  line. 


wholly  beyond  his  proper  rule  and  his 
actual  attainments  and  influence :  and, 
especially,  that  he  was  not  disposed  to 
enter  into  other  men's  labours;  or  to 
boast  of  things  that  had  been  done  by 
the  mere  influence  of  his  name,  and 
beyond  the  proper  limits  of  his  personal 
exertions.  He  made  no  boast  of  hav- 
ing done  any  thing  where  he  had  not 
been  himself  on  the  ground  and  laboured 
assiduously  to  secure  the  object.  They, 
it  is  not  improbable,  had  boasted  of  what 
had  been  done  in  Corinth  as  though  it 
were  really  their  work,  though  it  had 
been  done  by  the  apostle  himself.  Nay 
more,  it  is  probable  that  they  boasted 
of  what  had  been  done  by  the  mere  in- 
fluence of  their  name.  Occupying  a 
central  position,  they  supposed  that 
their  reputation  had  gone  abroad,  and 
that  the  mere  influence  of  their  reputa- 
tion had  had  an  important  effect.  Not 
so  with  Paul.  He  made  no  boast  of 
any  thing  but  what  God  had  enabled 
him  to  do  by  his  evangelical  labours, 
and  by  personal  exertions.  He  entered 
into  no  other  men's  labours,  and  claim- 
ed nothing  that  others  had  done  as  his 
own.  He  was  not  bold  enough  for  that. 
H  But  according  to  the  measure  of  the 
rule,  &c.  Marg.  Or,  line.  The  word 
rendered  "  rule"  (Greek,  kxvJLv,  whence 
our  English  word  canon)  means  pro- 
perly a  reed,  rod,  or  staff  employed  to 
keep  any  thing  stiff,  erect,  asunder 
(Horn.  II.  8.  1 03)  ;  then  a  measuring 
rod  o.  line ;  then  any  standard  or  rule — 
its  usual  meaning  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, as,  e.  g.,  of  life  and  doctrine. 
Gal.  vi.  16.  Phil.  iii.  16.— Robinson's 
Lex  Here  it  means  the  limit,  boun- 
dary line,  or  sphere  of  action  assigned 
to  any  one.  Paul  means  to  say  that 
God  had  appropriated  a  certain  line  or 
boundary  as  the  proper  limit  of  his 
sphere  of  action;  that  his  appropriate 
sphere  extended  to  them ;  that  in  going 
to  them,  though  they  were  far  distant 


to  us,  a  measure  to  reach  even 
unto  you. 

14  For  we   stretch   not   our- 
selves beyond  our  measure,  as 


from  the  field  of  his  early  labours,  he 
had  confined  himself  within  the  proper 
limits  assigned  him  by  God  ;  and  that 
in  boasting  of  his  labours  among  them 
he  was  not  boasting  of  any  thing  which 
did  not  properly  fall  within  the  sphere 
of  labour  assigned  to  him.  The  mean- 
ing is,  that  Paul  was  especially  careful 
not  to  boast  of  any  thing  beyond  his 
proper  bounds.  1  Which  God  hath 
distributed  to  us.  Which  in  assigning 
our  respective  fields  of  labour  God  has 
assigned  unto  me  and  my  fellow- 
labourers.  The  Greek  word  here  ren- 
dered "distributed"  (^^ct)  means 
properly  to  measure ;  and  the  sense  is, 
that  God  had  measured  out  or  appor- 
tioned their  respective  fields  of  labour ; 
that  by  his  providence  he  had  assigned 
to  each  one  his  proper  sphere,  and  that 
in  the  distribution  Corinth  had  fallen  to 
the  lot  of  Paul.  In  going  there  he  had 
kept  within  the  proper  limits  ;  in  boast- 
ing of  his  labours  and  success  there  he 
did  not  boast  of  what  did  not  belong  to 
him.  ^  -4  measure  to  reach  even  unto 
you.  The  sense  is, '  the  limits  assigned 
me  include  you,  and  I  may  therefore 
justly  boast  of  what  I  have  done  among 
you  as  within  my  proper  field  of  labour.' 
Paul  was  the  apostle  to  the  Gentiles 
(Acts  xx vi.  17,  18)  ;  and  the  whole 
country  of  Greece  therefore  he  regarded 
as  falling  within  the  limits  assigned  to 
him.  No  one  therefore  could  blame 
him  for  going  there  as  if  he  was  an 
intruder ;  no  one  assert  that  he  had 
gone  beyond  the  proper  bounds. 

14.  For  we  stretch  not  mirt-elves  be- 
yond our  measure.  In  coming  to  preach 
to  you  we  have  not  gone  beyond  the 
proper  limits  assigned  us.  We  have 
not  endeavoured  to  enlarge  the  proper 
boundaries,  to  stretch  the  line  which 
limited  us,  but  have  kept  honestly 
within  the  proper  limits.  %  As  though 
we  reached  not  unto  you.  That  is,  as 
if  our  boundaries  did  not  extend  so  fai 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


215 


though  we  reached  not  unto  you ; 
for  we  are  come  as  far  as  to  you 
also  in  preaching  the  gospel  of 
Christ : 

15    Not   boasting   of    things 

as  to  comprehend  you.  We  have  not 
overstepped  the  proper  limits,  as  if 
Greece  was  not  within  the  proper 
sphere  of  action,  t  For  we  are  come 
as  far  to  you,  &c.  In  the  regular 
work  of  preaching  the  gospel  we  have 
come  to  you.  We  have  gone  from 
place  to  place  preaching  the  gospel 
where  we  had  opportunity ;  we  have 
omitted  no  important  places,  until  in 
the  regular  discharge  of  our  duties  in 
preaching  we  have  reached  you  and 
have  preached  the  gospel  to  you.  We 
have  not  omitted  other  places  in  order  to 
come  to  you  and  enter  into  the  proper 
field  of  labour  of  others,  but  in  the 
regular  work  of  making  the  gospel 
known  as  far  as  possible  to  all  men  we 
have  come  to  Corinth.  Far  as  it  is, 
therefore,  from  the  place  where  we 
started,  we  have  approached  it  in  a 
regular  manner,  and  have  not  gone  out 
of  our  proper  province  in  doing  it. 

15.  Net  boasting  of  things  without. 
our  measure.  There  is  here  probably 
an  allusion  to  the  false  teachers  at 
Corinth.  They  had  come  after  Paul 
had  been  there,  and  had  entered  into 
his  labours.  When  he  had  founded 
the  church  ;  when  he  had  endured  trials 
and  persecutions  in  order  to  reach  Co- 
rinth ;  when  he  had  laboured  there  for 
a  year  and  a  half  (Acts  xviii.  11),  they 
came  and  entered  the  quiet  and  easy 
field,  formed  parties,  and  claimed  the 
field  as  their  own.  Paul  says  that  he 
had  not  courage  to  do  that.  See  Note, 
ver.  12.  That  required  a  species  of 
boldness  to  which  he  could  lay  no  claim ; 
and  he  did  not  assume  honour  to  him- 
self like  that.  ^  That  is,  of  other  men's 
labours.  Not  intruding  into  churches 
which  we  did  not  establish,  and  claim- 
ing the  right  to  direct  their  affairs,  and 
to  exclude  the  founders  from  all  proper 
honours  and  all  influence,  and  endea- 
vouring to  alienate  the  affections  of 


without  our  measure,  that  is. 
of  a  other  men's  labours  ;  bu.* 
having  hope,  when  your  faith  is 
increased,  that  we  shall  be  x  en- 

a  Ro.  15.  20.  i  or,  magnified  in  you. 

Christians  from  their  spiritual  father  and 
guide.  1  But  having  hope,  &c.  So 
far  from  this ;  so  far  from  a  desire  to 
enter  into  the  labours  of  others  and 
quietly  enjoying  the  avails  of  their  in- 
dustry ;  and  so  far  even  from  a  desire 
to  sit  down  ourselves  and  enjoy  the 
fruit  of  our  own  labours,  I  desire  to  pene- 
trate other  untrodden  regions ;  to  en- 
counter new  dangers  ;  to  go  where  the 
gospel  has  not  been  planted,  and  to  rear 
other  churches  there.  I  do  not,  there- 
fore, make  these  remarks  as  if  I  wished 
even  to  dispossess  the  teachers  that 
have  entered  into  my  labours.  I  make 
them  because  I  wish  to  be  aided  by  you 
in  extending  the  gospel  further ;  and  I 
look  to  your  assistance  in  order  that  I 
may  have  the  means  of  going  into  the 
regions  where  I  have  not  made  known 
the  name  of  the  Redeemer.  *[  When 
your  faith  is  increased.  When  you 
become  so  strong  as  not  to  need  my 
presence  and  my  constant  care ;  and 
when  you  shall  be  able  to  speed  me  on 
my  way  and  to  aid  me  on  my  journey. 
He  expected  to  be  assisted  by  them  in 
his  efforts  to  carry  the  gospel  to  other 
countries,  f  That  we  shall  be  enlarged. 
Marg.  Magnified  by  you.  Bloomfield 
supposes  that  this  means,  "  to  gain  fame 
and  glory  by  you ;"  that  is,  as  the 
teacher  may  justly  by  his  pupils.  So 
Robinson  renders  it,  "  to  make  great,  to 
praise."  But  to  me  the  idea  seems  to 
be  that  he  wished  them  to  enlarge  or 
magnify  him  by  introducing  him  to 
larger  fields  of  action  ;  by  giving  him  a 
wider  sphere  of  labour.  It  was  not  that 
he  wished  to  be  magnified  by  obtaining 
a  wider  reputation,  not  as  a  matter  of 
praise  or  ambition,  but  he  wished  to 
have  his  work  and  success  greatly  en- 
larged. This  he  hoped  to  be  enabled 
to  do  partly  by  the  aid  of  the  church  at 
Corinth.  When  they  became  able  to 
manage  their  own  affairs;    when  his 


216 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


larged  by  you  according  to  our 
rule  abundantly. 

16  To  preach  the  gospel  in 
the  regions  beyond  you,  and 
not  to   boast   in  another   man's 

time  was  not  demanded  to  superintend 
them ;  when  their  faith  became  so  strong 
that  his  presence  was  not  needed ;  and 
when  they  should  assist  him  in  his 
preparations  for  travel,  then  he  would 
enter  on  his  wider  field  of  labour.  He 
had  no  intention  of  sitting  down  in  ease 
as  the  false  teachers  in  Corinth  seem 
disposed  to  have  done,  f  According  to 
our  rule.  Greek,  'According  to  our 
canon.'  See  on  ver.  13.  The  sense  is, 
according  to  the  rule  by  which  the 
sphere  of  his  labours  had  been  marked 
out.  His  rule  was  to  carry  the  gospel 
as  far  as  possible  to  the  heathen  world. 
He  regarded  the  regions  lying  far  be- 
yond Corinth  as  coming  properly  within 
his  limits ;  and  he  desired  to  occupy 
that  field.  Tf  Abundantly.  Greek, 
Unto  abundance.  So  as  to  abound ; 
that  is,  to  occupy  the  field  assigned  as 
far  as  possible. 

16.  To  preach  the  gospel  in  the 
regions  beyond  you.  What  regions 
are  referred  to  here  can  be  only  a  matter 
of  conjecture.  It  may  be  that  he  wished 
to  preach  in  other  parts  of  Greece,  and 
that  he  designed  to  go  to  Arcadia  or 
Lacaedemon.  Rosenmuller  supposes 
that  as  the  Corinthians  were  engaged  in 
commerce,  the  apostle  hoped  that  by 
them  some  tidings  of  the  gospel  would 
reach  the  countries  with  which  they 
were  engaged  in  traffic.  But  I  think  it 
most  probable  that  he  alludes  to  Italy 
and  Spain.  It  is  certain  that  he  had 
formed  the  design  of  visiting  Spain 
(Rom.  xv.  24.  28)  ;  and  he  doubtless 
wished  the  Corinthians  to  aid  him  in 
that  purpose,  and  was  anxious  to  do 
this  as  soon  as  the  condition  of  the 
eastern  churches  would  allow  it.  %  And 
not  to  boast  in  another  man's  line  of 
things,  &c.  Marg.  Rule,  the  same  word 
(xstvwy)  which  occurs  in  ver.  13.  The 
meaning  is,  that  Paul  did  not  mean  to 
boast  of   what    properly   belonged    to 


line  *  of  things  made  ready  to 
our  hand. 

17  But  a  he  that  glorieth,  let 
him  glory  in  the  Lord. 

»  or,  rule.  a  Je.  9.  24. 

others.  He  did  not  claim  what  they 
had  done  as  his  own.  He  did  not  in- 
tend to  labour  within  what  was  properly 
their  bounds,  and  then  to  claim  the  field 
and  the  result  of  the  labour  as  his.  He 
probably  means  here  to  intimate  that 
this  had  been  done  by  the  false  teachers 
of  Corinth ;  but  so  far  was  he  from 
designing  to  do  this,  that  he  meant  soon 
to  leave  Corinth,  which  was  properly 
within  his  Unfits,  and  the  church  which 
he  had  founded  there,  to  go  and  preach 
the  gospel  to  other  regions.  Whether 
Paul  ever  went  to  Spain  has  been  a 
question  (see  Note  on  Rom.  xv.  24) ; 
but  it  is  certain  that  he  went  to  Rome, 
and  that  he  preached  the  gospel  in 
many  other  places  after  this  besides 
Corinth. 

17.  But  he  that  glorieth.  He  that 
boasts.  Whatever  may  be  the  occasion 
of  his  boasting,  whether  in  planting 
churches  or  in  watering  them  ;  whether 
in  his  purposes,  plans,  toils,  or  success. 
Paul  himself  did  not  deem  it  improper 
on  some  occasions  to  boast  (ch.  xi.  16; 
xii.  5),  but  it  was  not  of  his  own 
power,  attainments,  or  righteousness. 
He  was  disposed  to  trace  all  to  the  Lord, 
and  to  regard  him  as  the  source  of  all 
blessing  and  all  success,  f  Let  him 
glory  in  the  Lord.  In  this  serious 
and  weighty  admonition,  Paul  designs, 
doubtless,  to  express  the  manner  in 
which  he  was  accustomed  to  glory,  and 
to  furnish  an  admonition  to  the  Co- 
rinthians. In  the  previous  part  of  the 
chapter  there  had  been  some  severe 
irony.  He  closes  the  chapter  with  the 
utmost  seriousness  and  solemnity  of 
manner,  in  order  to  show  on  his  pan 
that  he  was  not  disposed  to  glory  in  his 
own  attainments  and  to  admonish  them 
not  to  boast  of  theirs.  If  they  had  any 
thing  valuable  they  should  regard  the 
Lord  as  the  author  of  it.  In  this  admo- 
nition it  is  probable  that  Paul  had  in 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


217 


18    For    not    he    that   com- 
mendeth   himself    is    approved, 


his  eye  the  passage  in  Jer.  ix.  23,  24. 
though  he  has  not  expressly  quoted  it. 
"Let  not  the  wise  man  glory  in  his 
wisdom,  neither  let  the  mighty  man 
glory  in  his  might,  let  not  the  rich  man 
glory  in  his  riches  ;  but  let  him  that 
glorieth,  glory  in  this,  that  he  under- 
standeth  and  knoweth  me,  that  I  am  the 
Lord  which  exercise  loving-kindness, 
judgment,  and  righteousness  in  the 
earth."  The  sentiment  is  a  favourite 
one  with  Paul,  as  it  should  be  with  all 
Christians.  See  Note  on  1  Cor.  i.  31. 
On  this  verse  we  may  here  remark, 
I.  That  nothing  is  more  common  than 
for  men  to  boast  or  glory.  Little  as 
they  really  have  in  which  to  glory,  yet 
there  is  no  one  probably  who  has  not 
something  of  which  he  is  proud,  and 
of  which  he  is  disposed  to  boast.  It 
would  be  difficult  or  impossible  to  find 
a  person  wrho  had  not  something  on 
which  he  prided  himself;  something  in 
which  he  esteemed  himself  superior  to 
others.  II.  The  things  of  which  they 
boast  are  very  various.  (1.)  Many  are 
proud  of  their  personal  beauty  ;  many, 
too,  who  would  be  unwilling  to  be  thought 
proud  of  it.  (2.)  Many  glory  in  their 
accomplishments;  or,  what  is  more 
likely,  in  the  accomplishments  of  their 
children.  (3.)  Many  glory  in  their 
talents ;  talents  for  any  thing,  valuable 
or  not,  in  which  they  suppose  they 
surpass  others.  They  glory  in  their 
talent  for  eloquence,  or  science,  or  gain 
ing  knowledge;  or  in  their  talent  for 
gaining  property  or  keeping  it ;  for  their 
skill  in  their  professions  or  callings ;  for 
their  ability  to  run,  to  l*ap,  or  to  practise 
even  any  trick  or  sleight  of  hand. 
There  is  nothing  so  worthless  that  it 
does  not  constitute  a  subject  of  glorying, 
provided  it  be  ours.  If  it  belong  to 
others  it  may  be  valueless.  (4.)  Many 
glory  in  their  property ;  in  fine  houses, 
extended  plantations,  or  in  the  reputa- 
tion of  being  rich  ;  or  in  gorgeous  dress, 
equipage,  and  furniture.  In  short,  there 
19 


but    a  whom    the    Lord    com- 
mendeth. 

o  Ro.  2.  29. 


is  nothing  which  men  possess  in  which 
they  are  not  prone  to  glory.  Forgetful 
of  God  the  giver ;  forgetful  that  all  may 
be  soon  taken  from  them,  or  that  they 
soon  must  leave  all ;  forgetful  that  none 
of  these  things  can  constitute  a  distinc- 
tion in  the  grave  or  beyond,  they  boast  as 
if  these  things  were  to  remain  forever,  and 
as  if  they  had  been  acquired  independ- 
ently of  God.  How  prone  is  the  man 
of  talents  to  forget  that  God  has  given 
him  his  intellect,  and  that  for  its  proper 
use  he  must  give  account !  How  prone 
is  the  rich  man  to  forget  that  he  must  die ! 
How  prone  the  gay  and  the  beautiful  to 
forget  that  they  will  lie  undistinguished 
in  the  grave ;  and  that  death  will  con- 
sume them  as  soon  as  the  most  vile  and 
worthless  of  the  species !  III.  If  we 
glory  it  should  be  in  the  Lord.  We 
should  ascribe  our  talents,  wealth,  health, 
strength,  salvation  to  him.  We  should 
rejoice,  (1.)  That  we  have  such  a  Lord, 
so  glorious,  so  full  of  mercy,  so  power- 
ful, so  worthy  of  confidence  and  love. 
(2.)  We  should  rejoice  in  our  endow- 
ments and  possessions  as  his  gift.  We 
should  rejoice  that  we  may  come  and 
lay  every  thing  at  his  feet,  and  whatever 
may  be  our  rank,  or  talents,  or  learning, 
we  should  rejoice  that  we  may  come 
with  the  humblest  child  of  poverty,  and 
sorrow,  and  want,  and  say,  "  not  unto 
us,  not  unto  us,  but  unto  thy  name  give 
glory  for  thy  mercy  and  for  thy  truth's 
sake."  Ps.  cxv.  1.  See  Note  on 
1  Cor.  i.  31. 

18.  For  not  he  who  commendetk 
himself,  &c.  Not  he  who  boasts  of  his 
talents  and  endowments.  He  is  not  to 
be  judged  by  the  estimate  which  he 
shall  place  on  himself,  but  by  the  esti- 
mate which  God  shall  form  and  ex- 
press, f  Is  approved.  By  God.  It  is 
no  evidence  that  we  shall  be  saved  that 
we  are  prone  to  commend  ourselves. 
See  Rom.  xvi.  10.  1  But  whom  tht 
Lord  commendeth.  See  Note  on  Rom. 
ii.  29.    The  idea  here  is,  that  men  are 


218 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60 


to  be  approved  or  rejected  by  God.  He 
is  to  pass  judgment  on  them,  and  that 
judgment  is  to  be  in  accordance  with 
his  estimate  of  their  character,  and  not 
according  to  their  own.  If  he  approves 
them  they  will  be  saved ;  if  he  does 
not,  vain  will  be  all  their  empty  boast- 
ing; vain  all  their  reliance  on  their 
wealth,  eloquence,  learning,  or  earthly 
honours.  None  will  save  them  from 
condemnation  ;  not  all  these  things  can 
purchase  for  them  eternal  life.  Paul 
thus  seriously  shows  that  we  should 
be  mainly  anxious  to  obtain  the  divine 
favour.  It  should  be  the  grand  aim  and 
purpose  of  our  life ;  and  we  should  re- 
press all  disposition  for  vainglory  or 
self-confidence ;  all  reliance  on  our  ta- 
lents, attainments,  or  accomplishments 
for   salvation.      Our    boast  is  that 

WE  HAVE  SUCH  A  REDEEMER  ;  AM)  IN 
THAT  WE  ALL  MAY  GLORT. 

REMARKS. 

1.  We  should  have  no  desire  to  show 
off  any  peculiar  boldness  or  energy  of 
character  which  we  may  have.  ver.  1,  2. 
We  should  greatly  prefer  to  evince  the 
gentleness  and  meekness  of  Christ. 
Such  a  character  is  in  itself  of  far  more 
value  than  one  that  is  merely  energetic 
and  bold  ;  that  is  rash,  authoritative,  and 
fond  of  display. 

2.  They  who  are  officers  in  the 
church  should  have  no  desire  to  ad- 
minister discipline,  ver.  2.  Some  men 
are  so  fond  of  power  that  they  always 
love  to  exercise  it.  They  are  willing 
to  show  it  even  by  inflicting  punish- 
ment on  others  ;  and  "  dressed  in  a  little 
brief  authority"  they  are  constantly 
seeking  occasion  to  show  their  conse- 
quence ;  they  magnify  trifles ;  they  are 
unwilling  to  pass  by  the  slightest  of- 
fences. The  reason  is  not  that  they 
love  the  truth,  but  that  they  love  their 
own  consequence,  and  they  seek  every 
opportunity  to  show  it. 

3.  All  Christians  and  all  Christian 
ministers  are  engaged  in  a  warfare, 
ver.  3.  They  are  at  war  with  sin  in 
their  own  hearts,  and  with  sin  wherever 
it  exists  on  earth,  and  with  the  powers 
of  darkness.     With  foes  so  numerous 


and  so  vigilant,  they  should  not  expect 
to  live  a  life  of  ease  or  quietness.  Peace, 
perfect  peace,  they  may  expect  in  hea- 
ven, not  on  earth.  Here  they  are  to 
fight  the  good  fight  of  faith  and  thus  to 
lay  hold  on  eternal  life.  It  has  been 
the  common  lot  of  all  the  children  of 
God  to  maintain  such  a  war,  and  shall 
we  expect  to  be  exempt  1 

"  Shall  /  be  carried  to  the  skies 
On  flowery  beds  of  ease, 
While  others  fought  to  win  the  prize, 
And  sailed  through  bloody  seas  1 
"  Are  there  no  foes  for  me  to  face, 
Must  I  not  stem  the  flood  ? 
Is  this  vile  world  a  friend  to  grace, 
To  help  me  on  to  God  I" 

4.  The  weapons  of  the  Christian  are 
not  to  be  carnal,  but  are  to  be  spiritual, 
ver.  4.  He  is  not  to  make  his  way  by 
the  exhibition  of  human  passion ;  in 
bloody  strife ;  and  by  acting  under  the 
influence  of  ambitious  feelings.  Truth 
is  his  weapon  ;  and  armed  with  truth, 
and  aided  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  he  is  to 
expect  the  victory.  How  different  is 
the  Christian  warfare  from  others  !  How 
different  is  Christianity  from  other  sys- 
tems !  Mahomet  made  his  way  by  arms, 
and  propagated  his  religion  amidst  the 
din  of  battle.  But  not  so  Christianity. 
That  is  to  make  its  way  by  the  silent, 
but  mighty  operation  of  truth ;  and 
there  is  not  a  rampart  of  idolatry  and  sin 
that  is  not  yet  to  fall  before  it. 

5.  The  Christian  should  be  a  man 
of  a  pure  spirit,  ver.  4.  He  is  to  make 
his  way  by  the  truth.  He  should  there- 
fore love  the  truth,  and  he  should  seek 
to  diffuse  it  as  far  as  possible.  In  propa- 
gating or  defending  it,  he  should  be 
always  mild,  gentle,  and  kind.  Truth 
is  never  advanced,  and  an  adversary 
is  never  convinced,  where  passion  is 
evinced ;  where  there  is  a  haughty  man- 
ner or  a  belligerent  spirit.  The  apos- 
tolic precepts  are  full  of  wisdom, 
"  speaking   the  truth   in   love''   (Eph. 

iv.   15),    "in    MEEKNESS    INSTRUCTING 

those  that  oppose  themselves;  if  God 
peradventure  will  give  them  repentance 
to  the  acknowledging  of  the  truth." 
2  Tim.  ii.  25. 

6.  In  his  warfare  the  Christian  shall 
conquer,   ver.  4,  5.     Against  the  truth 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


219 


of  Christianity  nothing  has  been  able 
to  stand.  It  made  its  way  against  the 
arrayed  opposition  of  priests  and  empe- 
rors ;  against  customs  and  laws ;  against 
inveterate  habits  and  opinions  ;  against 
all  forms  of  sin,  until  it  triumphed,  and 
"  the  banners  of  the  faith  floated  from 
the  palaces  of  the  Cesars."  So  it  will 
be  in  all  the  conflicts  with  evil.  Nothing 
is  more  certain  than  that  the  powers 
of  darkness  in  this  world  are  destined 
to  fall  before  the  power  of  Christian 
truth,  and  that  every  stronghold  of  sin 
shall  yet  be  demolished.  So  it  is  in  the 
conflicts  of  the  individual  Christian.  He 
may  struggle  long  and  hard.  He  may 
have  many  foes  to  contend  with.  But 
he  shall  gain  the  victory.  His  triumph 
shall  be  secure ;  and  he  shall  yet  be 
enabled  to  say,  "  I  have  fought  a  good 
fight — henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for 
me  a  caowjf." 

"The  saints  in  all  this  glorious  war 
Shall  conquer,  though  they  die ; 
They  see  the  triumph  from  afar, 
And  seize  it  with  their  eye." 

7.  Yet  all  should  feel  their  depend- 
ence on  God.  ver.  4.  It  is  only  through 
him  and  by  his  aid  that  we  have  any 
power.  Truth  itself  has  no  power 
except  as  it  is  attended  and  directed  by 
God ;  and  we  should  engage  in  our 
conflict  feeling  that  none  but  God  can 
give  us  the  victory.  If  forsaken  by  him 
we  shall  fall ;  if  supported  by  him  we 
may  face  without  fear  a  "frowning 
world,"  and  all  the  powers  of  the  "dark 
world  of  hell." 

8.  We  should  not  judge  by  the  out- 
ward appearance,  ver.  7.  It  is  the 
heart  that  determines  the  character ; 
and  by  that  God  shall  judge  us,  and  by 
that  we  should  judge  ourselves. 

9.  We  should  aim  to  extend  the  gos- 
pel as  far  as  possible,  ver.  14 — 16.  Paul 
aimed  to  go  beyond  the  regions  where 
the  gospel  had  been  preached,  and  to 
extend  it  to  far-distant  lands.  So  the 
"field"  still  "is  the  world."  A  large 
portion  of  the  earth  is  yet  unevangelized. 
Instead,  therefore,  of  sitting  down  quietly 
in  enjoyment  and  ease,  let  us,  like  him, 
earnestly  desire  to  extend  the  influence 
of  pure  religion,  and  to  bring  distant 


nations  to  the  saving  knowledge  of  the 
truth. 

10.  Let  us  not  boast  in  ourselves, 
ver.  17.  Not  of  our  talents,  wealth, 
learning,  or  accomplishments  let  us 
glory.  But  let  us  glory  that  we  have 
such  a  God  as  Jehovah.  Let  us  glory 
that  we  have  such  a  Redeemer  as  Jesus 
Christ.  Let  us  glory  that  we  have  such 
a  sanctifier  as  the  Holy  Spirit.  Let  us 
acknowledge  God  as  the  source  of  all 
our  blessings,  and  to  him  let  us  honestly 
consecrate  our  hearts  and  our  lives. 

11.  What  a  reverse  of  judgment  there 
will  yet  be  on  human  character!  ver. 
17,  18.  How  many  now  commend 
themselves  who  will  be  condemned  in 
the  last  day.  How  many  men  boast 
of  their  talents  and  morals,  and  even 
their  religion,  who  will  then  be  involved 
in  indiscriminate  condemnation  with 
the  most  vile  and  worthless  of  the  race. 
How  anxious  should  we  be,  therefore, 
to  secure  the  approbation  of  God ;  and 
whatever  our  fellow-men  may  say  of  us, 
how  infinitely  desirable  is  it  to  be  com- 
mended then  by  our  heavenly  Father. 

CHAPTER  XL 
This  chapter  is  connected  in  its 
general  design  with  the  preceding.  The 
object  of  Paul  is  to  vindicate  himself 
from  the  charges  which  had  been 
brought  against  him,  and  especially  to 
vindicate  his  claims  to  the  apostolic 
office.  It  is  ironical  in  its  character, 
and  is  of  course  severe  upon  the  false 
teachers  who  had  accused  him  in  Co- 
rinth. The  main  purpose  is  to  state  his 
claims  to  the  office  of  an  apostle,  and 
especially  to  show  that  when  he  men- 
tioned those  claims,  or  even  boasted 
of  his  labours,  he  had  ground  for 
doing  so.  It  would  seem  that  they  had 
charged  him  with  "/o%"  in  boasting 
as  he  had  done.  Probably  the  false 
teachers  were  loud  in  proclaiming  their 
own  praise,  but  represented  Paul  as 
guilty  of  folly  in  praising  himself.  Ho 
therefore  (ver.  1)  asks  them  if  they 
could  bear  with  him  a  little  further  in 
his  folly,  and  entreats  them  to  do  it. 
This  verse  contains  the  scope  of  the 
chapter ;    and    the    remainder  of   the 


220 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


chapter  is  an  enumeration  of  the 
causes  which  he  had  for  this  boasting, 
though  probably  each  reason  is  adapted 
to  some  form  of  accusation  brought 
against  him. 

Having  entreated  them  to  bear  with 
him  a  little  farther,  he  states  the  reasons 
why  he  was  disposed  to  go  into  this 
subject  at  all.  ver.  2 — 4.  It  was  not 
because  he  was  disposed  to  sound  his 
own  praise,  but  it  was  from  love  to 
them.  He  had  espoused  them  as  a 
chaste  virgin  to  Christ.  He  was  afraid 
that  their  affections  would  be  alienated 
from  the  Redeemer.  He  reminded  them 
of  the  manner  in  which  Eve  was 
tempted  ;  and  he  reminded  them  that  by 
the  same  smooth  and  plausible  arts  their 
affections  might  also  be  stolen  away, 
and  that  they  might  be  led  into  sin. 
He  reminds  them  that  there  was  danger 
of  their  receiving  another  gospel,  and 
expresses  the  apprehension  that  they 
had  done  it,  and  that  they  had  embraced 
a  deceiver,  ver.  4. 

Having  made  this  general  statement 
of  his  design,  Paul  now  goes  more 
into  detail  in  answering  the  objections 
against  him,  and  in  showing  the  reasons 
which  he  had  for  boasting  as  he  had 
done.  The  statement  in  answer  to 
their  objections  relates  to  the  following 
points. 

(1.)  He  had  supposed  that  he  was 
not  behind  the  chiefest  of  the  apostles. 
He  had  supposed  that  he  had  claims  to 
the  apostolic  office  of  as  high  an  order 
as  any  of  them.  Called  to  the  work 
as  he  had  been,  and  labouring  as  he 
had  done,  he  had  regarded  himself  as 
having  an  indisputable  claim  to  the 
office  of  an  apostle.  True,  they  had 
charged  him  with  being  rude  in  speech, 
a  charge  which  he  was  not  disposed  to 
deny,  but  in  a  far  more  important  point 
than  that  he  had  showed  that  he  was 
not  disqualified  for  the  apostolic  office. 
In  knowledge,  the  main  qualification, 
he  had  not  been  deficient,  as  probably 
even  his  opponents  were  disposed  to 
admit,  ver.  5,  6. 
«  (2.)  He  had  not  deprived  himself  of 

the  claims  to  the  office  and  honours  of 
an  apostle  by  declining  to  receive  from 


them  a  compensation,  and  by  preaching 
the  gospel  without  charge,  ver.  7 — 9. 
Probably  they  had  alleged  that  this  was 
a  proof  that  he  knew  that  he  had  no 
claim  to  the  honours  of  an  apostle. 
He,  therefore,  states  exactly  how  this 
was.  He  had  received  a  support,  but 
he  had  robbed  other  churches  to  do  it. 
And  even  when  he  was  with  them,  he 
had  received  supplies  from  a  distant 
church  in  order  that  he  might  not  be 
burdensome  to  them.  The  charge  was, 
therefore,  groundless  that  he  knew  that 
he  had  no  right  to  the  support  due  to 
an  apostle. 

(3.)  He  declares  it  to  be  his  fixed 
purpose  that  no  one  should  prevent  his 
boasting  in  that  manner.  And  this  he 
did  because  he  loved  them,  and  because 
he  would  save  them  from  the  snares 
of  those  who  would  destroy  them.  He 
therefore  stated  the  true  character  of 
those  who  attempted  to  deceive  them. 
They  were  the  ministers  of  Satan,  ap- 
pearing as  the  ministers  of  righteous- 
ness, as  Satan  himself  was  transformed 
into  an  angel  of  light  ver.  10 — 15. 

(4.)  Paul  claims  the  privilege  of 
boasting  as  a  fool  a  little  farther,  ver.  1 G. 
And  he  claims  that  as  others  boasted, 
and  as  they  were  allowed  to  do  so  by 
the  Corinthians,  he  had  also  a  right  to 
do  the  same  thing.  They  suffered  them 
to  boast ;  they  allowed  them  to  do  it 
even  if  they  devoured  them,  and  smote 
them,  and  took  their  property.  It  was 
but  fair,  therefore,  that  he  should  be 
allowed  to  boast  a  little  of  what  he  was 
and  of  what  he  had  done.  ver.  17 — 20. 

(5.)  He  goes,  therefore,  into  an  ex- 
tended and  most  tender  description  of 
what  he  had  suffered,  and  of  his  claims 
to  their  favourable  regard.  He  had  all 
the  personal  advantages  arising  from 
birth  which  they  could  pretend  to.  He 
was  a  Hebrew,  of  the  seed  of  Abra- 
ham, and  a  minister  of  Christ,  ver. 
21 — 23.  He  had  endured  far  more 
labours  and  dangers  than  they  had  done ; 
and  in  order  to  set  this  before  them  he 
enumerates  the  trials  through  which  he 
had  passed,  and  stated  the  labours  which 
constantly  came  upon  him.  ver.  23 — 30. 
Of  these  things,  of  his  sufferings,  and 


A.  D.  60.]  *  CHAPTER  XI. 

CHAPTER  XI. 

TTTOULD    to  God   ye   could 

"*     bear  with    me    a   little  in 


221 


1 


trials,  and  infirmities,  he  felt  that  he 
had  a  right  to  speak,  and  these  consti- 
tuted a  far  higher  claim  to  the  confi- 
dence of  the  Christian  church  than 
the  endowments  of  which  his  adversa- 
ries boasted. 

(6.)  As  another  instance  of  peril 
and  suffering,  he  refers  to  the  fact  that 
his  life  was  endangered  when  he  was  in 
Damascus,  and  that  he  barely  escaped 
by  being  lowered  down  from  the  wall 
of  the  city.  ver.  31—33.  The  con- 
clusion which  Paul  doubtless  intends 
should  be  derived  from  all  this  is,  that 
he  had  far  higher  grounds  of  claim  to  the 
office  of  an  apostle  than  his  adversaries 
would  admit,  or  than  they  could  furnish 
themselves.  He  admitted  that  he  was 
weak  and  subject  to  infirmities ;  he  did 
not  lay  claim  to  the  graces  of  a  polished 
elocution,  as  they  did ;  but  if  a  life  of 
self-denial  and  toil,  of  an  honest  devo- 
tion to  the  cause  of  truth  at  imminent 
and  frequent  hazard  of  life,  constituted 
an  evidence  that  he  was  an  apostle,  he 
had  that  evidence.  They  appealed  to 
their  birth,  their  rank,  their  endowments 
as  public  speakers.  In  the  quiet  and 
comfort  of  a  congregation  and  church 
established  to  their  hands  ;  in  reaping 
the  avails  of  the  labours  of  others;  and 
in  the  midst  of  enjoyments,  they  coolly 
laid  claims  to  the  honours  of  the  mi- 
nisterial office,  and  denied  his  claims. 
In  trial,  and  peril,  and  labour,  and 
poverty ;  in  scourges,  and  imprison- 
ments, and  shipwrecks  ;  in  hunger  and 
thirst;  in  unwearied  travelling  from 
place  to  place ;  and  in  the  care  of  all  the 
churches,  were  his  claims  to  their  respect 
and  confidence,  and  he  was  willing  that 
any  one  that  chose  should  make  the  com- 
parison between  them.  Such  was  his 
"  foolish"  boasting ;  such  his  claims  to 
their  confidence  and  regard. 

1.  Would  to  God.  Greek,  '  I  would' 
("Opihov).  This  expresses  earnest  de- 
sire, but  in  the  Greek  there  is  no  appeal 
19* 


my  folly  :  and  indeed  bear  *  with 
me. 

2  For  I  am  jealous  over  you 

t  or,  ye  do  bear. 


to  God.  The  sense  would  be  well  ex- 
pressed by '  O  that,'  or '  I  earnestly  wish.' 
Tf  Ye  could  bear  with  me.  That  you 
would  bear  patiently  with  me ;  that  you 
would  hear  me  patiently,  and  suffer  me 
to  speak  of  myself,  f  In  my  folly. 
Folly  in  boasting.  The  idea  seems  to 
be,  '  I  know  that  boasting  is  generally 
foolish,  and  that  it  is  not  to  be  indulged 
in.  But  though  it  is  to  be  generally 
regarded  as  folly,  yet  circumstances 
compel  me  to  it,  and  I  ask  your  in- 
dulgence in  it.'  It  is  possible  also  that 
his  opponents  accused  him  of  folly  in 
boasting  so  much  of  himself.  \  And 
indeed  bear  with  me.  Marg.  Ye  do 
bear.  But  the  text  has  probably  the 
correct  rendering.  It  is  the  expression 
of  an  earnest  wish  that  they  would  tole- 
rate him  a  little  in  this.  He  entreats 
them  to  bear  with  him  because  he  was 
constrained  to  it. 

2.  For  I  am  jealous  over  you.  This 
verse  expresses  the  reason  why  he  was 
disposed  to  speak  of  his  attainments, 
and  of  what  he  had  done.  It  was  be- 
cause he  loved  them,  and  because  he 
feared  that  they  were  in  danger  of  being 
seduced  from  the  simplicity  of  the  gos- 
pel. The  phrase  '  I  am  jealous'  (Z»\a>) 
means  properly,  I  ardently  love  you  ;  I 
am  full  of  tender  attachment  to  you. 
The  word  was  usual  among  the  Greeks 
to  denote  an  ardent  affection  of  any 
kind  (from  £m,  to  boil,  to  be  fervid  or 
fervent).  The  precise  meaning  is  to 
be  determined  by  the  connexion.  See 
Note  on  1  Cor.  xii.  31.  The  word  may 
denote  the  jealousy  which  is  felt  by  an 
apprehension  of  departure  from  fidelity 
on  the  part  of  those  whom  we  love  ?  or 
it  may  denote  a  fervid  and  glowing  at- 
tachment. The  meaning  here  proba- 
bly is,  that  Paul  had  a  strong  attach- 
ment to  them.  If  With  godly  jealousy. 
Greek,  "  with  the  zeal  of  God"  (0«y 
£»\a>).  That  is,  with  very  great  or 
vehement  zeal — in  accordance  with  the 


222 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.D.60. 


with  godly  jealousy  :  for  I  have 
espoused  you  a  to  one  husband, 

a  Hos.  2.  19,  20.  b  Le.  21.  13. 


Hebrew  custom  when  the  name  God  is 
used  to  denote  any  thing  signally  great, 
as  the  phrase  'mountains  of  God,' 
meaning  very  elevated  or  lofty  moun- 
tains. The  mention  of  this  ardent 
attachment  suggested  what  follows. 
His  mind  reverted  to  the  tenderness  of 
the  marriage  relation,  and  to  the  possi- 
bility that  in  that  relation  the  affections 
might  be  estranged.  He  makes  use  of 
this  figure,  therefore,  to  apprize  them  of 
the  change  which  he  apprehended. 
%  For  I  have  espoused  you,  &c.  The 
word  here  used  (a£(*o£a>)  means  proper- 
ly to  adapt,  to  fit,  to  join  together. 
Hence  to  join  in  wedlock,  to  marry. 
Here  it  means  to  marry  to  another ;  and 
the  idea  is,  that  Paul  had  been  the  agent 
employed  in  forming  a  connexion,  simi- 
lar to  the  marriage  connexion,  between 
them  and  the  Saviour.  The  allusion 
here  is  not  certain.  It  may  refer  to  the 
custom  which  prevailed  when  friends 
made  and  procured  the  marriage  for  the 
bridegroom ;  or  it  may  refer  to  some 
custom  like  that  which  prevailed  among 
the  Lacedemonians  where  persons  were 
employed  to  form  the  lives  and  manners 
of  virgins  and  prepare  them  for  the  du- 
ties of  the  married  life.  The  sense  is 
clear.  Paul  claims  that  it  was  by  his 
instrumentality  that  they  had  been  united 
to  the  Redeemer.  Under  him  they  had 
been  brought  into  a  relation  to  the  Sa- 
viour similar  to  that  sustained  by  the 
bride  to  her  husband  ;  and  he  felt  all 
the  interest  in  them  which  naturally 
grew  out  of  that  fact  and  from  a  desire 
to  present  them  blameless  to  the  pure 
Redeemer.  The  relation  of  the  church 
to  Christ  is  often  represented  by  mar- 
riage. See  Eph.  v.  23—33.  Rev.  xix. 
7 ;  xxi.  9.  f  To  one  husband.  To  the 
Redeemer.  ^  That  1  may  present  you 
as  a  chaste  virgin  to  Christ:  The  al- 
lusion here,  according  to  Doddridge,  is, 
to  the  custom  among  the  Greeks  "  of 
having  an  officer  whose  business  it  was 
to  educate  and  form    young  women, 


that   I  may    present  you   as  a 
chaste  virgin  b  to  Christ. 

3    But  I    fear,    lest    by   any 


especially  those  of  rank  and  figure,  de- 
signed for  marriage,  and  then  to  present 
them  to  those  who  were  to  be  their 
husbands,  and  if  this  officer  through 
negligence  permitted  them  to  be  cor- 
rupted between  the  espousals  and  the 
consummation  of  the  marriage,  great 
blame  would  fall  upon  him."  Such  a 
responsibility  Paul  felt.  So  anxious 
was  he  for  the  entire  purity  of  that 
church  which  was  to  constitute  "the 
bride,  the  Lamb's  wife;"  so  anxious 
that  all  who  were  connected  with  that 
church  should  be  presented  pure  in 
heaven. 

3.  But  I  fear.  Paul  had  just  com- 
pared the  church  to  a  virgin,  soon  to  be 
presented  as  a  bride  to  the  Rsdeemer. 
The  mention  of  this  seems  to  have  sug- 
gested to  him  the  fact  that  the  first  wo- 
man was  deceived  and  led  astray  by  the 
tempter,  and  that  the  same  thing  might 
occur  in  regard  to  the  church  which  he 
was  so.  desirous  should  be  preserved 
pure.  The  grounds  of  his  fear  were, 
(1.)  That  Satan  had  seduced  the  first 
woman,  thus  demonstrating  that  the 
most  holy  were  in  danger  of  being  led 
astray  by  temptation;  and,  (2.)  That 
special  efforts  were  made  to  seduce  them 
from  the  faith.  The  persuasive  arts  of 
the  false  teachers ;  the  power  of  phi- 
losophy ;  and  the  attractive  and  cor- 
rupting influences  of  the  world,  he  had 
reason  to  suppose  might  be  employed 
to  seduce  them  from  simple  attachment 
to  Christ.  %  Lest  by  any  means.  Lest 
somehow  (/ufoae).  It  is  implied  that 
many  means  would  be  used  ;  that  all  arts 
would  be  tried  ;  and  that  in  some  way, 
which  perhaps  they  little  suspected,  these 
arts  would  be  successful,  unless  they 
were  put  constantly  on  their  guard. 
f  As  the  serpent  beguiled  Eve.  See 
Gen.  iii.  1 — 11.  The  word  serpent  here 
refers  doubtless  to  Satan  who  was  the 
agent  by  whom  Eve  was  beguiled. 
See  John  viii.  44.  1  John  iii.  8.  Rev. 
xii.  9 ;  xx.  2.     Paul  did  not  mean  tha« 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


223 


means,  as  the   serpent  beguiled 
Eve  through  his  subtilty,  so  your 


minds  should  be  corrupted  from 
the  simplicity  that  is  in  Christ. 


they  were  in  danger  of  being  corrupted 
in  the  same  way,  but  that  similar  efforts 
would  be  made  to  seduce  them.  Satan 
adapts  his  temptations  to  the  character 
and  circumstances  of  the  tempted.  He 
varies  them  from  age  to  age,  and  applies 
them  in  such  a  way  as  best  to  secure 
his  object.  Hence  all  should  be  on  their 
guard.  No  one  knows  the  mode  in 
which  he  will  approach  him,  but  all 
may  know  that  he  will  approach  them 
in  some  way.  t  Through  his  subtilty. 
See  Gen.  iii.  1 .  By  his  craft,  art,  wiles 
(iv  Tjj  7TAViv^yU).  The  word  implies 
that  shrewdness,  cunning,  craft  was 
employed.  A  tempter  always  employs 
cunning  and  art  to  accomplish  his  object. 
The  precise  mode  in  which  Satan  ac- 
,  complished  his  object  is  not  certainly 
known.  Perhaps  the  cunning  consist- 
ed in  assuming  an  attractive  form — a 
fascinating  manner — a  manner  fitted  to 
charm ;  perhaps  in  the  idea  that  the 
eating  of  the  forbidden  fruit  had  en- 
dowed a  serpent  with  the  power  of 
reason  and  speech  above  all  other  ani- 
mals, and  that  it  might  be  expected  to 
produce  a  similar  transformation  in  Eve. 
At  all  events  there  were  false  pretences 
and  appearances,  and  such  Paul  appre- 
hended would  be  employed  by  the  false 
teachers  to  seduce  and  allure  them.  See 
on  ver.  13,  14.  %  So  your  minds 
should  be  corrupted.  So  your  thoughts 
should  be  perverted.  So  your  hearts 
should  be  alienated.  The  mind  is  cor- 
rupted when  the  affections  are  alienated 
from  the  proper  object,  and  when  the 
soul  is  filled  with  unholy  plans,  and  pur- 
poses, and  desires.  ^  From  the  sim- 
plicity that  is  in  Christ.  (1.)  From 
simple  and  single-hearted  devotedness  to 
him — from  pure  and  unmixed  attach- 
ment to  him.  The  fear  was  that  their 
affections  would  be  fixed  on  other  objects, 
and  that  the  singleness  and  unity  of  their 
devotedness  to  him  would  be  destroyed. 
(2.)  From  his  pure  doctrines.  By  the 
admixture  of  philosophy ;  by  the  opi- 
nions of  the  world   there  was  danger 


that  their  minds  should  be  turned  away 
from  their  hold  on  the  simple  truths 
which  Christ  had  taught.  (3.)  From 
that  simplicity  of  mind  and  heart ;  that 
childlike  candour  and  docility;  that 
freedom  from  all  guile,  dishonesty,  and 
deception  which  so  eminently  character- 
ized the  Redeemer.  Christ  had  a  single 
aim ;  was  free  from  all  guile  ;  was  pure- 
ly honest ;  never  made  use  of  any  im- 
proper arts ;  never  resorted  to  false  ap- 
pearances, and  never  deceived.  His 
followers  should  in  like  manner  be  art- 
less and  guileless.  There  should  be  no 
mere  cunning,  no  trick,  no  craft  in  ad- 
vancing their  purposes.  There  should 
be  nothing  but  honesty  and  truth  in  all 
that  they  say.  Paul  was  afraid  that 
they  would  lose  this  beautiful  simplicity 
and  artlessness  of  character  and  man- 
ner ;  and  that  they  would  insensibly  be 
led  to  adopt  the  maxims  of  mere  cun- 
ning, of  policy,  of  expediency,  of  seduc- 
tive arts  which  prevailed  so  much  in  the 
world — a  danger  which  was  imminent 
among  the  shrewd  and  cunning  people 
of  Greece ;  but  which  is  confined  to  no 
time  and  no  place.  Christians  should 
be  more  guileless  than  even  children  are; 
as  pure  and  free  from  trick,  and  from 
art  and  cunning  as  was  the  Redeemer 
himself.  (4.)  From  the  simplicity  in 
worship  which  the  Lord  Jesus  com- 
mended and  required.  The  worship 
which  the  Redeemer  designed  to  esta- 
blish was  simple,  unostentatious,  and 
pure — strongly  in  contrast  with  the 
gorgeousness  and  corruption  of  the 
pagan  worship,  and  even  with  the  im- 
posing splendour  of  the  Jewish  temple 
service.  He  intended  that  it  should  be 
adapted  to  all  lands,  and  such  as  could 
be  offered  by  all  classes  of  men — a  pure 
worship,  claiming  first  the  homage  of 
the  heart,  and  then  such  simple  external 
expressions  as  should  best  exhibit  the 
homage  of  the  heart.  How  easily  might 
this  be  corrupted  !  What  temptations 
were  there  to  attempt  to  corrupt  it  by 
those  who  had  been  accustomed  to  the 


224 


II.  CORINTHIANS, 


[A.  D.  60. 


4    For   if    he    that    cometh 


magnificence  of  the  temple  service,  and 
who  would  suppose  that  the  religion 
of  the  Messiah  could  not  be  less  gor- 
geous than  that  which  was  designed  to 
shadow  forth  his  coming ;  and  by  those 
who  had  been  accustomed  to  the  splen- 
did rites  of  the  pagan  worship,  and  who 
would  suppose  that  the  true  religion 
ought  not  to  be  less  costly  and  splendid 
than  the  false  religion  had  been.  If  so 
much  expense  had  been  lavished  on 
false  religions,  how  natural  to  suppose 
that  equal  costliness  at  least  should  be 
bestowed  on  the  true  religion.  Ac- 
cordingly the  history  of  the  church  for  a 
considerable  part  of  its  existence  has 
been  little  more  than  a  record  of  the  va- 
rious forms  in  which  the  simple  worship 
instituted  by  the  Redeemer  has  been 
corrupted,  until  all  that  was  gorgeous  in 
pagan  ceremonies  and  splendid  in  the 
Jewish  ritual  has  been  introduced  as  a 
part  of  Christian  worship.  (5.)  From 
simplicity  in  dress  and  manner  of  living. 
The  Redeemer's  dress  was  simple.  His 
manner  of  living  was  simple.  His  re- 
quirements demand  great  simplicity  and 
plainness  of  apparel  and  manner  of 
life.  1  Pet.  iii.  3—6.  1  Tim.  ii.  9,  10. 
5Tet  how  much  proneness  is  there  at  all 
times  to  depart  from  this  !  What  a  be- 
setting sin  has  it  been  in  all  ages  to 
the  church  of  Christ !  And  how  much 
pains  should  there  be  that  the  very  sim- 
plicity that  is  in  Christ  should  be  ob- 
served by  all  who  bear  the  Christian 
name! 

4.  For  if  he  that  cometh,  &c.  There 
is  much  difficulty  in  this  verse  in  ascer- 
taining the  true  sense,  and  expositors 
have  been  greatly  perplexed  and  divided 
in  opinion,  especially  with  regard  to  the 
true  sense  of  the  last  clause,  "  ye  might 
well  bear  with  him"  It  is  difficult  to 
ascertain  whether  Paul  meant  to  speak 
ironically  or  seriously ;  and  different 
views  will  prevail  as  different  views  are 
taken  of  the  design.  If  it  be  supposed  that 
he  meant  to  speak  seriously,  the  sense 
will  be,  'If  the  false  teacher  could  re- 
commend a  better  Saviour  than  I  have 


preacheth  another  Jesus,  whom 


done,  or  a  Spirit  better  able  to  sanctify 
and  save,  then  there  would  be  a  pro- 
priety in  your  receiving  him  and  tole- 
rating his  doctrines.'  If  the  latter, 
then  the  sense  will  be,  'You  cannot 
well  bear  with  me  ;  but  if  a  man  comes 
among  you  preaching  a  false  Saviour, 
and  a  false  Spirit,  and  a  false  doctrine, 
then  you  bear  with  him  without  any 
difficulty.'  Another  interpretation  still 
has  been  proposed,  by  supposing  that 
the  word  "  me"  is  to  be  supplied  at  the 
close  of  the  verse  instead  of  "  him," 
and  then  the  sense  would  be,  'If  you  re- 
ceive so  readily  one  who  preaches 
another  gospel,  one  who  comes  with 
far  less  evidence  that  he  is  sent  from 
God  than  I  have,  and  if  you  show  your- 
selves thus  ready  to  fall  in  with  any 
kind  of  teaching  that  may  be  brought 
to  you,  you  might  at  least  bear  with 
me  also.'  Amidst  this  variety  it  is  not 
easy  to  ascertain  the  true  sense.  To 
me  it  seems  probable,  however,  that  Paul 
spoke  seriously,  and  that  our  translation 
has  expressed  the  true  sense.  The 
main  idea  doubtless  is,  that  Paul  felt 
that  there  was  danger  that  they  would 
be  corrupted.  If  they  could  bring  a 
better  gospel,  a  more  perfect  system, 
and  proclaim  a  more  perfect  Saviour 
there  would  be  no  such  change.  But 
that  could  not  be  expected.  It  could 
not  be  done.  If  therefore  they  preach- 
ed any  other  Saviour  or  any  other  gos- 
pel ;  if  they  departed  from  the  truths 
which  he  had  taught  them,  it  would  be 
for  the  worse.  It  could  not  be  other- 
wise. The  Saviour  whom  he  preached 
was  perfect,  and  was  able  to  save.  The 
Spirit  which  he  preached  was  perfect, 
and  able  to  sanctify.  The  gospel  which 
he  preached  was  perfect,  and  there  was 
no  hope  that  it  could  be  improved  Any 
change  must  be  for  the  worse  ;  and  as 
the  false  teachers  varied  from  his  in- 
structions, there  was  every  reason  to  ap- 
prehend that  their  minds  would  be 
corrupted  from  the  simplicity  that  was 
in  Christ.  The  principal  idea,  there- 
fore, is,  that  the  gospel  which  he  preached 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  XL 


225 


we  have  not  preached,  or  if  ye 
receive  another  spirit,  which  ye 
have  not  received,  or  another* 

aGa.  1.7,8. 


was  as  perfect  as  it  could  be,  and  that 
any  change  would  be  for  the  worse. 
No  doctrine  which  others  brought  could 
be  recommended  because  it  was  better. 
By  the  phrase  '  he  that  cometh'  is  meant 
doubtless  the  false  teacher  in  Corinth. 
^  Preacheth  another  Jesus.  Proclaims 
one  who  is  more  worthy  of  your  love 
and  more  able  to  save.  If  he  that 
comes  among  you  and  claims  your 
affections  can  point  out  another  Christ 
who  is  more  worthy  of  your  confidence, 
then  I  admit  that  you  do  well  to  receive 
him.  It  is  implied  here  that  this  could 
not  be  done.  The  Lord  Jesus  in  his 
character  and  work  is  perfect.  No  Sa- 
viour superior  to  him  has  been  provided  ; 
none  but  him  is  necessary,  ^f  Whom 
we  have  not  preached.  Let  them  show, 
if  they  can,  that  they  have  any  Saviour 
to  tell  of  whom  we  have  not  preached. 
We  have  given  all  the  evidence  that 
we  are  sent  by  God,  and  have  laid  all 
the  claim  to  your  confidence,  which  they 
can  do  for  having  made  known  the 
Saviour.  They  with  all  their  pretensions 
have  no  Saviour  to  tell  you  of  with 
whom  we  have  not  already  made  you 
acquainted.  They  have  no  claims,  there- 
fore, from  this  quarter  which  we  have 
not  also.  T  Or  if  ye  receive  another 
spirit,  &c.  If  they  can  preach  to  you 
another  Sanctifier  and  Comforter ;  or  if 
under  their  ministry  you  have  received 
higher  proofs  of  the  power  of  the  Spirit 
in  performing  miracles;  in  the  gift  of 
tongues;  in  renewing  sinners  and  in 
comforting  your  hearts.  The  idea  is, 
that  Paul  had  proclaimed  the  existence 
and  agency  of  the  same  Holy  Spirit 
which  they  did  ;  that  his  preaching  had 
been  attended  with  as  striking  proofs 
of  the  presence  and  power  of  that  Spirit; 
that  he  had  all  the  evidence  of  a  divine 
commission  from  such  an  influence  at- 
tending his  labours  which  they  could 
possibly  have.  They  could  reveal  no 
spirit  better  able  to  sanctify  and  save  ; 
none  who  had   more   power  than  the 


gospel,  which  ye  have  not  ac- 
cepted, ye  might  well  bear  *  with 
him. 


or,  with  me. 


Holy  Spirit  which  they  had  received 
under  the  preaching  of  Paul,  and  there 
was  therefore  no  reason  why  they  should 
be  "corrupted"  or  seduced  from  the 
simple  doctrines  which  they  had  received, 
and  follow  others,  f  Or  another  gos- 
pel, &c.  A  gospel  more  worthy  of 
your  acceptance — one  more  free,  more 
full,  more  rich  in  promises  ;  one  that 
revealed  a  better  plan  of  salvation,  or 
that  was  more  full  of  comfort  and  peace. 
1  Ye  might  well  bear  with  him.  Marg. 
"with  me."  The  word  him  is  not  in 
the  Greek ;  but  is  probably  to  be  sup- 
plied. The  sense  is,  there  would  then 
be  some  excuse  for  your  conduct.  There 
would  be  some  reason  why  you  should 
welcome  such  teachers.  But  if  this 
cannot  be  done  ;  if  they  can  preach  no 
other  and  no  better  gospel  and  Saviour 
than  I  have  done,  then  there  is  no  excuse. 
There  is  no  reason  why  you  should 
follow  such  teachers  and  forsake  those 
who  were  your  earliest  guides  in  reli- 
gion.— Let  us  never  forsake  the  gospel 
which  we  have  till  we  are  sure  we  can 
get  a  better.  Let  us  adhere  to  the  sim- 
ple doctrines  of  the  New  Testament 
until  some  one  can  furnish  better  and 
clearer  doctrines.  Let  us  follow  the 
rules  of  Christ  in  our  opinions  and  our 
conduct ;  our  plans,  our  mode  of  wor- 
ship, our  dress,  and  our  amusements, 
engagements,  and  company,  until  we 
can  certainly  ascertain  that  there  are 
better  rules.  A  man  is  foolish  for  mak- 
ing any  change  until  he  has  evidence 
that  he  is  likely  to  better  himself;  and 
it  remains  yet  to  be  proved  that  any 
one  has  ever  bettered  himself  or  his 
family  by  forsaking  the  simple  doctrines 
of  the  Bible,  and  embracing  a  philoso- 
phical speculation;  by  forsaking  the 
scriptural  views  of  the  Saviour  as  the 
incarnate  God,  and  embracing  the  views 
which  represent  him  as  a  mere  man  ;  by 
forsaking  the  simple  and  plain  rules  of 
Christ  about  our  manner  of  life,  our 
dress,  and  our  words  and  actions,  and  em 


226 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60 


5  For  I  suppose  I  °  was  not  a 
whit  behind  the  very  chiefest 
apostles. 

6  But  though  1 1  be  rude  in 

a  1  Co.  15.  10.     c.  12.  11. 
b  1  Co.  1.  17.  2.  1,  13. 


bracing  those  which  are  recommended 
by  mere  fashion  and  by  the  customs  of 
a  gay  world. 

5.  For  I  suppose,  &c.  I  think  that 
I  gave  as  good  evidence  that  I  was  com- 
missioned by  God  as  the  most  eminent 
of  the  apostles.  In  the  miracles  which 
I  performed ;  in  the  abundance  of  my 
labours,  and  in  my  success,  I  suppose 
tbat  I  did  not  fall  behind  any  of  them. 
If  so,  I  ought  to  be  regarded  and  treated 
as  an  apostle  ;  and  if  so,  then  the  false 
teachers  should  not  be  allowed  to  sup- 
plant me  in  your  affections,  or  to  seduce 
you  from  the  doctrines  which  I  have 
taught  On  the  evidence  that  Paul 
was  equal  to  others  in  the  proper  proof 
of  a  commission  from  God,  see  Notes 
on  ver.  21—30. 

6.  But  though  I  be  rude  in  speech. 
See  Note,ch.  x.  10.  The  word  rendered 
rude  here  (/V/wt»?)  means  properly  a 
private  citizen,  in  opposition  to  one  in  a 
public  station  ;  then  a  plebeian,  or  one 
unlettered  or  unlearned,  in  opposition  to 
one  of  more  elevated  rank,  or  one  who 
is  learned.  See  Notes  on  Acts  iv.  13. 
1  Cor.  xiv.  16.  The  idea  is,  my  lan- 
guage is  that  of  a  plain  unlettered  per- 
son. This  was  doubtless  charged  upon 
him  by  his  enemies,  and  it  may  be  that 
he  designed  in  part  to  admit  the  truth 
of  the  charge.  \  Yet  not  in  knowledge. 
I  do  not  admit  that  I  am  ignorant  of 
the  religion  which  I  profess  to  teach. 
I  claim  to  be  acquainted  with  the  doc- 
trines of  Christianity.  It  does  not  ap- 
pear that  they  charged  him  with  igno- 
rance. If  it  be  asked  how  the  admission 
that  he  was  rude  in  speech  consists  with 
the  fact  that  he  was  endowed  by  the 
Holy  Spirit  with  the  power  of  speaking 
languages,  we  may  observe  that  Paul 
had  undoubtedly  learned  to  speak  Greek 
in  his  native  place  (Tarsus  in  Cilicia), 
and  that  the  Greek  which  he  had  learned 


speech,  yet  not  c  in  knowledge  ; 
but  we  have  been  thoroughly 
made  manifest  d  among  you  in 
all  things. 

7  Have  I  committed  an  offence 


c  Ep.  3.  4. 


d  c.  12.  12. 


there  was  probably  a  corrupt  kind,  such 
as  was  spoken  in  that  place.  It  was 
this  Greek  which  he  probably  continued 
to  speak  ;  for  there  is  no  more  reason 
to  suppose  that  the  Holy  Spirit  would 
aid  him  in  speaking  a  language  which 
he  had  thus  early  learned  than  he 
would  in  speaking  Hebrew.  The  en- 
dowments of  the  Holy  Spirit  were  con- 
ferred to  enable  the  apostles  to  speak 
languages  which  they  had  never  learned, 
not  in  perfecting  them  in  languages 
with  which  they  were  before  acquainted. 
It  may  have  been  true,  therefore,  that 
Paul  may  have  spoken  some  languages 
which  he  never  learned  with  more 
fluency  and  perfection  than  he  did  those 
which  he  had  learned  to  speak  when 
he  was  young.  See  the  remarks  of  the 
Archbishop  of  Cambray,  as  quoted  by 
Doddridge  in  be.  It  may  be  remarked, 
also,  that  some  estimate  of  the  manner 
of  Paul  on  this  point  may  be  formed 
from  his  writings.  Critics  profoundly 
acquainted  with  the  Greek  language 
remark,  that  while  there  is  great  energy 
of  thought  and  of  diction  in  the  writings 
of  Paul ;  while  he  chooses  or  coins 
most  expressive  words,  yet  that  there  is 
everywhere  a  want  of  Attic  elegance 
of  manner,  and  of  the  smoothness  and 
beauty  which  were  so  grateful  to  a 
Grecian  ear.  t  But  we  have  been 
thoroughly  made  manifest,  &c.  You 
have  known  all  about  me.  I  have  con- 
cealed nothing  from  you,  and  you  have 
had  ample  opportunity  to  become  tho- 
roughly acquainted  with  me.  The 
meaning  is,  '  I  need  not  dwell  on  this. 
I  need  speak  no  more  of  my  manner 
of  speech  or  knowledge.  With  all  that 
you  are  well  acquainted.' 

7.    Have   I  committed  an   offence. 

Have  1  done  wrong.     Greek,  '  Have  I 

committed  a  sin.'    There  is  here  a  some- 

j  what  abrupt  transition  from   the   pre- 


A.  D.  60.  J 


CHAPTER  XI. 


2*7 


in  abasing  myself  that  ye  might 
be  exalted,  because  I  have 
preached  to  you  the  gospel  of 
God  freely  ? 

8    I   robbed  other   churches, 


vious  verse  ;  and  the  connexion  is  not 
very  apparent.  Perlmps  the  connexion 
is  this.  '  I  admit  my  inferiority  in  re- 
gard to  my  manner  of  speaking.  But 
this  does  not  interfere  with  my  full 
understanding  of  the  doctrines  which  I 
preach,  nor  does  it  interfere  with  the 
numerous  evidences  which  I  have  fur- 
nished that  I  am  called  to  the  office  of 
an  apostle.  What  then  is  the  ground 
of  offence  ?  In  what  have  I  erred  1 
Wherein  have  I  shown  that  I  was  not 
qualified  to  be  an  apostle  ]  Is  it  in  the 
fact  that  I  have  not  chosen  to  press  my 
claim  to  a  support,  but  have  preached 
the  gospel  without  charge]'  There  can 
be  no  doubt  that  they  urged  this  as  an 
objection  to  him,  and  as  a  proof  that  he 
was  conscious  that  he  had  no  claim  to 
the  office  of  an  apostle.  See  Notes  on 
1  Cor.  ix.  3 — 18.  Paul  here  answers 
this  charge ;  and  the  sum  of  his  reply 
is,  that  he  had  received  a  support,  but 
that  it  had  come  from  others,  a  support 
which  they  had  furnished  because  the 
Corinthians  had  neglected  to  do  it. 
f  In  abasing  myself.  By  labouring 
with  my  own  hands  ;  by  submitting  to 
voluntary  poverty,  and  by  neglecting  to 
urge  my  reasonable  claims  for  a  support. 
Tf  That  ye  might  be  exalted.  In  spiritual 
blessings  and  comforts.  I  did  it  because 
I  could  thus  better  promote  religion 
among  you.  I  could  thus  avoid  the 
charge  of  aiming  at  the  acquisition  of 
wealth ;  could  shut  the  mouths  of  gain- 
sayers,  and  could  more  easily  secure 
access  to  you.  Is  it  now  to  be  seriously 
urged  as  a  fault  that  I  have  sought  your 
welfare,  and  that  in  doing  it  I  have 
submitted  to  great  self-denial  and  to 
many  hardships  I  See  Notes  on  1  Cor. 
ix.  18,  seq. 

8.  I  robbed  other  churches.  The 
churches  of  Macedonia  and  elsewhere, 
which   had   ministered    to   his   wants. 


taking  wages  of  them,  to  do  you 
service. 

9   And  when  I  was   present 
with  you,  and  wanted,  I  a  was 
for  that 

Ac.  18.  3.     1  Th.  2.  9. 


chargeable  to  no  man : 


Probably  he  refers  especially  to  the 
church  at  Philippi  (see  Phil.  iv.  5, 16), 
which  seems  to  have  done  more  than 
almost  any  other  church  for  his  support. 
By  the  use  of  the  word  "  robbed"  here 
Paul  does  not  mean  that  he  had  ob- 
tained any  thing  from  them  in  a  violent 
or  unlawful  manner,  or  any  thing  which 
they  did  not  give  voluntarily.  The  word 
(io-uMtTx)  means  properly,  'I  spoiled, 
plundered,  robbed,'  but  the  idea  of  Paul 
here  is,  that  he,  as  it  were,  robbed  them, 
because  he  did  not  render  an  equivalent 
for  what  they  gave  him.  They  sup- 
ported him  when  he  was  labouring  for 
another  people.  A  conqueror  who 
plunders  a  country  gives  no  equivalent 
for  what  he  takes.  In  this  sense  only 
could  Paul  say  that  he  had  plundered 
the  church  at  Philippi.  His  general 
principle  was,  that  "  the  labourer  was 
worthy  of  his  hire,"  and  that  a  man 
was  to  receive  his  support  from  the 
people  for  whom  he  laboured  (see  1  Cor. 
7 — 14),  but  this  rule  he  had  not  ob- 
served in  this  case.  ^  Taki?ig  wages 
of  them.  Receiving  a  support  from 
them.  They  bore  my  expenses.  \  To 
do  you  service.  That  I  might  labour 
among  you  without  being  supposed  to 
be  striving  to  obtain  your  property,  and 
that  I  might  not  be  compelled  to  labour 
with  my  own  hands,  and  thus  to  pre- 
vent my  preaching  the  gospel  as  I  could 
otherwise  do.  The  supply  from  other 
churches  rendered  it  unnecessary  in  a 
great  measure  that  his  time  should  be 
taken  off  from  the  ministry  in  order  to 
obtain  a  support. 

9.  And  when  I  was  present  "oith 
you.  When  I  was  labouring  in  order 
to  build  up  the  church  in  Corinth. 
\  I  was  chargeable  to  no  man.  I  was 
burdensome  to  no  one;  or  more  literally 
'  I  did  not  lie  as  a  dead  weight  upon 
you.'       The   word   here   used,   which 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


which  was  lacking  to  me,  the  a 
brethren  which  came  from  Mace- 
donia supplied  :  and  in  all  things 
I  have  kept  myself  from  being 
burdensome  unto  you,  and  so 
will  I  keep  myself. 

a  Ph.  4.  10,  15. 


occurs  nowhere  else  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment (x*TsvaW«(7«),  means,  literally,  to 
become  torpid  against,  i.  e.  to  the  detri- 
ment of  any  one ;  and  hence  to  be  bur- 
densome. According  to  Jerome,  its  use 
here  is  a  Cilicism  of  Paul.  The  idea  is 
that  he  did  not  lead  a  torpid,  inactive  life 
at  the  expense  of  others.  He  did  not 
expect  a  support  from  them  when  he 
was  doing  nothing ;  nor  did  he  demand 
support  which  would  in  any  sense  be  a 
burden  to  them.  By  his  own  hands 
(Acts  xviii.  3),  and  by  the  aid  which 
he  received  from  abroad,  he  was  sup- 
ported without  deriving  aid  from  the 
people  of  Corinth.  ^  And  in  all  things, 
&c.  In  all  respects  I  have  carefully 
kept  myself  from  being  a  burden  on  the 
church.  Paul  had  no  idea  of  living  at 
other  men's  expense  when  he  was  doing 
nothing.  He  did  not,  as  a  general 
thing,  mean  to  receive  any  thing  for 
which  he  had  not  rendered  a  fair  equiva- 
lent -  a  just  principle  for  ministers  and 
for  all  other  men.    See  ch.  xii.  13. 

1 0.  As  the  truth  of  Christ  is  in  me. 
That  is,  I  solemnly  declare  this  as  in 
the  presence  of  Christ.  As  I  am  a 
Christian  man ;  as  I  feel  bound  to  de- 
clare the  truth,  and  as  I  must  answer  to 
Christ.  It  is  a  solemn  form  of  assevera- 
tion, equal  to  an  oath.  See  Note  on 
Rom.  ix.  1.  Comp.  1  Tim.  ii.  7.  f  No 
man  shall  stop  me,  &c.  Marg.  This 
boasting  shall  not  be  stopped  in  me. 
See  Note  on  1  Cor.  ix.  15.  The  idea 
here  is,  that  Paul  was  solemnly  deter- 
mined that  the  same  thing  should  con- 
tinue. He  had  not  been  burdensome 
to  any,  and  he  was  resolved  that  he 
would  not  be.  Rather  than  be  burden- 
some he  had  laboured  with  his  own 
hands,  and  he  meant  to  do  it  still.  No 
man  in  all  Achaia  should  ever  have 
reason  to   say   that  he   had  been   an 


10  As  the  truth  of  Christ  is 
in  me,  *  no  man  shall  stop  me 
of  this  boasting  in  the  regions 
of  Achaia. 

11  Wherefore  ?  because  I  love 
you  not?    God  knoweth. 

i  this  boasting  shall  not  be  stopped  in  vie. 


idler,  and  had  been  supported  by  the 
churches  when  he  was  doing  nothing. 
It  was  the  fixed  and  settled  purpose  of 
his  life  never  to  be  burdensome  to  any 
man.  What  a  noble  resolution  !  How 
fixed  were  the  principles  of  his  life  ! 
And  what  an  instance  of  magnanimous 
self-denial  and  of  elevated  purpose ! 
Every  man,  minister  or  otherwise,  should 
adopt  a  similar  resolution.  He  should 
resolve  to  receive  nothing  for  which  he 
has  not  rendered  a  fair  equivalent,  and 
resolve  if  he  has  health  never  to  be  a 
burden  to  his  friends  or  to  the  church 
of  God.  And  even  if  sick  he  may  yet 
feel  that  he  is  not  burdensome  to  others. 
If  he  is  gentle  and  grateful ;  if  he  makes 
no  unnecessary  care  ;  and  especially 
if  he  furnishes  an  example  of  patience 
and  piety,  and  seeks  the  blessing  of  God 
on  his  benefactors,  he  furnishes  them 
what  they  will  usually  esteem  an  ample 
equivalent.  No  man  need  be  burden- 
some to  his  friends ;  and  all  should 
resolve  that  by  the  grace  of  God  they 
never  will  be.  There  is  considerable 
variety  in  the  MSS.  here  (see  Mill  on 
the  place),  but  in  regard  to  the  general 
sense  there  can  be  no  doubt.  Nothing 
should  ever  hinder  this  boasting ;  no- 
thing should  deprive  him  of  the  privilege 
of  saying  that  he  had  not  been  a  burden. 
f  In  the  regions  of  Achaia.  Achaia 
was  that  part  of  Greece  of  which  Co- 
rinth was  the  capital.  See  Note  on 
Acts  xviii.  12. 

11.  Wherefore,  &c.  Tt  is  not  be- 
cause I  do  not  love  you.  It  is  not  from 
pride,  or  because  I  would  not  as  willingly 
receive  aid  from  you  as  from  any  other. 
It  is  not  because  I  am  more  unwilling 
to  be  under  obligation  to  you  than  to 
others.  I  have  a  deep  and  tender  attach- 
ment to  you ;  but  it  is  because  I  can 
thus  best  promote  the  gospel,  and  ad 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


12  But  what  I  do,  that  I  will 
do,  that  I  may  cut  off  occasion 
from  them  a  which  desire  occa- 

a  Ga.  1.  7.    Ph.  1.  15,  &c. 


vance  the  kingdom  of  the  Redeemer. 
Possibly  it  might  have  been  thought 
that  his  unwillingness  to  receive  aid 
from  them  was  some  proof  of  reserve 
towards  them  or  want  of  affection,  and 
this  may  have  been  urged  against  him. 
This  he  solemnly  denies. 

12.  But  what  I  do.  The  course  of 
life  which  I  have  been  pursuing  I  will 
continue  to  pursue.  That  is,  I  will 
continue  to  preach  as  I  have  done  with- 
out demanding  a  support.  I  will  labour 
with  my  own  hands  if  necessary  ;  I  will 
preach  without  demanding  rigidly  what 
I  might  be  entitled  to.  %  That  I  may 
cut  off  occasion.  That  I  may  give  them 
no  opportunity  of  accusing  me  of  de- 
siring to  grow  rich,  and  of  calumniating 
me.  Paul  meant  that  they  should  have 
no  plausible  pretext  even  for  accusing 
him ;  that  no  man  should  be  able  to 
say  that  he  was  preaching  merely  for 
the  hire.  %  Which  desire  occasion.  No 
doubt  his  enemies  eagerly  sought  oppor- 
tunities of  accusing  him,  and  greatly 
wished  for  some  plausible  reason  for 
charging  him  with  that  which  would  be 
disgraceful  and  ruinous  to  his  character. 
Or  it  may  mean  that  they  desired  oppor- 
tunity from  the  example  of  Paul  to 
justify  themselves  in  their  course  ;  that 
they  took  wages  from  the  church  at 
Corinth  largely,  and  desired  to  be  able 
to  say  that  they  had  his  example. 
%  That  wherein  they  glory.  Probably 
meaning  that  they  boasted  that  they 
preached  the  gospel  gratis;  that  they 
received  nothing  for  their  labours.  Yet 
while  they  did  this,  it  is  not  improbable 
that  they  received  presents  of  the  Co- 
rinthians, and  under  various  pretences 
contrived  to  get  from  them  an  ample 
support,  perhaps  much  more  than  would 
have  been  a  reasonable  compensation. 
Men  who  profess  to  preach  the  gospel 
gratis  usually  contrive  in  various  ways 
to  get  more  from  the  people  than  those 
who  receive  a  regular  and  stipulated 
20 


sion ;  that  wherein  they  glory, 
they  may  be. found  even  as  we. 
13  For  such  are  false b apostles, 

&Ga.2.  4.    2  re.  2.  1.    Uno.4.1.    Re.  2.  2. 


compensation.  By  taxing  pretty  libe 
rally  their  hospitality;  by  accepting 
liberal  presents ;  by  frequent  proclama- 
tion  of  their  self-denial  and  their  poverty, 
they  usually  filch  large  amounts  from 
the  people.  No  people  were  ever  louder 
in  praise  of  poverty,  or  in  proclamation 
of  their  own  self-denials  than  some 
orders  of  monks,  and  that  when  it  might 
be  said  almost  that  the  richest  possessions 
of  Europe  were  passing  into  their  hands 
At  all  events,  Paul  meant  that  these 
men  should  have  no  opportunity  from 
his  course  to  take  any  such  advantage. 
He  knew  what  he  had  a  right  to 
(1  Cor.  ix.),  but  he  had  not  urged  the 
right.  He  had  received  nothing  from 
the  church  at  Corinth,  and  he  meant 
to  receive  nothing.  He  had  honestly 
preached  the  gospel  to  them  without 
charge,  and  he  meant  still  to  do  it. 
1  Cor.  ix.  18.  They  should,  therefore, 
have  no  opportunity  from  his  conduct 
either  to  accuse  him  of  preaching  for 
money,  or  of  sheltering  themselves  under 
his  example  in  pretending  to  preach  for 
nothing  when  they  were  in  fact  obtain- 
ing large  sums  from  the  people.  %  They 
may  be  found  even  as  we.  That  they 
may  be  compelled  honestly  to  pursue 
such  a  course  as  I  do,  and  be  found  to 
be  in  fact  what  they  pretend  to  be. 
The  sense  is,  '  I  mean  so  to  act  that  if 
they  follow  my  example,  or  plead  my 
authority,  they  may  be  found  to  lead  an 
honest  life ;  and  that  if  they  boast  on 
this  subject,  they  shall  boast  strictly 
according  to  truth.  There  shall  be  no 
trick ;  nothing  underhanded  or  decep- 
tive in  what  they  do  so  far  as  my 
example  can  prevent  it.' 

13.  For  such  are  false  apostles, 
They  have  no  claim  to  the  apostolic 
office.  They  are  deceivers.  They  pre- 
tend  to  be  apostles ;  but  they  have  no 
divine  commission  from  the  Redeemer. 
Paul  had  thus  far  argued  the  case  with- 
out giving  them  an  explicit  designation 


230 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


deceitful  a  workers,  transforming 
themselves  into  the  apostles  of 
Christ. 

a  Ph.  3.  2.    Tit.  1.  10,  11. 

as  deceivers.  But  here  he  says  that 
men  who  had  conducted  thus ;  who  had 
attempted  to  impose  on  the  people ;  who 
nad  brought  another  gospel,  whatever 
pretences  they  might  have — and  he  was 
not  disposed  to  deny  that  there  was 
much  that  was  plausible, — were  really 
impostors  and  the  enemies  of  Christ. 
It  is  morally  certain,  from  ver.  22,  that 
these  men  were  Jews  ;  but  why  they 
had  engaged  in  the  work  of  preaching, 
or  why  they  had  gone  to  Corinth, 
cannot  with  certainty  be  determined. 
f  Deceitful  workers.  Impostors.  Men 
who  practise  various  arts  to  impose  on 
others.  They  were  crafty ,  and  fraudulent, 
and  hypocritical.  It  is  probable  that 
they  were  men  who  saw  that  great  ad- 
vantage might  be  taken  of  the  new 
religion ;  men  who  saw  the  power  which 
it  had  over  the  people,  and  who  saw 
the  confidence  which  the  new  converts 
were  inclined  to  repose  in  their  teachers; 
perhaps  men  who  had  seen  the  disciples 
to  the  Christian  faith  commit  all  their 
property  to  the  hands  of  the  apostles, 
or  who  had  heard  of  their  doing  it 
(Comp.  Acts  iv.  34,  35),  and  wmo  sup- 
posed that  by  pretending  to  be  apostles 
also  they  might  come  in  for  a  share  of 
this  confidence,  and  avail  themselves 
of  this  disposition  to  commit  their  pro- 
perty to  their  spiritual  guides.  To  suc- 
ceed, it  was  needful  as  far  as  possible 
to  undermine  the  influence  of  the  true 
apostles,  and  take  their  place  in  the 
confidence  of  the  people.  Thence  they 
were  '  deceitful  (Jokioi)  workers,'  full 
of  trick,  and  cunning,  and  of  plausible 
arts  to  impose  on  others,  ^f  Tra?isform- 
ing  themselves,  &c.  Pretending  to  be 
apostles.  Hypocritical  and  deceitful, 
they  yet  pretended  to  have  been  sent 
by  Christ.  This  is  a  direct  charge  of 
hypocrisy.  They  knew  they  were  de- 
ceivers ;  and  yet  they  assumed  the  high 
claims  of  apostles  of  the  Son  of  God. 
14.  And  no  marvel.     And  it  is  not 


14  And  no  marvel ;  for'Satan* 
himself  is  transformed  into  an 
angel  of  light. 

b  Ge.  3.  1,  5.    Re.  12.  9. 


wonderful,  ver.  15.  Since  Satan  him- 
self is  capable  of  appearing  to  be  an 
angel  of  light,  it  is  not  to  be  deemed 
strange  that  those  who  are  in  his  service 
also  should  resemble  him.  f  For  Satan 
himself  is  transformed,  &c.  That  is, 
he  who  is  an  apostate  angel  ;  who  is 
malignant  and  wicked ;  who  is  the 
prince  of  evil,  assumes  the  appearance 
of  a  holy  angel.  Paul  assumes  this 
as  an  indisputable  and  admitted  truth, 
without  attempting  to  prove  it,  and 
without  referring  to  any  particular  in- 
stances. Probably  he  had  in  his  eye 
cases  where  Satan  put  on  false  and  de- 
lusive appearances  for  the  purpose  of 
deceiving,  or  where  he  assumed  the 
appearance  of  great  sanctity  and  reve- 
rence for  the  authority  of  God.  Such 
instances  occurred  in  the  temptation 
of  our  first  parents  (Gen.  iii.  1 — 6), 
and  in  the  temptation  of  the  Saviour. 
Matt.  iv.  The  phrase  '  an  angel  of 
light,'  means  a  pure  and  holy  angel, 
light  being  the  emblem  of  purity  and 
holiness.  Such  are  all  the  angels  that 
dwell  in  heaven  ;  and  the  idea  is,  that 
Satan  assumes  such  a  form  as  to  appear 
to  be  such  an  angel.  Learn  here, 
(1.)  His  power.  He  can  assume  such 
an  aspect  as  he  pleases.  He  can  dis- 
semble and  appear  to  be  eminently  pious. 
He  is  the  prince  of  duplicity  as  well  as 
of  wickedness  ;  and  it  is  the  consumma- 
tion of  bad  power  for  an  individual  to 
be  able  to  assume  any  character  which 
he  pleases.  (2.)  His  art.  He  is  long 
practised  in  deceitful  arts.  For  six 
thousand  years  he  has  been  practising 
the  art  of  delusion.  And  with  him  it 
is  perfect.  (3.)  We  are  not  to  suppose 
that  all  that  appears  to  be  piety  is  piety. 
Some  of  the  most  plausible  appearances 
of  piety  are  assumed  by  Satan  and  his 
ministers.  None  ever  professed  a  pro- 
founder  regard  for  the  authority  of  God 
than  Satan  did  when  he  tempted  the 
Saviour.     And  if  the  prince  of  wicked- 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


231 


15  Therefore  it  is  no  great 
thing  if  his  ministers  also  be 
transformed  as  the  ministers  of 
righteousness  ;  whose  end  °  shall 
be  according  to  their  works. 

a  Ph.  3.  19. 


ness  can  appear  to  be  an  angel  of  light, 
we  are  not  to  be  surprised  if  those  who 
have  the  blackest  hearts  appear  to  be 
men  of  most  eminent  piety.  (4.)  We 
should  be  on  our  guard.  We  should 
not  listen  to  suggestions  merely  because 
they  appear  to  come  from  a  pious  man, 
nor  because  they  seem  to  be  prompted  by 
a  regard  to  the  will  of  God.  We  may 
be  always  sure  that,  if  we  are  to  be 
tempted,  it  will  be  by  some  one  having 
i  great  appearance  of  virtue  and  religion. 
(5.)  We  are  not  to  expect  that  Satan 
*vill  appear  to  man  to  be  as  bad  as  he 
«.  He  never  shows  himself  openly  to 
oe  a  spirit  of  pure  wickedness  ;  or  black 
and  abominable  in  his  character  ;  or  full 
of  evil  and  hateful.  He  would  thus 
defeat  himself.  It  is  for  this  reason  that 
wicked  men  do  not  believe  that  there 
is  such  a  being  as  Satan.  Though 
continually  under  his  influence  and  'led 
captive  by  him  at  his  will,'  yet  they 
neither  see  him,  nor  the  chains  which 
lead  them,  nor  are  they  willing  to  be- 
lieve in  the  existence  of  the  one  or  the 
other. 

15.  Therefore  it  is  no  great  thing., 
&c.  It  is  not  to  be  deemed  surprising. 
You  are  not  to  wonder  if  men  of  the 
basest,  blackest  character  put  on  the 
appearance  of  the  greatest  sanctity,  and 
even  become  eminent  as  professed 
preachers  of  righteousness,  ^f  Whose 
end  shall  be,  &c.  Whose  final  destiny. 
Their  doom  in  eternity  shall  not  be  ac- 
cording to  their  fair  professions  and 
plausible  pretences,  for  they  cannot  de- 
ceive God ;  but  shall  be  according  to 
their  real  character,  and  their  works. 
Their  work  is  a  work  of  deception,  and 
they  shall  be  judged  according  to  that. 
What  revelations  there  will  be  in  the 
day  of  judgment,  when  all  impostors 
shall  be  unmasked,  and  when  all  hypo- 
crites and  deceivers  shall  be  seen  in  their 


16  1  say  again,  Let  no  man 
think  me  a  fool  ;  b  if  otherwise, 
yet  as  a  fool  *  receive  me,  that  I 
may  boast  myself  a  little. 

17    That  which  I  speak,  I 


6  c.  12.  6.  n. 


or,  suffer. 


true  colours !  And  how  desirable  is  it 
that  there  should  be  such  a  day  to  dis- 
close all  beings  in  their  true  character, 
and  forever  to  remove  imposture  and 
delusion  from  the  universe ! 

16.  I  say  again.  I  repeat  it.  He 
refers  to  what  he  had  said  in  ver.  1. 
The  sense  is,  '  I  have  said  much  respect- 
ing myself  which  may  seem  to  be  fool- 
ish. I  admit  that  to  boast  in  this  manner 
of  one's  own  self  in  general  is  folly. 
But  circumstances  compel  me  to  it. 
And  I  entreat  you  to  look  at  those  cir- 
cumstances and  not  regard  me  as  a  fool 
for  doing  it.'  1  If  otherwise.  If  you 
think  otherwise.  If  I  cannot  obtain 
this  of  you  that  you  will  not  regard  me 
as  acting  prudently  and  wisely.  If  you 
will  think  me  foolish,  still  I  am  con- 
strained to  make  these  remarks  in  vindi- 
cation of  myself.  1  Yet  as  a  fool  re- 
ceive me.  Marg.  "Suffer."  See  ver.  1. 
Bear  with  me  as  you  do  with  others. 
Consider  how  much  I  have  been  pro- 
voked to  this ;  how  necessary  it  is  to 
my  character ;  and  do  not  reject  and 
despise  me  because  I  am  constrained  to 
say  that  of  myself  which  is  usually  re- 
garded as  foolish  boasting.  1  That  1 
may  boast  myself  a  little.  Since  others 
do  it  and  are  not  rebuked,  may  I  be  per- 
mitted to  do  it  also.  See  ver.  18,  19. 
There  is  something  sarcastic  in  the 
words  '  a  little?  The  sense  is,  '  Others 
are  allowed  to  boast  a  great  deal.  As- 
suredly I  may  be  allowed  to  boast  a  little 
of  what  I  have  done.' 

17.  That  which  I  speak.  In  praise 
of  myself,  f  /  speak  it  not  after  the 
Lord.  See  Note  on  1  Cor.  vii.  12.  The 
phrase  here  may  mean  either,  I  do  not 
speak  this  by  inspiration  or  claiming  to 
be  inspired  by  the  Lord ;  or  more  pro- 
bably it  may  mean,  I  do  not  speak  this 
imitating  the  example  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
or  strictly  as  becomes  his  follower.     He 


232 


speak  it  a  not  after  the  Lord,  but 
as  it  were  foolishly,  in  this  con- 
fidence b  of  boasting. 

18    Seeing  c  that  many  glory 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 

the    flesh,    I 


a  1  Co.  7.  12. 

:  Ph.  3.  3.  4. 


b  c.  9.  4. 
Co.  4.  10. 


was  eminently  modest,  and  never  vaunted 
or  boasted.  And  Paul  probably  means 
to  say, '  I  do  not  in  this  profess  to  follow 
him  entirely.  I  admit  that  it  is  a  de- 
parture from  his  pure  example  in  this 
respect.  But  circumstances  have  com- 
pelled me  •  and  much  as  I  would  pre- 
fer another  strain  of  remark,  and  sensi- 
ble as  I  am  in  general  of  the  folly  of 
boasting,  yet  a  regard  to  my  apostolic 
office  and  authority  urges  me  to  this 
course.'  Bloomfield  supposes  that  the 
apostle  is  not  speaking  seriously,  but 
that  he  has  an  allusion  to  their  view 
of  what  he  was  saying.  '  Be  it  so,  if 
you  think  that  what  I  speak,  I  speak 
not  as  I  profess  to  do  according  to  the 
Lord,  or  with  a  view  to  subserve  the 
purposes  of  his  religion,  but  as  it  were 
in  folly,  in  the  confidence  of  boasting, 
yet  permit  me  to  do  it  notwithstanding, 
since  you  allow  others  to  do  it.'  It  is 
not  easy  to  settle  which  is  the  true  sense 
of  the  passage.  I  see  no  conclusive 
evidence  against  either.  But  the  for- 
mer seems  to  me  to  be  most  in  accordance 
with  the  scope  of  the  whole.  Paul  ad- 
mitted that  what  he  said  was  not  in 
exact  accordance  with  the  spirit  of  the 
Lord  Jesus ;  and  in  admitting  this  he 
designed  probably  to  administer  a  deli- 
cate hint  that  all  their  boasting  was  a 
wide  departure  from  that  spirit.  1  As 
it  were  foolishly.  As  in  folly.  It  is  to 
be  admitted  that  to  boast  is  in  general 
foolish ;  and  I  admit  that  my  language 
is  open  to  this  general  charge.  "J  In 
this  confidence  of  boasting.  In  confi- 
dent boasting.  I  speak  confidently  and 
I  admit  in  the  spirit  of  boasting. 

18.  Seeing  that  many  glory,  &c. 
The  false  teachers  in  Corinth.  They 
boasted  of  their  birth,  rank,  natural  en- 
dowments, eloquence,  &c.  See  ver.  22. 
Comp.  Phil.  in.  3,  4.  |  Z  will  glory 
also.     I  also  will  boast  of  my  endow- 


[A.  D.  60 
will    glory 


after 
also. 

19  For  ye  suffer  fools  gladly, 
seeing  ye  yourselves  are  wise. 

20  For  ye   suffer,  if  a  man 


ments,  which  though  somewhat  different 
|  yet  pertain  in  the  main  to  the  flesh  also. 
See  ver.  23,  seq.  His  endowments  in 
'■  the  flesh,  or  what  he  had  to  boast  of 
i  pertaining  to  the  flesh,  related  not  so 
j  much  to  birth  and  rank,  though  not  in- 
ferior to  them  in  these,  but  to  what  the 
I  flesh  had  endured — to  stripes  and  im- 
|  prisonments,  and  hunger  and  peril. 
j  This  is  an  exceedingly  delicate  and  hap- 
!  py  turn  given  to  the  whole  subject. 

19.  For  ye  suffer  fools  gladly.  You 
tolerate  or  endure  those  who  are  really 

|  fools.  This  is  perhaps,  says  Dr.  Bloom- 
!  field,  the  most  sarcastic  sentence  ever 
;  penned  by  the  apostle  Paul.  Its  sense 
is, 'You  profess  to  be  wondrous  wise. 
And  yet  you  who  are  so  wise  a  people, 
freely  tolerate  those  who  are  foolish  in 
their  boasting ;  who  proclaim  their  own 
merits  and  attainments.  You  may  al- 
low me,  therefore,  to  come  in  for  my 
share,  and  boast  also,  and  thus  obtain 
your  favour.'  Or  it  may  mean,  'You 
are  so  profoundly  wise  as  easily  to  see 
who  are  fools.  You  have  great  power 
of  discernment  in  this,  and  have  found 
out  that  I  am  a  fool,  and  also  that  other 
boasters  are  fools.  Yet  knowing  this, 
you  bear  patiently  with  such  fools ;  have 
admitted  them  to  your  favour  and  friend- 
ship, and  I  may  come  in  among  the  rest 
of  the  fools,  and  partake  also  of  your 
favours.'  They  had  borne  with  the 
false  apostles  who  had  boasted  of  their 
endowments,  and  yet  they  claimed  to 
be  eminent  for  wisdom  and  discern 
ment. 

20.  For  ye  suffer,  &c.  You  bear 
patiently  with  men  who  impose  on  you 
in  every  way,  and  who  are  constantly 
defrauding  you,  though  you  profess  to 
be  so  wise,  and  you  may  bear  with  me 
a  little,  though  I  have  no  such  intention. 
Seriously,  if  you  bear  with  boasters  who 
intend  to  delude  and  deceive  you  in 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


233 


bring  you  into  bondage,  if  a  man 
devour  you,  if  a  man  take  of  you, 


various  ways,  you  may  bear  with  one 
who  comes  to  you  with  no  such  inten- 
tion, but  with  an  honest  purpose  to  do 
good.  *i  If  a  man  bring  you  into  bond- 
age (ksltoJivicI).  If  a  man,  or  if  any 
one  (if  t/?)  make  a  slave  of  you,  or  re- 
duce you  to  servitude.  The  idea  is, 
doubtless,  that  the  false  teachers  set  up 
a  lordship  over  their  consciences ;  de- 
stroyed their  freedom  of  opinion  ;  and 
made  them  subservient  to  their  will. 
They  really  took  away  their  Christian 
freedom  as  much  as  if  they  had  been 
slaves.  In  what  way  this  was  done  is 
unknown.  It  may  be  that  they  im- 
posed on  them  rites  and  forms,  com- 
manded expensive  and  inconvenient 
ceremonies,  and  required  arduous  ser- 
vices merely  at  their  own  will.  A  false 
religion  always  makes  slaves.  It  is  on- 
ly true  Christianity  that  leaves  perfect 
freedom.  All  heathens  are  slaves  to 
their  priests ;  all  fanatics  are  slaves  to 
some  fanatical  leader;  all  those  who 
embrace  error  are  slaves  to  those  who 
claim  to  be  their  guides.  The  papist 
everywhere  is  the  slave  of  the  priest, 
and  the  despotism  there  is  as  great  as 
in  any  region  of  servitude  whatever. 
1  If  a  man  devour  you.  This  is  ex- 
ceedingly sarcastic.  The  idea  is, « Though 
you  are  so  wise,  yet  you  in  fact  tolerate 
men  who  impose  on  you — no  matter 
though  they  eat  you  up,  or  consume  all 
that  you  have.  By  their  exorbitant  de- 
mands they  would  consume  all  you 
have — or,  as  we  would  say,  eat  you  out 
of  house  and  home.'  All  this  they  took 
patiently  ;  and  freely  gave  all  that  they 
demanded.  False  teachers  are  always 
rapacious.  They  seek  the  property,  not 
the  souk  of  those  to  whom  they  minis- 
ter. Not  satisfied  with  a  maintenance, 
they  aim  to  obtain  all,  and  their  plans 
are  formed  to  secure  as  much  as  possi- 
ble of  those  to  whom  they  minister. 
K  If  a  man  take  of  you.  If  he  take 
and  seize  upon  your  possessions.  If  he 
comes  and  takes  what  he  pleases  and 
bears  it  away  as  his  own.  ^Ifa  man 
20* 


if  a  man  exalt  himself,  if  a  man 
smite  you  on  the  face. 


exalt  himself.  If  he  set  himself  up  as 
a  ruler  and  claim  submission.  No 
matter  how  arrogant  his  claims,  yet  you 
are  ready  to  bear  with  him.  You  might 
then  bear  with  me  in  the  very  moderate 
demands  which  I  make  on  your  obe- 
dience and  confidence.  %  If  a  man 
smite  you  on  the  face.  The  word  here 
rendered  "  smite"  (Ji§a>)  means  properly 
to  skin,  to  flay  ;  but  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment it  means  to  beat,  to  scourge — espe- 
cially so  as  to  take  off  the  skin.  Matt, 
xxi.  35.  Mark  xii.  3.  5.  The  idea 
here  is,  if  any  one  treats  you  with  con- 
tumely and  scorn — since  there  can  be 
no  higher  expression  of  it  than  to  smite 
a  man  on  the  face.  Matt.  xxvi.  67.  It 
is  not  to  be  supposed  that  this  occurred 
literally  among  the  Corinthians ;  but  the 
idea  is,  that  the  false  teachers  really 
treated  them  with  as  little  respect  as  if 
they  smote  them  on  the  face.  In  what 
way  this  was  done  is  unknown  ;  but 
probably  it  was  by  their  domineering 
manners,  and  the  little  respect  which 
they  showed  for  the  opinions  and  feelings 
of  the  Corinthian  Christians.  Paul  says 
that  as  they  bore  this  very  patiently,  they 
might  allow  him  to  make  some  remarks 
about  himself  in  self-commendation. 

21.  /  speak  as  concerning  reproach. 
I  speak  of  disgrace.  That  is,  says 
Rosenmuller, "  I  speak  of  your  disgrace, 
or,  as  others  prefer  it,  of  the  disgrace  of 
the  false  apostles."  Doddridge  regards 
it  as  a  question.  "  Do  I  speak  this  by 
way  of  dishonour,  from  an  envious  de- 
sire to  derogate  from  my  superiors  so  as 
to  bring  them  down  to  my  own  level  ?" 
But  to  me  it  seems  that  Paul  refers  to 
what  he  had  been  admitting  respecting 
himself — to  what  he  had  evinced  in 
rudeness  of  speech  (ver.  6),  and  to  his 
not  having  urged  his  claims  to  the  sup- 
port which  an  apostle  had  a  right  to 
receive — to  things  in  short  which  they 
esteemed  to  be  disgraceful  or  reproach- 
ful. And  his  idea,  it  seems  to  me,  is 
this.  '  I  have  been  speaking  of  re- 
proach or  disgrace  as  if  I  was  weak. 


S34 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A   D   60. 


21  I  speak  as  concerning  re- 
proach, as  though  we  had  been 
weak.     Howbeit  whereinsoever 

i.  e.  as  if  I  was  disposed  to  admit  as  true 
all  that  has  been  said  of  me  as  reproachful 
or  disgraceful ;  all  that  has  been  said  of  my 
want  of  qualifications  for  the  office,  of 
my  want  of  talent,  or  elevated  rank,  or 
honourable  birth,  &c.  I  have  not  pressed 
my  claims,  but  have  been  reasoning  as 
if  all  this  were  true — as  if  all  that  was 
honourable  in  birth  and  elevated  in  rank 
belonged  to  them — all  that  is  mean  and 
unworthy  pertained  to  me.  But  it  is 
not  so.  Whatever  they  have  /have. 
Whatever  they  can  boast  of,  I  can  boast 
of  in  a  more  eminent  degree.  What- 
ever advantage  there  is  in  birth  is  mine ; 
and  I  can  tell  of  toils,  and  trials,  and 
sufferings  in  the  apostolic  office  which 
far  surpass  theirs.'  Paul  proceeds,  there- 
fore, to  a  full  statement  of  his  advantages 
of  birth  and  of  his  labours  in  the  cause 
of  the  Redeemer.  ^  As  though  we  had 
been  weak.  As  if  I  had  no  claims  to 
urge ;  as  if  I  had  no  just  cause  of  bold- 
ness, but  must  submit  to  this  reproach. 
5  Howbeit  (J*).  But.  The  sense  is, 
if  any  one  is  disposed  to  boast,  I  am 
ready  for  him.  I  can  tell  also  of  things 
that  have  as  high  claims  to  confidence 
as  they  can.  If  they  are  disposed  to 
go  into  a  comparison  on  the  points 
which  qualify  a  man  for  the  office  of 
an  apostle,  I  am  ready  to  compare  my- 
self with  them.  J  Whereinsoever'  (}v  «). 
In  what.  Whatever  they  have  to  boast 
of  I  am  prepared  also  to  show  that  I  am 
equal  to  them.  Be  it  pertaining  to 
birth,  ranK,  education,  labours,  they  will 
find  that  I  do  not  shrink  from  the  com- 
parison. 1  Any  is  bold  (ti;  <rox/ua). 
Any  one  dares  to  boast ;  any  one  is 
bold.  *f  I  speak  foolishly.  Remember 
now  that  I  speak  as  a  fool.  I  have  been 
charged  with  this  folly.  Just  now  keep 
that  in  mind  ;  and  do  not  forget  that  it 
is  only  a  fool  who  is  speaking.  Just 
recollect  that  I  have  no  claims  to  public 
confidence;  that  I  am  destitute  of  all 
pretensions  to  the  apostolic  office ;  that 
I  am  given  to  a  vain  parade  and  osten- 


any  is  bold,  (I  speak  foolishly,) 
I  am  bold  also. 

22  Are  they  Hebrews  ?  so  am 


tation,  and  to  boasting  of  what  does 
not  belong  to  me,  and  when  you  recol- 
lect this  let  me  tell  my  story.  The 
whole  passage  is  ironical  in  the 
highest  degree.  The  sense  is,  '  It  is 
doubtless  all  nonsense  and  folly  for  a 
man  to  boast  who  has  only  the  qualifi- 
cations which  I  have.  But  there  is  a 
great  deal  of  wisdom  in  their  boasting 
who  have  so  much  more  elevated  endow- 
ments for  the  apostolic  office.'  ^  /  am 
bold  also.  I  can  meet  them  on  their 
own  ground,  and  speak  of  qualifications 
not  inferior  to  theirs. 

22.  Are  they  Hebrews  ?  This  proves 
that  the  persons  who  had  made  the 
difficulty  in  Corinth  were  those  who 
were  of  Hebrew  extraction,  though  it 
may  be  that  they  had  been  born  in 
Greece  and  had  been  educated  in  the 
Grecian  philosophy  and  art  of  rhetoric. 
It  is  also  clear  that  they  prided  them- 
selves on  being  Jews — on  having  a 
connexion  with  the  people  and  land 
from  whence  the  religion  which  the 
Corinthian  church  now  professed  had 
emanated.  Indications  are  apparent 
everywhere  in  the  New  Testament  of 
the  superiority  which  the  Jewish  con- 
verts to  Christianity  claimed  over  those 
converted  from  among  the  heathen. 
Their  boast  would  probably  be  that  they 
were  the  descendants  of  the  patriarchs ; 
that  the  land  of  the  prophets  was  theirs; 
that  they  spake  the  language  in  which 
the  oracles  of  God  were  given  ;  that  the 
true  religion  had  proceeded  from  them, 
&c.  t  So  am  I.  I  have  as  high  claims 
as  any  of  them  to  distinction  on  this 
head.  Paul  had  all  their  advantages 
of  birth.  He  was  an  Israelite ;  of  the 
honoured  tribe  of  Benjamin ;  a  Phari- 
see, circumcised  at  the  usual  time 
(Phil.  iii.  5),  and  educated  in  the  best 
manner  at  the  feet  of  one  of  their  most 
eminent  teachers.  Acts  xxii.  3.  t  Are 
they  Israelites  ?  Another  name,  signify- 
ing substantially  the  same  thing.  The 
only  difference  i.-?,  that  the  word  "  He- 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  XL 


235 


I.  Are  they  Israelites  ?  so  am 
I.  Are  they  the  seed  of  Abra- 
ham ?  so  am  I. 

23    Are    they    ministers    of 


brew"  signified  properly  one  who  was 
from  beyond  (nap  from  -oy,  to  pass,  to 
pass  over — hence  applied  to  Abraham, 
because  he  had  come  from  a  foreign 
land  :  and  the  word  denoted  properly  a 
foreigner — a  man  from  the  land  or 
country  beyond,  -\2y)  the  Euphrates. 
The  name  Israelite  denoted  properly 
one  descended  from  Israel  or  Jacob,  and 
the  difference  between  them  was,  that 
the  name  Israelite,  being  a  patronymic 
derived  from  one  of  the  founders  of  their 
nation,  was  in  use  among  themselves ; 
the  name  Hebrew  was  applied  by  the 
Canaanite  to  them  as  having  come  from 
beyond  the  river,  and  was  the  current 
name  among  foreign  tribes  and  nations. 
See  Gesenius'  Lexicon  on  the  word 
(nap)  Hebrew.  Paul  in  the  passage 
before  us  means  to  say  that  he  had  as 
good  a  claim  to  the  honour  of  being  a 
native  born  descendant  of  Israel  as  could 
be  urged  by  any  of  them.  1  Are  they 
the  seed  of  Abraham  ?  Do  they  boast 
that  they  are  descended  from  Abraham. 
This  with  all  the  Jews  was  regarded  as 
a  distinguished  honour  (See  Matt.  iii. 
9.  John  viii.  39),  and  no  doubt  the 
false  teachers  in  Corinth  boasted  of  it 
as  eminently  qualifying  them  to  engage 
in  the  work  of  the  ministry,  f  So  am 
7.  Paul  had  the  same  qualification. 
He  was  a  Jew  also  by  birth.  He 
was  of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin.  Phil, 
iii.  5. 

23.  Are  they  ministers  of  Christ  ? 
Though  Jews  by  birth  yet  they  claimed 
to  be  the  ministers  of  the  Messiah. 
%  I  speak  as  a  fool.  As  if  he  had  said, 
'  Bear  in  mind,  in  what  I  am  now  about 
to  say,  that  he  who  speaks  is  accused  of 
jeing  a  fool  in  boasting.  Let  it  not  be 
deemed  improper  that  I  should  act  in 
this  character,  and  since  you  regard  me 
as  such,  let  me  speak  like  a  fool.'  His 
frequent  reminding  them  of  this  charge 
was  eminently  fitted  to  humble  them 
that  they  had  ever  made  it,  especially 


Christ  ?  (I  speak  as  a  fool)  I  am 
more  ;  in  labours  a  more  abun- 
dant, in  stripes  b  above  measure, 

a  1  Co  15. 10.     b  Ac.  9. 16  ;  20. 23 ;  21. 11. 


when  they  were  reminded  by  an  enu- 
meration of  his  trials  of  the  character 
of  the  man  against  whom  the  charge 
was  brought.  1  I  am  more.  Paul  was 
not  disposed  to  deny  that  they  were 
true  ministers  of  Christ.  But  he  had 
higher  claims  to  the  office  than  they 
had.  He  had  been  called  to  it  in  a  more 
remarkable  manner,  and  he  had  shown 
by  his  labours  and  trials  that  he  had 
more  of  the  true  spirit  of  a  minister  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  than  they  had.  He 
therefore  goes  into  detail  to  show  what 
he  had  endured  in  endeavouring  to 
diffuse  the  knowledge  of  the  Saviour ; 
trials  which  he  had  borne  probably  while 
they  had  been  dwelling  in  comparative 
ease  and  in  a  comfortable  manner,  free 
from  suffering  and  persecution,  f  In 
labours  more  abundant.  In  the  kind  of 
labour  necessary  in  propagating  the  gos- 
pel. Probably  he  had  now  been  en- 
gaged in  the  work  a  much  longer  time 
than  they  had,  and  had  been  far  more 
indefatigable  in  it.  f  In  stripes.  In 
receiving  stripes ;  i.  e.  I  have  been  more 
frequently  scoui'ged.  ver.  24.  This  was 
a  proof  of  his  being  a  minister  of  Christ, 
because  eminent  devotedness  to  him  at 
that  time,  of  necessity  subjected  a  man 
to  frequent  scourging.  The  ministry 
is  one  of  the  very  few  places,  perhaps 
it  stands  alone  in  this,  where  it  is 
proof  of  peculiar  qualification  for  office 
that  a  man  has  been  treated  with  all 
manner  of  contumely,  and  has  even  been 
often  publicly  whipped.  What  other 
office  admits  such  a  qualification  as  this'1 
f  Above  measure.  Exceedingly;  far 
exceeding  them.  He  had  received  far 
more  than  they  had,  and  he  judged, 
therefore,  that  this  was  one  evidence 
that  he  had  been  called  to  the  ministry 
f  In  prisons  more  frequent.  Luke,  in 
the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  mentions  only 
one  imprisonment  of  Paul  before  the 
time  when  this  epistle  was  written.  That 
was  at  Philippi  with  Silas.  Acts  xvi.  23. 


236 


II.  CORINTHIANS 
more    frequent,    in 


[A.  D.  60. 


in    prisons 
deaths  a  oft. 

a  1  Co.  15.  30.  32. 

seq.  But  we  are  to  remember  that  many 
things  were  omitted  by  Luke.  He  does 
not  profess  to  give  an  account  of  all 
that  happened  to  Paul ;  and  an  omis- 
sion is  not  a  contradiction.  For  any 
thing  that  Luke  says,  Paul  may  have 
been  imprisoned  often.  He  7nentions 
his  having  been  in  prison  once  ;  he  does 
not  deny  that  he  had  been  in  prison 
many  times  besides.  See  on  ver.  24. 
1  In  deaths  oft.  That  is,  exposed  to 
death  ;  or  suffering  pain  equal  to  death. 
See  on  ch.  i.  9.  No  one  familiar  with 
the  history  of  Paul  can  doubt  that  he 
was  often  in  danger  of  death. 

24.  Of  the  Jews,  &c.  On  this 
verse  and  the  following  verse  it  is 
of  importance  to  make  a  few  remarks 
preliminary  to  the  explanation  of  the 
phrases.  (1.)  It  is  admitted  that  the 
particulars  here  referred  to  cannot 
be  extracted  out  of  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles.  A  few  can  be  identified,  but 
there  are  many  more  trials  referred  to 
here  than  are  specified  there.  (2.)  This 
proves  that  this  epistle  was  not  framed 
from  the  history,  but  that  they  are  writ- 
ten independently  of  one  another. — Pa- 
ley.  (3.)  Yet  they  are  not  inconsistent 
one  with  the  other.  For  there  is  no 
article  in  the  enumeration  here  which  is 
contradicted  by  the  history,  and  the 
history,  though  silent  with  respect  to 
many  of  these  transactions,  has  left 
space  enough  to  suppose  that  they  may 
have  occurred,  (a)  There  is  no  con- 
tradiction between  the  accounts.  W  here 
it  is  said  by  Paul  that  he  was  thrice 
beaten  with  rods,  though  in  the  Acts 
but  one  beating  is  mentioned,  yet  there 
is  no  contradiction.  It  is  only  the  omis- 
sion to  record  all  that  occurred  to  Paul. 
But  had  the  history,  says  Paley,  con- 
tained an  account  of  four  beatings  with 
rods,  while  Paul  mentions  here  but  three, 
there  would  have  been  a  contradiction. 
And  so  of  the  other  particulars,  (b) 
Though  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  be 
silent  concerning  many  of  the  instances 


24  Of  the  Jews  five  times  re- 
ceived I  forty  stripes  h  save  one. 

b  De.  25.  3. 


referred  to,  yet  that  silence  may  be 
accounted  for  on  the  plan  and  design 
of  the  history.  The  date  of  the  epistle 
synchronizes  with  the  beginning  of  the 
twentieth  chapter  of  the  Acts.  The 
part,  therefore,  which  precedes  the 
twentieth  chapter  is  the  only  place  in 
which  can  be  found  any  notice  of  the 
transactions  to  which  Paul  here  refers. 
And  it  is  evident  from  the  Acts  that  the 
author  of  that  history  was  not  with 
Paul  until  his  departure  from  Troas,  as 
related  in  ch.  xvi.  10.  See  Note  on  that 
place.  From  that  time  Luke  attended 
Paul  in  his  travels.  From  that  period 
to  the  time  when  this  epistle  was  written 
occupies  but  four  chapters  of  the  history, 
and  it  is  here  if  anywhere  that  we  are 
to  look  for  the  minute  account  of  the 
life  of  Paul.  But  here  much  may  have 
occurred  to  Paul  before  Luke  joined 
him.  And  as  it  was  the  design  of  Luke 
to  give  an  account  of  Paul  mainly 
after  he  joined  him,  it  is  not  to  be  won- 
dered at  that  many  things  may  have  been 
omitted  of  his  previous  life,  (c)  The 
period  of  time  after  the  conversion  of 
Paul  to  the  time  when  Luke  joined  him 
at  Troas  is  very  succinctly  given.  That 
period  embraced  sixteen  years,  and  is 
comprised  in  a  few  chapters.  Yet  in 
that  time  Paul  was  constantly  travelling. 
He  went  to  Arabia,  returned  to  Damas- 
cus, went  to  Jerusalem,  and  then  to 
Tarsus,  and  from  Tarsus  to  Antioch, 
and  thence  to  Cyprus,  and  then  through 
Asia  Minor,  &c.  In  this  time  he  must 
have  made  many  voyages,  and  been 
exposed  to  many  perils.  Yet  all  this 
is  comprised  in  a  few  chapters,  and  a 
considerable  portion  of  them  is  occupied 
with  an  account  of  public  discourses. 
In  that  period  of  sixteen  years,  there- 
fore, there  was  ample  opportunity  for  all 
the  occurrences  which  are  here  referred 
to  by  Paul,  See  Paley's  Horse  Pau- 
lina? on  2  Cor.  No.  ix.  (d)  I  may 
add,  that  from  the  account  which 
follows  the  time  when  Luke  joined  him 


k.  D  60.]  CHAPTER  XI. 

25  Thrice  was  I  beaten  a  with 

a  Ac.  16.  22. 

at  Troas  (from  Acts  xvi.  10),  it  is  alto- 
gether probable  that  he  had  endured 
much  before.  After  that  time  there  is 
mention  of  just  such  transactions  of 
scourging,  stoning,  &c.  as  are  here 
specified,  and  it  is  altogether  probable 
that  he  had  been  called  to  suffer  them 
before.  When  Paul  says  "  of  the  Jews," 
&c,  he  refers  to  this  because  this  was  a 
Jewish  mode  of  punishment.  It  was 
usual  with  them  to  inflict  but  thirty- 
nine  blows.  The  Gentiles  were  not 
limited  by  law  in  the  number  which 
they  inflicted.  Tf  Five  times.  This 
was  doubtless  in  their  synagogues  and 
before  their  courts  of  justice.  They 
had  not  the  power  of  capital  punish- 
ment, but  they  had  the  power  of  inflict- 
ing minor  punishments.  And  though 
the  instances  are  not  specified  by  Luke 
in  the  Acts,  yet  the  statement  here  by 
Paul  has  every  degree  of  probability. 
We  know  that  he  often  preached  in 
their  synagogues  (Acts  ix.  20  ;  xiii.  5. 
14,  15 ;  xiv.  1 ;  xvii.  17 ;  xviii.  4)  ;  and 
nothing  is  more  probable  than  that  they 
would  be  enraged  against  him,  and 
would  vent  their  malice  in  every  way 
possible.  They  regarded  him  as  an 
apostate,  and  a  ringleader  of  the  Naza- 
renes,  and  they  would  not  fail  to  inflict 
on  him  the  severest  punishment  which 
they  were  permitted  to.  t  Forty  stripes 
save  one.  The  word  stripes  does  not 
occur  in  the  original,  but  is  necessarily 
understood.  The  law  of  Moses  (Deut. 
xxv.  3)  expressly  limited  the  number 
of  stripes  that  might  be  inflicted  to  forty. 
In  no  case  might  this  number  be  ex- 
ceeded. This  was  a  humane  provision, 
and  one  that  was  not  found  among  the 
heathen,  who  inflicted  any  number  of 
blows  at  discretion.  Unhappily  it  is 
not  observed  among  professedly  Chris- 
tian nations  where  the  practice  of  whip- 
ping prevails,  and  particularly  in  slave 
countries,  where  the  master  inflicts  any 
number  of  blows  at  his  pleasure.  In 
practice  among  the  Hebrew0  aie  num- 
ber of  blows  inflicted  was  in  fact  limited 


237 

rods,  once  was  I  b  stoned,  thrice 

b  Ac.  14.  19. 


to  thirty-nine,  lest  by  any  accident  in 
counting,  the  criminal  should  receive 
more  than  the  number  prescribed  in  the 
law.  There  was  another  reason  still  for 
limiting  it  to  thirty-nine.  They  usually 
made  use  of  a  scourge  with  three  thongs, 
and  this  was  struck  thirteen  times. 
That  it  was  usual  to  inflict  but  thirty- 
nine  lashes  is  apparent  from  Josephus, 
Ant.  book  iv.  ch.  viii.  §  21. 

25.  Thrice  was  I  beaten  with  rods. 
In  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  there  is 
mention  made  of  his  being  beaten  in 
this  manner  but  once  before  the  time 
when  this  epistle  was  written.  That 
occurred  at  Philippi.  Acts  xvi.  22,  23. 
But  there  is  no  reason  to  doubt  that  it 
was  more  frequently  done.  This  was  a 
frequent  mode  of  punishment  among 
the  ancient  nations,  and  as  Paul  was 
often  persecuted,  he  would  be  naturally 
subjected  to  this  shameful  punishment. 
1  Once  was  I  stoned.  This  was  the 
usual  mode  of  punishment  among  the 
Jews  for  blasphemy.  The  instance  re- 
ferred to  here  occurred  at  Lystra.  Acts 
xiv.  19.  Paley  (Horse  Paulinos)  has 
remarked  that  this,  when  confronted 
with  the  history,  furnished  the  nearest 
approach  to  a  contradiction  without  a 
contradiction  being  actually  incurred, 
that  he  ever  had  met  with.  The  history 
(Acts  xiv.  1 9)  contains  but  one  account 
of  his  being  actually  stoned.  But  prior 
to  this  (Acts  xiv.  5),  it  mentions  that 
"  an  assault  was  made  both  of  the  Gen- 
tiles, and  also  of  the  Jews  with  their 
rulers,  to  use  them  despiteful ly  and  to 
stone  them,  but  they  were  aware  of  it, 
and  fled  to  Lystra  and  Derbe."  "  Now," 
Paley  remarks,  "  had  the  assault  been 
completed  ;  had  the  history  related  that 
a  stone  was  thrown,  as  it  relates  that 
preparations  were  made  both  by  Jews 
and  Gentiles  to  stone  Paul  and  his  com- 
panions ;  or  even  had  the  account  of 
this  transaction  stopped  without  going 
on  to  inform  us  that  Paul  and  his  com- 
panions were  aware  of  their  danger  and 
fled,  a  contradiction  between  the  history 


238 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60 


I  suffered  shipwreck,  a  night" 
and  a  day  I  have  been  in  the  deep ; 
26  In  journey ings  often,  in 
perils  of  waters,  in  perils  of  rob- 
bers,  in   perils  fcby  mine  own 

a  Ac  27.  b  Ac.  14.  5. 


and  the  epistle  would  have  ensued. 
Truth  is  necessarily  consistent ;  but  it 
is  scarcely  possible  that  independent 
accounts,  not  having  truth  to  guide 
them,  should  thus  advance  to  the  very 
brink  of  contradiction  without  falling 
into  it"  %  Thrice  I  suffered  shipwreck. 
On  what  occasions,  or  where,  is  now 
unknown,  as  these  instances  are  not 
referred  to  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles. 
The  instance  of  shipwreck  recorded  there 
(ch.  xxvii.),  which  occurred  when  on 
his  way  to  Rome,  happened  after  this 
epistle  was  written,  and  should  not  be 
supposed  to  be  one  of  the  instances 
referred  to  here.  Paul  made  many 
voyages  in  going  from  Jerusalem  to 
Tarsus,  and  to  Antioch,  and  to  various 
parts  of  Asia  Minor,  and  to  Cyprus ; 
and  shipwrecks  in  those  seas  were  by 
no  means  such  unusual  occurrences  as 
to  render  this  account  improbable,  f  A 
night  and  a  day,  &c.  The  word  here 
used  (yvx§Yiy.ig<,v)  denotes  a  complete 
natural  day,  or  twenty-four  hours.  ^  In 
the  deep.  To  what  this  refers  we  do 
not  now  certainly  know.  It  is  probable, 
however,  that  Paul  refers  to  some  period 
when,  having  been  shipwrecked,  he  was 
saved  by  supporting  himself  on  a  plank 
or  fragment  of  the  vessel  until  he  ob- 
tained relief.  Such  a  situation  is  one 
of  great  peril,  and  he  mentions  it,  there- 
fore, among  the  trials  which  he  had 
endured.  The  supposition  of  some  com- 
mentators that  he  spent  his  time  on 
some  rock  in  the  deep  ;  or  of  others  that 
this  means  some  deep  dungeon ;  or  of 
others  that  he  was  swallowed  by  a 
whale,  like  Jonah,  shows  the  extent  to 
which  the  fancy  is  often  indulged  in 
interpreting  the  Bible. 

26.  Injourneyings  often.  Of  course 
subject  to  the  fatigue,  toil,  and  danger 
which  such  a  mode  of  life  involves. 
K  In  perils  of  waters.     In  danger  of 


countrymen,  in  perils  by  th< 
heathen,  in  perils  in  the  city,  zV 
perils  in  the  wilderness,  in  peril* 
in  the  sea,  in  perils  among  false 
brethren ; 


losing  my  life  at  sea,  or  by  floods,  or  bj 
crossing  streams.  %  Of  robbers.  Man) 
of  the  countries,  especially  Arabia 
through  which  he  travelled  were  the* 
infested,  as  they  are  now,  with  robbers 
It  is  not  impossible  or  improbable  tha< 
he  was  often  attacked  and  his  life  en 
dangered.  It  is  still  unsafe  to  travel 
in  many  of  the  places  through  which  hfc 
travelled.  ^  By  mine  own  countrymen. 
The  Jews.  They  often  scourged  him  ; 
laid  wait  for  him  ;  and  were  ready  to 
put  him  to  death.  They  had  deep 
enmity  against  him  as  an  apostate,  and 
he  was  in  constant  danger  of  being  put 
to  death  by  them.  ^  By  the  heathen. 
By  those  who  had  not  the  true  religion. 
Several  instances  of  his  danger  from 
this  quarter  are  mentioned  in  the  Acts. 
*!  In  the  city.  In  cities,  as  in  Derbe, 
Lystra,  Philippi,  Jerusalem,  Ephesus, 
&c.  U  In  the  wilderness.  In  the 
desert,  where  he  would  be  exposed  to 
ambushes,  or  to  wild  beasts,  or  to  hun- 
ger and  want.  Instances  of  this  are 
not  recorded  in  the  Acts,  but  no  one 
can  doubt  that  they  occurred.  The 
idea  here  is,  that  he  had  met  with  con- 
stant danger  wherever  he  was,  whether 
in  the  busy  haunts  of  men  or  in  the 
solitude  and  loneliness  of  the  desert. 
1  In  the  sea.  See  ver.  25.  J  Among 
fahe  brethren.  This  was  the  crowning 
danger  and  trial  to  Paul,  as  it  is  to  all 
others.  A  man  can  better  bear  danger 
by  land  and  water,  among  robbers  and 
in  deserts,  than  he  can  bear  to  have  his 
confidence  abused,  and  to  be  subjected 
to  the  action  and  the  arts  of  spies  upon 
his  conduct.  Who  these  were  he  has 
not  informed  us.  He  mentions  it  as 
the  chief  trial  to  which  he  had  been 
exposed,  that  he  had  met  those  who 
pretended  to  be  his  friends,  and  who  yet 
had  sought  every  possible  opportunity 
to  expose  and  destroy  him.     Perhaps 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


27  In  weariness  and  painful- 
ness,  in  watchings  a  often,  in 
hunger  *and  thirst,  in  fastings 
often,  in  cold  and  nakedness. 

a  Ac.  20.  31.  b  1  Co.  4.  11. 


he  has  here  a  delicate  reference  to  the 
danger  which  he  apprehended  from  the 
false  brethren  in  the  church  at  Corinth. 

27.  In  weariness.  Resulting  from 
travelling,  exposure,  labour,  and  want. 
The  word  kottos  (from  kotttoi,  to  beat, 
to  cut)  means,  properly,  wailing  and 
grief,  accompanied  with  beating  the 
breast.  Hence  the  word  means  toil, 
labour,  wearisome  effort,  •f  And  pain- 
fulness.  This  word  (/uo%$c;)  is  a 
stronger  term  than  the  former.  It  im- 
plies painful  effort ;  labour  producing 
sorrow,  and  in  the  New  Testament  is 
uniformly  connected  with  the  word  ren- 
dered "  weariness"  ( 1  Thess.  ii.  9. 
2  Thess.  iii.  8),  rendered  in  both  those 
places  "  travail."  t  In  watchings  often. 
In  loss  of  sleep,  arising  from  abundant 
toils  and  from  danger.  See  Note  on  ch. 
vi.  5.  f  In  hunger  and  thirst.  From 
travelling  among  strangers,  and  being 
dependent  on  them  and  on  his  own 
personal  labours.  See  Note,  1  Cor.  iv.  1 1. 
^  In  fastings  often.  Either  voluntary 
or  involuntary.  See  Note  on  ch.  vi.  5. 
Tf  In  cold  and  nakedness.  See  Note, 
1  Cor.  iv.  11. 

28.  Beside  those  things  that  are  with- 
out. In  addition  to  these  external  trials, 
these  trials  pertaining  u>  the  body,  I 
have  mental  trials  and  anxieties  result- 
ing from  the  necessary  care  of  all  the 
churches.  But  on  the  meaning  of  these 
words  commentators  are  not  agreed. 
Rosenmuller  supposes  that  the  phrase 
means  '  besides  those  things  that  come 
from  other  sources,'  "that  I  may  omit 
other  things."  Beza,  Erasmus,  Bloom- 
field,  and  some  others  suppose  that  the 
passage  means  those  things  out  of  the 
regular  routine  of  his  office.  Doddridge, 
"beside  foreign  affairs."  Probably  the 
sense  is,  '  Apart  from  the  things  beside" 
(Xa>g/c  rZv  jragatToc) ;  not  to  mention 
other  matters ;  or  if  other  matters  should 
bo  laid  aside,  there  is  this  continually 


28  Beside  those  things  that 
are  without,  that  which  cometh 
upon  me  daily,  the  care  c  of  all 
the  churches. 

c  Ac.  15.  36,  40. 


rushing  anxiety  arising  from  the  care 
of  all  the  churches.'  That  is,  this 
would  be  enough  in  itself.  Laying 
aside  all  that  arises  from  hunger,  thirst, 
cold,  &c,  this  continual  care  occupies 
my  mind  and  weighs  upon  my  heart. 
1  That  which  cometh  upon  me  daily. 
There  is  great  force  in  the  original 
here.  The  phrase  rendered  \  that  which 
cometh  upon  me'  means  properly, '  that 
which  rushes  upon  me.'  The  word 
(\m7ii<TT*o-is)  means  properly  a  con- 
course, a  crowd,  hence  a  tumult;  and 
the  idea  here  is,  that  these  cares  rushed 
upon  him,  or  pressed  upon  him  like  a 
crowd  of  men  or  a  mob  that  bore  all 
before  it.  This  is  one  of  Paul's  most 
energetic  expressions,  and  denotes  the 
incessant  anxiety  of  mind  to  which  he 
was  subject.  ^  The  care  of  all  the 
churches.  The  care  of  the  numerous 
churches  which  he  had  established,  and 
which  needed  his  constant  supervision. 
They  were  young ;  many  of  them  were 
feeble  ;  many  were  made  up  of  hetero- 
geneous materials;  many  composed  of 
Jews  and  Gentiles  mingled  together, 
with  conflicting  prejudices,  habits,  pre- 
ferences ;  many  of  them  were  composed 
of  those  who  had  been  gathered  from 
the  lowest  ranks  of  life  ;  and  questions 
would  be  constantly  occurring  lelating 
to  their  order  and  discipline  in  which 
Paul  would  feel  a  deep  interest,  and 
which  would  naturally  be  referred  to 
him  for  decision.  Besides  this,  they 
had  many  trials.  They  were  persecuted, 
and  would  suffer  much.  In  their  suffer- 
ings Paul  would  feel  deep  sympathy, 
and  would  desire,  as  far  as  possible,  to 
afford  them  relief.  In  addition  to  the 
churches  which  he  had  planted,  he 
would  feel  an  interest  in  all  others, 
and  doubtless  many  cases  would  be  re- 
ferred to  him  as  an  eminent  apostle 
for  counsel  and  advice.  No  wonder 
that  all  this  came  rushing  on  him  like 


240 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


29  Who  a  is  weak,  and  I  am 
not  weak  ?  who  is  offended,  and 
I  burn  not  ? 

a  1  Co.  9.  22. 


a  tumultuous  assembly  ready  to  over- 
power him. 

29.  Who  is  weak,  &c.  I  sympathize 
with  all.  I  feel  where  others  feel,  and 
their  sorrows  excite  deep  sympathetic 
emotions  in  my  bosom.  Like  a  tender 
and  compassionate  friend  I  am  affected 
when  I  see  others  in  circumstances  of 
distress.  The  word  weak  here  may 
refer  to  any  want  of  strength,  any  in- 
firmity or  feebleness  arising  either  from 
body  or  mind.  It  may  include  all  who 
were  feeble  by  persecution  or  by  disease ; 
or  it  may  refer  to  the  weak  in  faith  and 
doubtful  about  their  duty  (see  1  Cor. 
ix.  22),  and  to  those  who  were  bur- 
dened with  mental  sorrows.  The  idea 
is,  that  Paul  had  a  deep  spmpathy  in  all 
who  needed  such  sympathy  from  any 
cause.  And  the  statement  here  shows 
the  depth  of  feeling  of  this  great  apostle ; 
and  shows  what  should  be  the  feeling 
of  every  pastor.  See  Note  on  Rom. 
xii.  15.  If  And  I  am  not  weak?  I 
share  his  feelings  and  sympathize  with 
him.  If  he  suffers,  I  suffer.  Bloom- 
field  supposes  that  Paul  means  that  in 
the  case  of  those  who  were  weak  in  the 
faith  he  accommodated  himself  to  their 
weakness  and  thus  became  all  things  to 
all  men.  See  my  Note  on  1  Cor.  ix.  22. 
But  it  seems  to  me  probable  that  he 
uses  the  phrase  here  in  a  more  general 
sense,  as  denoting  that  he  sympathized 
with  those  who  were  weak  and  feeble 
in  all  their  circumstances.  If  Who  is 
offended  (<rK*.vScLKi£ira.t).  Who  is  scan- 
dalized. The  word  means  properly  to 
cause  to  stumble  and  fall ;  hence  to  be 
a  stumbling-block  to  any  one ;  to  give 
or  cause  offence  to  any  one.  The  idea 
here  seems  to  be,  '  who  is  liable  to  be 
led  astray  ;  who  has  temptations  and 
trials  that  are  likely  to  lead  him  to  sin 
or  to  cause  him  to  fall,  and  I  do  not 
burn  with  impatience  to  restore  him,  or 
with  indignation  against  the  tempter  V 
In  all  such  cases  Paul  deeply  sympa- 
thized with  them,  and  was  prompt  to 


30  If  I  must  needs  glory,  I 
will  b  glory  of  the  things  which 
concern  mine  infirmities. 


be.  12.5,9,  10. 


aid  them.  ^  And  I  burn  not  ?  That 
is,  with  anger  or  with  great  agitation 
of  mind  at  learning  that  any  one  had 
fallen  into  sin.  This  may  either  mean 
that  he  would  burn  with  indignation 
against  those  who  had  led  them  into 
sin,  or  be  deeply  excited  in  view  of  the 
disgrace  which  would  be  thus  brought 
on  the  Christian  cause.  In  either  case  it 
means  that  his  mind  would  be  in  a  glow 
of  emotion ;  he  would  feel  deeply ;  he 
could  not  look  upon  such  things  with 
indifference  or  without  being  deeply 
agitated.  With  all  he  sympathized ; 
and  the  condition  of  all,  whether  in  a 
state  of  feeble  faith,  or  feeble  body,  or 
falling  into  sin,  excited  the  deepest  emo- 
tions in  his  mind.  The  truth  here  taught 
is,  that  Paul  felt  a  deep  sympathy  for 
all  others  who  bore  the  Christian  name, 
and  this  sympathy  for  others  greatly  in- 
creased the  cares  and  toils  of  the  apos- 
tolic office  which  he  sustained.  But 
having  given  this  exposition,  candour 
compels  me  to  acknowledge  that  the 
whole  verse  may  mean, '  Who  is  feeble 
in  the  faith  in  regard  to  certain  observ- 
ances and  rites  and  customs  (1  Cor. 
ix.  22),  and  I  do  not  also  evince  the 
same  ]  I  do  not  rouse  their  prejudices, 
or  wound  their  feelings,  or  alarm  them. 
On  the  other  hand,  who  is  scandalized, 
or  led  into  sin  oy  tne  example  of  others 
in  regard  to  such  custom  ;  who  is  led 
by  the  example  of  others  into  transgres- 
ion,  and  I  do  not  burn  with  indignation  !' 
In  either  case,  however,  the  general 
sense  is,  that  he  sympathized  with  all 
others. 

30.  If  I  must  needs  glory.  It  is 
unpleasant  for  me  to  boast,  but  i  ircum- 
stances  have  compelled  me.  But  since 
I  am  compelled,  I  will  not  boast  of  my 
rank,  or  talents,  but  of  that  which  is 
regarded  by  some  as  an  infirmity. 
If  Mine  infirmities.  Greek,  •  The  things 
of  my  weakness.'  The  word  here  used 
is  derived  from  the  same  word  which 
is  rendered     weak/   in   ver.  29.     He 


k.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


241 


31  The  God"  and  Father  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  which  h 

a  Ga.  1.  3.  b  Ro.  9.  5. 

intends  doubtless  to  refer  here  to  what 
had  preceded  in  his  enumeration  of  the 
trials  which  he  had  endured.  He  had 
spoken  of  sufferings.  He  had  endured 
much.  He  had  also  spoken  of  that 
tenderness  of  feeling  which  prompted 
him  to  sympathize  so  deeply  when 
others  suffered.  He  admitted  that  he 
often  wept,  and  trembled,  and  glowed 
with  strong  feelings  on  occasions  which 
perhaps  to  many  would  not  seem  to 
call  for  such  strong  emotions,  and  which 
they  might  be  disposed  to  set  down  as 
a  weakness  or  infirmity.  This  might 
especially  be  the  case  among  the  Greeks, 
where  many  philosophers,  as  the  Stoics, 
were  disposed  to  regard  all  sympathetic 
feeling,  and  all  sensitiveness  to  suffering 
as  an  infirmity.  But  Paul  admitted 
that  he  was  disposed  to  glory  in  this 
alone.  He  gloried  that  he  had  suffered 
so  much ;  that  he  had  endured  so  many 
trials  on  account  of  Christianity,  and 
that  he  had  a  mind  that  was  capable 
of  feeling  for  others  and  of  entering 
into  their  sorrows  and  trials.  Well 
might  he  do  this,  for  there  is  no  more 
lovely  feature  in  the  mind  of  a  virtuous 
man,  and  there  is  no  more  lovely  influ- 
ence of  Christianity  than  this,  that  it 
teaches  us  to  "  bear  a  brother's  woes," 
and  to  sympathize  in  all  the  sorrows 
and  joys  of  others.  Philosophy  and  in- 
fidelity may  be  dissocial,  cheerless,  cold  ; 
but  it  is  not  so  with  Christianity.  Phi- 
losophy may  snap  asunder  all  the  cords 
which  bind  us  to  the  living  world,  but 
Christianity  strengthens  these  cords ; 
cold  and  cheerless  atheism  and  skepticism 
may  teach  us  to  look  with  unconcern 
on  a  suffering  world,  but  it  is  the  glory 
of  Christianity  that  it  teaches  us  to  feel 
An  interest  in  the  weal  or  wo  of  the 
obscurest  man  that  lives,  to  rejoice  in 
his  joy  and  to  weep  in  his  sorrows. 

31.   The  God  and  Father,  &c.  Paul 

was  accustomed  to  make  solemn  appeals 

to  God  for  the  truth  of  what  he  said, 

especially  when  it  was  likely  to  be  call- 

21 


is  blessed  forevermore,  knoweth 
c  that  I  lie  not. 

c  1  Th.  2.  5. 


ed  in  question.  See  ver.  10.  Comp. 
Rom.  ix.  1.  The  solemn  appeal  which 
he  here  makes  to  God  is  made  in  view 
of  what  he  had  just  said  of  his  suffer- 
ings, not  of  what  follows — for  there  was 
nothing  in  the  occurrence  at  Damascus 
that  demanded  so  solemn  an  appeal  to 
God.  The  reason  of  this  asseveration 
is  probably  that  the  transactions  to  which 
he  had  referred  were  known  to  but 
few,  and  perhaps  not  all  of  them  to 
even  his  best  friends;  that  his  trials 
and  calamities  had  been  so  numerous 
and  extraordinary  that  his  enemies 
would  say  that  they  were  improbable, 
and  that  all  this  had  been  the  mere 
fruit  of  exaggeration;  and  as  he  had 
no  witnesses  to  appeal  to  for  the  truth 
of  what  he  said,  he  makes  a  solemn 
appeal  to  the  ever-blessed  God.  This 
appeal  is  made  with  great  reverence. 
It  is  not  rash,  or  bold,  and  is  by  no  means 
irreverent  or  profane.  He  appeals  to 
God  as  the  Father  of  the  Redeemer 
whom  he  so  much  venerated  and  lcved, 
and  as  himself  blessed  forevermore.  If 
all  appeals  to  God  were  made  on  as 
important  occasions  as  this,  and  with 
the  same  profound  veneration  and  reve- 
rence, such  appeals  would  never  be 
improper,  and  we  should  never  be  shock- 
ed as  we  are  often  now  when  men  ap- 
peal to  God.  This  passage  proves  that 
an  appeal  to  God  on  great  occasions 
is  not  improper ;  it  proves  also  that  it 
should  be  done  with  profound  venera- 
tion. 

32.  At  Damascus.  This  circum- 
stance is  mentioned  as  an  additional 
trial.  It  is  evidently  mentioned  as  an 
instance  of  peril  which  had  escaped  his 
recollection  in  the  rapid  account  of 
his  dangers  enumerated  in  the  previous 
verses.  It  is  designed  to  show  what 
imminent  danger  he  was  in,  and  how 
narrowly  he  escaped  with  his  life.  On 
the  situation  of  Damascus,  see  Note, 
Acts  ix.  2.  The  transaction  here  re- 
ferred to  is  also  related  by  Luke  (Acts 


243 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


32  In  Damascus  a  the  governor 
under  Aretas  the  king  kept  the 

a  Ac.  9.  24, 25. 

ix.  24,  25),  though  without  mentioning 
the  name  of  the  king,  or  referring  to 
the  fact  that  the  governor  kept  the  city 
with  a  garrison.  1  The  governor. 
Greek,  o  i&vde,x>x,  The  ethnarch  ,-  pro- 
perly a  ruler  of  the  people,  a  prefect,  a 
ruler,  a  chief.  Who  he  was  is  unknown, 
though  he  was  evidently  some  officer 
under  the  king.  It  is  not  improbable 
that  he  was  a  Jew,  or  at  any  rate  he 
was  one  who  could  be  influenced  by 
the  Jews,  and  who  was  doubtless  ex- 
cited by  the  Jews  to  guard  the  city,  and 
if  possible  to  take  Paul  as  a  malefactor. 
Luke  informs  us  (Acts  ix.  23,  24)  that 
the  Jews  took  counsel  against  Paul  to 
kill  him,  and  that  they  watched  the 
gates  night  and  day  to  effect  their 
object  They  doubtless  represented 
Paul  as  an  apostate,  and  as  aiming  to 
overthrow  their  religion.  He  had  come 
with  an  important  commission  to  Da- 
mascus and  had  failed  to  execute  it; 
he  had  become  the  open  friend  of  those 
whom  he  came  to  destroy  ;  and  they 
doubtless  claimed  of  the  civil  authori- 
ties of  Damascus  that  he  should  be 
given  up  and  taken  to  Jerusalem  for 
trial.  It  was  not  difficult,  therefore,  to 
secure  the  co-operation  of  the  governor 
of  the  city  in  the  case,  and  there  is  no 
improbability  in  the  statement  %  Un- 
der Aretas  the  king.  There  were  three 
kings  of  this  name  who  are  particularly 
mentioned  by  ancient  writers.  The 
first  is  mentioned  in  2  Mac.  v.  8,  as  the 
"  king  of  the  Arabians."  He  lived  about 
170  years  before  Christ,  and  of  course 
could  not  be  the  one  referred  to  here. 
The  second  is  mentioned  in  Josephus, 
Ant.  b.  xiii.  ch.  xv.  §  2.  He  is  first 
mentioned  as  having  reigned  in  Ccelo- 
Syria,  but  as  being  called  to  the  govern- 
ment of  Damascus  by  those  who  dwelt 
there,  on  account  of  the  hatred  which 
they  bore  to  Ptolemy  Meneus.  Whis- 
ton  remarks  in  a  note  on  Josephus, 
that  this  was  the  first  king  of  the  Ara- 
bians who  took  Damascus  and  reigned 


city  of  the  Damascenes  with  a 
garrison,  desirous  to  apprehend 
me  : 


there,  and  that  this  name  afterwards  be- 
came common  to  such  Arabian  kings  as 
reigned  at  Damascus  and  at  Petra.  Sea 
Josephus,  Ant.  b.  xvi.  ch.  ix.  §  4.  Of 
course  this  king  reigned  some  time  be 
fore  the  transaction  here  referred  to  by 
Paul.  A  third  king  of  this  name,  says 
Rosenmuller,  is  the  one  mentioned  here. 
He  was  the  father-in-law  of  Herod 
Antipas.  He  made  war  with  his  son 
in-law  Herod  because  he  had  repudiated 
his  daughter,  the  wife  of  Herod.  This 
he  had  done  in  order  to  marry  his 
brother  Philip's  wife.  See  Note,  Matt 
xiv.  3.  On  this  account  Aretas  made 
war  with  Herod,  and  in  order  to  resist 
him,  Herod  applied  to  Tiberius  the  Ro- 
man emperor  for  aid.  Vitellius  was 
sent  by  Tiberius  to  subdue  Aretas,  and 
to  bring  him  dead  or  alive  to  Rome. 
But  before  Vitellius  had  embarked  in 
the  enterprise,  Tiberius  died,  and  thus 
Aretas  was  saved  from  ruin.  It  is  sup- 
posed that  in  this  state  of  things,  when 
thus  waging  war  with  Herod,  he  made 
an  incursion  to  Syria  and  seized  upon 
Damascus,  where  he  was  reigning  when 
Paul  went  there ;  or  if  not  reigning 
there  personally,  he  had  appointed  an 
ethnarch  or  governor  who  administered 
the  affairs  of  the  city  in  his  place. 
1  Kept  the  city,  &c.  Luke  (Actsix. 
24)  says  that  they  watched  the  gates 
day  and  night  to  kill  him.  This  was 
probably  the  Jews.  Meantime  the 
ethnarch  guarded  the  city, .to  prevent 
his  escape.  The  Jews  would  have  kill- 
ed him  at  once;  the  ethnarch  wished 
to  apprehend  him  and  bring  him  to 
trial.  In  either  case  Paul  had  much  to 
fear,  and  he,  therefore,  embraced  the 
only  way  of  escape.  \  With  a  garrison. 
The  word  which  is  used  here  in  the 
original  (q^vgia)  means  simply  to  watch ; 
to  guard;  to  keep.  Our  translation 
would  seem  tb  imply  that  there  was  a 
body  of  men  stationed  in  order  to  guard 
the  city.  The  true  idea  is,  that  there 
were  men  who  were  appointed  to  guard 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


243 


33    And   through    a   window 
in   a   basket   was    I    let   down 


the  gates  of  the  city  and  to  keep  watch 
lest  he  should  escape  them.  Damascus 
was  surrounded,  as  all  ancient  cities 
were,  with  high  walls,  and  it  did  not 
occur  to  them  that  he  could  escape  in 
any  other  way  than  by  the  gates. 

33.  And  through  a  windoiv.  That 
is,  through  a  little  door  or  aperture  in 
the  wall ;  perhaps  something  like  an 
embrasure,  that  might  have  been  large 
enough  to  allow  a  man  to  pass  through 
it  Luke  says  (Acts  ix.  25)  that  they 
let  him  down  "by  the  wall."  But  there 
is  no  inconsistency.  They  doubtless 
first  passed  him  through  the  embrasure 
or  loop-hole  in  the  wall,  and  then  let 
him  down  gently  by  the  side  of  it. 
Luke  does  not  say  it  was  over  the  top 
of  the  wall,  but  merely  that  he  descended 
by  the  wall.  It  is  not  probable  that  an 
embrasure  or  opening  would  be  near 
the  bottom,  and  consequently  there 
would  be  a  considerable  distance  for 
him  to  descend  by  the  side  of  the  wall 
after  he  had  passed  through  the  window. 
Bloomfield,  however,  supposes  that  the 
phrase  employed  by  Luke  and  rendered 
"  by  the  wall,"  means  properly  "  through 
the  wall."  But  I  prefer  the  former  in- 
terpretation. 1  In  a  basket.  The  word 
here  used  (o-x^ydvn)  means  any  thing 
braided  or  twisted  ;  hence  a  rope-basket, 
a  net-work  of  cords,  or  a  wicker  ham- 
per. It  might  have  been  such  an  one 
as  was  used  for  catching  fish,  or  it  might 
have  been  made  for  the  occasion.  The 
word  used  by  Luke  (Acts  ix.  25)  is 
(t-ttw^/c — a  word  usually  meaning  a 
basket  for  storing  grain,  provisions,  &c. 
Where  Paul  went  immediately  after  he 
had  escaped  them,  he  does  not  here  say. 
From  Gal.  i.  17,  it  appears  that  he  went 
into  Arabia,  where  he  spent  some  time, 
and  then  returned  to  Damascus,  and  after 
three  years  he  went  up  to  Jerusalem. 
It  would  not  have  been  safe  to  have 
gone  to  Jerusalem  at  once,  and  he  there- 
fore waited  for  the  passions  of  the  Jews 
to  have  time  to  cool,  before  he  ventured 
himself  again  in  their  hands. 


by   the   wall,   and  escaped   his 
hands. 


REMARKS. 

1.  There  may  be  circumstances,  but 
they  are  rare,  in  which  it  may  be  proper 
to  speak  of  our  own  attainments,  and 
of  our  own  doings,  ver.  1.  Boasting 
is  in  general  nothing  but  folly — the 
fruit  of  pride — but  there  may  be  situa- 
tions when  to  state  what  we  have  done 
may  be  necessary  to  the  vindication  of 
our  own  character,  and  may  tend  to 
honour  God.  Then  we  should  do  it ; 
not  to  trumpet  forth  our  own  fame,  but 
to  glorify  God  and  to  advance  his  cause. 
Occasions  occur  however  but  rarely  in 
which  it  is  proper  to  speak  in  this  man- 
ner of  ourselves. 

2.  The  church  should  be  pure.  It 
is  the  bride  of  the  Redeemer;  the 
"  Lamb's  wife."  ver.  2.  It  is  soon  to 
be  presented  to  Christ,  soon  to  be  ad- 
mitted to  his  presence.  How  holy 
should  be  that  church  which  sustains 
such  a  relation !  How  anxious  to  be 
worthy  to  appear  before  the  son  of 
God! 

3.  All  the  individual  members  of 
that  church  should  be  holy.  ver.  2.  They 
as  individuals  are  soon  to  be  presented 
in  heaven  as  the  fruit  of  the  labours  of 
the  Son  of  God,  and  as  entitled  to  his 
eternal  love.  How  pure  should  be  the 
lips  that  are  soon  to  speak  his  praise  in 
heaven ;  how  pure  the  eyes  that  are  soon 
to  behold  his  glory ;  how  holy  the  feet 
that  are  soon  to  tread  his  courts  in  the 
heavenly  world ! 

4.  There  is  great  danger  of  being 
corrupted  from  the  simplicity  that  is  in 
Christ,  ver.  3.  Satan  desires  to  destroy 
us ;  and  his  great  object  is  readily  ac- 
complished if  he  can  seduce  Christians 
from  simple  devotedness  to  the  Redeem 
er  ;  if  he  can  secure  corruption  in  doc- 
trine or  in  the  manner  of  worship,  and 
can  produce  conformity  in  dress  and  in 
the  style  of  living  to  this  world.  For- 
merly he  excited  persecution.  But  in 
that  he  was  foiled.  The  more  the 
church  was  persecuted  the  more  it 
grew.     Then  he  changed  his  ground 


244 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


What  he  could  not  do  by  persecution 
he  sought  to  do  by  corrupting  the 
church ;  and  in  this  he  has  been  by  far 
more  successful.  This  can  be  done 
slowly  but  certainly ;  effectually  but 
without  exciting  suspicion.  And  it 
matters  not  to  Satan  whether  the  church 
is  crippled  by  persecution  or  its  zeal  de- 
stroyed by  false  doctrine  and  by  con- 
formity to  the  world.  His  aim  is  se- 
cured ;  and  the  power  of  the  church 
destroyed.  The  form  in  which  he  now 
assails  the  church  is  by  attempting  to 
seduce  it  from  simple  and  hearty  attach- 
ment to  the  Saviour.  And,  O  !  in  how 
many  instances  is  he  successful. 

5.  Our  religion  has  cost  much  suffer- 
ing. We  have  in  this  chapter  a  detail 
of  extraordinary  trials  and  sorrows  in 
establishing  it ;  and  we  have  reason 
to  be  thankful,  in  some  degree,  that  the 
enemies  of  Paul  made  it  necessary  for 
him  to  boast  in  this  manner.  We 
have  thus  some  most  interesting  de- 
tails of  facts  of  which  otherwise  we 
should  have  been  ignorant;  and  we 
see  that  the  life  of  Paul  was  a  life  of 
continual  self-denial  and  toil.  By  sea 
and  land  ;  at  home  and  abroad  ;  among 
his  own  countrymen  and  strangers,  he 
was  subjected  to  continued  privations 
and  persecution.  So  it  has  been  al- 
ways in  regard  to  the  establishment  of 
the  gospel.  It  began  its  career  in  the 
sufferings  of  its  great  Author,  and  the 
foundation  of  the  church  was  laid  in 
his  blood.  It  progressed  amidst  suffer- 
ings, for  all  the  apostles,  except  John, 
it  is  supposed  were  martyrs.  It 
continued  to  advance  amidst  suffer- 
ings— for  ten  fiery  persecutions  raged 
throughout  the  Roman  empire,  and 
thousands  died  in  consequence  of  their 
professed  attachment  to  the  Saviour. 
It  has  been  always  propagated  in  hea- 
then lands  by  self-denials  and  sacrifices, 
for  the  life  of  a  missionary  is  that  of 
sacrifice  and  toil.  How  many  such 
men  as  David  Brainerd  and  Henry 
Martyn  have  sacrificed  their  lives  in 
order  to  extend  the  true  religion  around 
the  world  ! 

6.  All  that  we  enjoy  is  the  fruit  of 
the   sufferings,  toils,  and   sacrifices  of 


others.  We  have  not  one  Christian 
privilege  or  hope  which  has  not  cost 
the  life  of  many  a  martyr.     How  thank- 

;  ful  should  we  be  to  God  that  he  was 
pleased  to  raise  up  men  who  would 
be  willing  thus,  to  suffer,  and  that  he 
sustained  and  kept  them  until  their  work 

;  was  accomplished ! 

7.  We  may  infer   the  sincerity  of 

j  the  men  engaged  in  propagating  the 
i  Christian  religion.  What  had  Paul  to 
;  gain  in  the  sorrows  which  he  endured] 
Why  did  he  not  remain  in  his  own 
j  land  and  reap  the  honours  which  were 
then  fully  within  his  grasp  ?  The  an- 
swer is  an  easy  one.  It  was  because 
he  believed  that  Christianity  was  true ; 
and  believing  that,  he  believed  that  it 
was  of  importance  to  make  it  known  to 
the  world.  Paul  did  not  endure  these 
sorrows,  and  encounter  these  perils  for 
the  sake  of  pleasure,  honour,  or  gain. 
No  man  who  reads  this  chapter  can 
doubt  that  he  was  sincere,  and  that  he 
was  an  honest  man. 

8.  The  Christian  religion  is,  therefore, 
true.  Not  because  the  first  preachers 
were  sincere — for  the  advocates  of  error 
are  often  sincere,  and  are  willing  to 
suffer  much  or  even  to  die  as  martyrs ; 
but  because  this  was  a  case  when  their 
sincerity  proved  the  facts  in  regard  to 
the  truth  of  Christianity.  It  was  not 
sincerity  in  regard  to  opinions  merely,  it 
was  in  regard  to  facts.  They  not  only 
believed  that  the  Messiah  had  come  and 
died  and  risen  again,  but  they  saw  him — 
saw  him  when  he  lived  ;  saw  him  die  ; 
saw  him  after  he  was  risen  ;  and  it  was 
in  relation  to  these  facts  that  they  were 
sincere.  But  how  could  they  be  de- 
ceived here  1  Men  may  be  deceived  in 
their  opinions ;  but  how  could  John, 
e.  g.,  be  deceived  in  affirming  that  he 
was  intimately  acquainted — the  bosom 
friend — with  Jesus  of  Nazareth  ;  that 
he  saw  him  die ;  and  that  he  conversed 
with  him  after  he  had  died  ]  In  this 
he  could  not  be  mistaken  ;  and  sooner 
than  deny  this,  John  would  have  spent 
his  whole  life  in  a  cave  in  Patmos,  or 

J  have  died  on  the  cross  or  at  the  stake. 
j  But  if  John  saw  all  this,  then  the  Chris- 
i  tian  religion  is  true. 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  XII. 


245 


9.  We  should  be  willing  to  suffer 
now.  If  Paul  and  the  other  apostles 
were  willing  to  endure  so  much,  why 
should  not  we  be  1  If  they  were  will- 
ing to  deny  themselves  so  much  in  order 
that  the  gospel  should  be  spread  among 
the  nations,  why  should  not  we  be  1  It 
is  now  just  as  important  that  it  should 
be  spread  as  it  was  then  ;  and  the  church 
should  be  just  as  willing  to  sacrifice  its 
comforts  to  make  the  gospel  known  as 
it  was  in  the  days  of  Paul.  We  may 
add,  also,  that  if  there  was  the  same  de- 
votedness  to  Christ  evinced  by  all  Chris- 
tians now  which  is  described  in  this 
chapter;  if  there  was  the  same  zeal  and 
self-denial,  the  time  would  not  be  far 
distant  when  the  gospel  would  be  spread 
all  around  the  world.  May  the  time 
soon  come  when  all  Christians  shall 
have  the  same  self-denial  as  Paul ;  and 
especially  when  all  who  enter  the  mi- 
nistry shall  be  willing  to  forsake 
country  and  home,  and  to  encounter 
peril  in  the  city  and  the  wilderness  ;  on 
the  sea  and  the  land  ;  to  meet  cold,  and 
nakedness,  hunger,  thirst,  persecution, 
and  death  in  any  way  in  order  that  they 
may  make  known  the  name  of  the  Sa- 
viour to  a  lost  world. 

CHAPTER  XII. 

This  chapter  is  a  continuation  of  the 
same  general  subject  which  was  discuss- 
ed in  the  two*  previous  chapters.  The 
general  design  of  the  apostle  is,  to  de- 
fend himself  from  the  charges  brought 
against  him  in  Corinth,  and  especially, 
as  would  appear,  from  the  charge  that 
he  had  no  claims  to  the  character  of  an 
apostle.  In  the  previous  chapters  he 
had  met  these  charges,  and  had  shown 
that  he  had  just  cause  to  be  bold  to- 
wards them;  that  he  had  in  his  life 
given^evidence  that  he  was  called  to 
this  work,  and  especially  that  by  his 
successes  and  by  his  sufferings  he  had 
showed  that  he  had  evidence  that  he 
had  been  truly  engaged  in  the  work  of 
the  Lord  Jesus. 

This  chapter  contains  the  following 
subjects, 

1.  Paul  appeals  to  another  evidence 
that  he  was  engaged  in  the  apostolic 
21* 


office — an  evidence  to  which  none  of 
his  accusers  could  appeal — that  he  had 
been  permitted  to  behold  the  glories  of 
the  heavenly  world,  ver.  1 — 10.  In 
the  previous  chapter  he  had  mentioned 
his  trials.  Here  he  says  (ver.  1),  that 
as  they  had  compelled  him  to  boast,  he 
would  mention  the  revelation  which 
he  had  had  of  the  Lord.  He  details, 
therefore,  the  remarkable  vision  which 
he  had  had  several  years  before  (ver. 
2 — 4),  when  he  was  caught  up  to  hea- 
ven, and  permitted  to  behold  the  wonders 
there.  Yet  he  says,  that  lest  such  an 
extraordinary  manifestation  should  exalt 
him  above  measure,  he  was  visited  with 
a  sore  and  peculiar  trial — a  trial  from 
which  he  prayed  earnestly  to  be  deli- 
vered, but  that  he  received  answer  that 
the  grace  of  God  would  be  sufficient  to 
support  him.  ver.  5 — 9.  It  was  in  view 
of  this,  he  says  (ver.  10)  that  he  had 
pleasure  in  infirmities  and  sufferings  in 
the  cause  of  the  Redeemer. 

2.  He  then  (ver.  11,12)  sums  up 
what  he  had  said ;  draws  the  conclusion 
that  he  had  given  every  sign  or  evidence 
that  he  was  an  apostle  ;  that  in  all  that 
pertained  to  toil,  and  patience,  and  mira- 
cles, he  had  shown  that  he  was  com 
missioned  by  the  Saviour ;  though  with 
characteristic  modesty  he  said  he  was 
nothing. 

3.  He  then  expresses  his  purpose  to 
come  again  and  see  them,  and  his  in- 
tention then  not  to  be  burdensome  to 
them.  ver.  13 — 15.  He  was  willing  to 
labour  for  them,  and  to  exhaust  his 
strength  in  endeavouring  to  promote 
their  welfare  without  receiving  support 
from  them,  for  he  regarded  himself  in 
the  light  of  a  father  to  them,  and  it  was 
not  usual  for  children  to  support  their 
parents. 

4.  In  connexion  with  this,  he  answers 
another  charge  against  himself.  Some 
accused  him  of  being  crafty ;  that  though 
he  did  not  burden  them,  yet  he  kntw 
well  how  to  manage  so  as  to  secure 
what  he  wanted  without  burdening 
them,  or  seeming  to  receive  any  thing 
from  them.  ver.  16.  To  this  he  answers 
by  an  appeal  to  fact.  Particularly  he 
appeals  to  the  conduct  of  Titus  when 


246 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


CHAPTER  XII. 
TT    is   not   expedient   for   me 
•*■   doubtless  to  glory.     *  I  will 

i  For  I  will. 

with  them,  in  full  proof  that  he  had  no 
such  design,  ver.  17 — 19. 

5.  In  the  conclusion  of  the  chapter, 
he  expresses  his  fear  that  when  he 
should  come  among  them  he  would 
find  much  that  would  humble  them, 
and  give  him  occasion  for  severity  of 
discipline,  ver.  20,  21.  This  appre- 
hension is  evidently  expressed  in  order 
that  they  might  be  led  to  examine  them- 
selves, and  to  put  away  whatever  was 
wrong. 

1.  It  is  not  expedient.  It  is  not  well ; 
it  does  not  become  me.  This  may  either 
mean  that  he  felt  and  admitted  that  it 
did  not  become  him  to  boast  in  this 
manner ;  that  there  was  an  impropriety 
in  his  doing  it  though  circumstances 
had  compelled  him,  and  in  this  sense 
it  is  understood  by  nearly,  or  quite,  all 
expositors ;  or  it  may  be  taken  ironically. 
'Such  a  man  as  I  am  ought  not  to 
boast.  So  you  say,  and  so  it  would 
seem.  A  man  who  has  done  no  more 
than  I  have ;  who  has  suffered  nothing ; 
who  has  been  idle  and  at  ease  as  I  have 
been,  ought  surely  not  to  boast.  And 
since  there  is  such  an  evident  impro- 
priety in  my  boasting  and  speaking 
about  myself,  I  will  turn  to  another 
matter,  and  inquire  whether  the  same 
thing  may  not  be  said  about  visions  and 
revelations.  I  will  speak,  therefore,  of 
a  man  who  had  some  remarkable  reve- 
lations, and  inquire  whether  he  has  any 
right  to  boast  of  the  favours  imparted 
to  him.'  This  seems  to  me  to  be  the 
probable  interpretation  of  this  passage. 
1  To  glory.  To  boast,  ch.  x.  8.  13  ; 
xi.  1 0.  One  of  the  charges  which  they 
alleged  against  him  was,  that  he  was 
given  to  boasting  without  any  good 
reason.  After  the  enumeration  in  the 
previous  chapter  of  what  he  had  done 
and  suffered,  he  says  that  this  was 
doubtless  very  true.  Such  a  man  had 
nothing  to  boast  of.  %  I  will  come. 
Marg.  "For  I  will."    Our  translators 


come  to  visions  and  revelations 
of  the  Lord. 

2  I  knew  a  man  in  a  Christ 

a  Ro.  16.  7. 

have  omitted  the  word  (  ya£)  for  in  the 
text,  evidently  supposing  that  it  is  a 
mere  expletive.  Doddridge  renders  it, 
"  nevertheless."  But  it  seems  to  me 
that  it  contains  an  important  sense,  and 
that  it  should  be  rendered  by  thex. 
'  Since  it  is  not  fit  that  I  should  glory, 
then  I  will  refer  to  visions,  &c.  I  will 
turn  away  then  from  that  subject,  and 
come  to  another.'  Thus  the  word  (ya$) 
is  used  in  John  vii.  41.  "Shall  the?*" 
(/mil  ya%)  Christ  come  out  of  Galilee  V* 
Acts  viii.  31.  "How  can  I  thett 
(jtvLc  yvLg)  except  some  man  should  guide 
me !  See  also  Acts  xix.  35.  Rom. 
hi.  3.  Phil.  i.  18.  %  To  visions.  The 
word  vision  is  used  in  the  Scriptures 
often  to  denote  the  mode  in  which 
divine  communications  were  usually 
made  to  men.  This  was  done  by 
causing  some  scene  to  appear  to  pass 
before  the  mind  as  in  a  landscape,  so 
that  the  individual  seemed  to  see  a  repre- 
sentation of  what  was  to  occur  in  some 
future  period.  It  was  usually  applied 
to  prophecy,  and  is  often  used  in  the 
Old  Testament.  See  my  Note  on  Isa. 
i.  1,  and  also  on  Acts  ix.  10.  The 
vision  which  Paul  here  refers  to  was 
that  which  he  was  permitted  to  have 
of  the  heavenly  world,  ver.  4.  He  was 
permitted  to  see  what  perhaps  no  other 
mortal  had  seen,  the  glory  of  heaven. 
t  And  revelations  of  the  Lord.  Which 
the  Lord  had  made.  Or  it  may  mean 
manifestations  which  the  Lord  had 
made  of  himself  to  him.  The  word 
rendered  revelations  means  properly  an 
uncovering  (umitdxtj^K,  from  amx.:t\v7r- 
t«,  to  uncover),  and  denotes  a  removal 
of  the  veil  of  ignorance  and  darkness, 
so  that  an  object  may  be  clearly  seen , 
and  is  thus  applied  to  truth  revealed, 
because  the  obscurity  is  removed  tnd 
the  truth  becomes  manifest. 

2.  1  knew  a  man  in  Christ.  I  was 
acquainted  with  a  Christian ;  the  phrase 
"  in  Christ"  meaning  nothing  more  than 


A.  D.  60.1 


CHAPTER  XII. 


247 


about     fourteen     *  years     ago, 

i  A.  D.  46.     Ac.  22.  17. 

that  he  was  united  to  Christ  or  was  a 
Christian.  See  Rom.  xvi.  7.  The  reason 
why  Paul  did  not  speak  of  this  directly 
as  a  vision  which  he  had  himself  seen 
was  probably  that  he  was  accused  of 
boasting,  and  he  had  admitted  that  it 
did  not  become  him  to  glory.  But 
though  it  did  not  become  him  to  boast 
directly,  yet  he  could  tell  them  of  a  man 
concerning  whom  there  would  be  no 
impropriety  evidently  in  boasting.  It 
is  not  uncommon,  moreover,  for  a  man 
to  speak  of  himself  in  the  third  person. 
Thus  Cesar  in  his  Commentaries  uni- 
formly speaks  of  himself.  And  so  John 
in  his  gospel  speaks  of  himself,  ch.  xiii. 
23,  24  ;  xix.  26  ;  xxi.  20.  John  did  it 
on  account  of  his  modesty,  because  he 
would  not  appear  to  put  himself  forward, 
and  because  the  mention  of  his  own 
name  as  connected  with  the  friendship 
of  the  Saviour  in  the  remarkable  man- 
ner in  which  he  enjoyed  it,  might  have 
savoured  of  pride.  For  a  similar  reason 
Paul  may  have  been  unwilling  to  men- 
tion his  own  name  here ;  and  he  may 
have  abstained  from  referring  to  this 
occurrence  elsewhere  because  it  might 
savour  of  pride,  and  might  also  excite  the 
envy  or  ill-will  of  others.  Those  who 
have  been  most  favoured  with  spiritual 
enjoyments  will  not  be  the  most  ready 
to  proclaim  it.  They  will  cherish  the 
remembrance  in  order  to  excite  gratitude 
in  their  own  hearts  and  support  them 
in  trial ;  they  will  not  blazon  it  abroad 
as  if  they  were  more  the  favourites  of 
heaven  than  others  are.  That  this  refers 
to  Paul  himself  is  evident  for  the  fol- 
lowing reasons.  (1.)  His  argument 
required  that  he  should  mention  some- 
thing that  had  occurred  to  himself.  Any 
thing  that  had  occurred  to  another 
would  not  have  been  pertinent.  (2.)  He 
applies  it  directly  to  himself  (ver.  7), 
when  he  says  that  God  took  effectual 
measures  that  he  should  not  be  unduly 
exalted  in  view  of  the  abundant  revela- 
tions bestowed  on  him.  1  About  four- 
teen years  ago.    On  what  occasion  or 


(whether  in  the  body  I  cannot 
tell ;  or  whether  out  of  the  body, 


where  this  occurred,  or  why  he  con- 
cealed the  remarkable  fact  so  long,  and 
why  there  is  no  other  allusion  to  it,  is 
unknown ;  and  conjecture  is  useless. 
If  this  epistle  was  written,  as  is  com- 
monly supposed,  about  the  year  58,  then 
this  occurrence  must  have  happened 
about  the  year  44.  This  was  several 
years  after  his  conversion,  and  of  course 
this  does  not  refer  to  the  trance  men- 
tioned in  Acts  ix.  9,  at  the  time  when 
he  was  converted.  Dr.  Benson  supposes 
that  this  vision  was  made  to  him  when 
he  was  praying  in  the  temple  after  his 
return  to  Jerusalem,w hen  he  was  directed 
to  go  from  Jerusalem  to  the  Gentiles 
(Acts  xxii.  17),  and  that  it  was  intended 
to  support  him  in  the  trials  which  he 
was  about  to  endure.  There  can  be 
little  danger  of  error  in  supposing  that 
its  object  was  to  support  him  in  those 
remarkable  trials,  and  that  God  designed 
to  impart  to  him  such  views  of  heaven 
and  its  glory,  and  of  the  certainty  that 
he  would  soon  be  admitted  there,  as 
to  support  him  in  his  sufferings,  and 
make  him  willing  to  bear  all  that  should 
be  laid  upon  him.  God  often  gives  to 
his  people  some  clear  and  elevated  spirit- 
ual comforts  before  they  enter  into  trials 
as  well  as  while  in  them  ;  he  prepares 
them  for  them  before  they  come.  This 
vision  Paul  had  kept  secret  for  fourteen 
years.  He  had  doubtless  often  thought 
of  it;  and  the  remembrance  of  that 
glorious  hour  was  doubtless  one  of  the 
reasons  why  he  bore  trials  so  patiently 
and  was  willing  to  endure  so  much. 
But  before  this  he  had  had  no  occasion 
to  mention  it.  He  had  other  proofs  in 
abundance  that  he  was  called  to  the 
work  of  an  apostle ;  and  to  mention 
this  would  savour  of  pride  and  ostenta- 
tion. It  was  only  when  he  was  com' 
pelled  to  refer  to  the  evidences  of  his 
apostolic  mission  that  he  refers  to  it  here. 
f  Whether  in  the  body  I  cannot  tell. 
That  is,  I  do  not  pretend  to  explain  it. 
I  do  not  know  how  it  occurred.  With 
the  fact  he  was  acquainted ;  but  how 


248 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60 


I  cannot  tell :   God  knoweth  ;) 


it  was  brought  about  he  did  not  know. 
Whether  the  body  was  caught  up  to 
heaven ;  whether  the  soul  was  for  a  time 
separated  from  the  body;  or  whether 
the  scene  passed  before  the  mind  in  a 
vision,  so  that  he  seemed  to  have  been 
caught  up  to  heaven,  he  does  not  pre- 
tend to  know.  The  evident  idea  is, 
that  at  the  time  he  was  in  a  state 
of  insensibility  in  regard  to  surround- 
ing objects,  and  was  unconscious  of 
what  was  occurring,  as  if  he  had  been 
dead.  Where  Paul  confesses  his  own 
ignorance  of  what  occurred  to  himself 
it  would  be  vain  for  us  to  inquire  ;  and 
the  question  how  this  was  done  is  im- 
material. No  one  can  doubt  that  God 
had  power  if  he  chose  to  transport  the 
body  to  heaven;  or  that  he  had  power 
for  a  time  to  separate  the  soul  from  the 
body ;  or  that  he  had  power  to  represent 
to  the  mind  so  clearly  the  view  of  the 
heavenly  world  that  he  would  appear 
to  see  it.  See  Acts  vii.  56.  It  is  clear 
only  that  he  lost  all  consciousness  of 
any  thing  about  him  at  that  time,  and 
that  he  saw  only  the  things  in  heaven. 
It  may  be  added  here,  however,  that 
Paul  evidently  supposed  that  his  soul 
might  be  taken  to  heaven  without  the 
body,  and  that  it  might  have  separate 
consciousness  and  a  separate  existence. 
He  was  not,  therefore,  a  materialist,  and 
he  did  not  believe  that  the  existence 
and  consciousness  of  the  soul  was  de- 
pendent on  the  body.  %  God  knoweth. 
With  the  mode  in  which  it  was  done 
God  only  could  be  acquainted.  Paul 
did  not  attempt  to  explain  that.  That 
was  to  him  of  comparatively  little  con- 
sequence, and  he  did  not  lose  his  time 
in  a  vain  attempt  to  explain  it  How 
happy  would  it  be  if  all  theologians 
were  as  ready  to  be  satisfied  with  the 
knowledge  of  a  fact,  and  to  leave  the 
mode  of  explaining  it  with  God,  as 
this  prince  of  theologians  was.  Many 
a  man  would  have  busied  himself  with 
a  vain  speculation  about  the  way  in 
which  it  was  done ;  Paul  was  contented 


such  an  one  caught  up  to  the 
third  heaven. 


with  the  fact  that  it  had  occurred. 
1  Such  an  one  caught  up.  The  word 
which  is  here  used  (i:gjra£a>)  means,  to 
seize  upon,  to  snatch  away,  as  wolves 
do  their  prey  (John  xii.  10) ;  or  to 
seize  with  avidity  or  eagerness  (Matt, 
xi.  12)  ;  or  to  carry  away,  to  hurry  off 
by  force  or  involuntarily.  See  John 
vi.  15.  Acts  vii.  39  ;  xxiii.  10.  In  the 
case  before  us  there  is  implied  the  idea 
that  Paul  was  conveyed  by  a  foreign 
force ;  or  that  he  was  suddenly  seized 
and  snatched  up  to  heaven.  The  word 
expresses  the  suddenness  and  the  rapid- 
ity with  which  it  was  done.  Probably  it 
was  instantaneous,  so  that  he  appeared 
at  once  to  be  in  heaven.  Of  the  mode 
in  which  it  was  done  Paul  has  given 
no  explanations ;  and  conjecture  would 
be  useless.  ^  To  the  third  heaven. 
The  Jews  sometimes  speak  of  seven 
heavens,  and  Mahomet  has  borrowed 
this  idea  from  the  Jews.  But  the 
Bible  speaks  of  but  three  heavens,  and 
among  the  Jews  in  the  apostolic  ages, 
also  the  heavens  were  divided  into  three. 
(1.)  The  aerial,  including  the  clouds 
and  the  atmosphere,  the  heavens  above 
us,  until  we  come  to  the  stars.  (2.)  The 
starry  heavens,  the  heavens  in  which 
the  sun,  moon,  and  stars  appear  to  be 
situated.  (3.)  The  heavens  beyond 
the  stars.  That  heaven  was  supposed 
to  be  the  residence  of  God,  of  angels, 
and  of  holy  spirits.  It  was  this  up- 
per heaven,  the  dwelling-place  of  God, 
to  which  Paul  was  taken,  and  whose 
wonders  he  was  permitted  to  behold — 
this  region  where  God  dwelt ;  where 
Christ  was  seated  at  the  right  hand  of  the 
Father,  and  where  the  spirits  of  the  just 
were  assembled.  The  fanciful  opinions 
of  the  Jews  about  seven  heavens  may 
be  seen  detailed  in  Schoettgen  or  in 
Wetstein,  by  whom  the  principal  pas- 
sages from  the  Jewish  writings  relating 
to  the  subject  have  been  collected.  As 
their  opinions  throw  no  light  on  this 
passage,  it  is  unnecessary  to  detail  them 
here. 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  XII. 


249 


3  And  I  knew  such  a  man, 
(whether  in  the  body,  or  out  of 
the  body,  I  cannot  tell :  God 
knoweth ;) 


3.  And  I  knew  such  a  man.  It  is 
not  uncommon  to  repeat  a  solemn 
affirmation  in  order  that  it  may  be  made 
more  emphatic.  This  is  done  here. 
Paul  repeats  the  idea,  that  he  was  in- 
timately acquainted  with  such  a  man, 
and  that  he  did  not  know  whether  he 
was  in  the  body  or  out  of  the  body.  All 
that  was  known  to  God. 

4.  Into  paradise.  The  word  para- 
dise (Tr^odWc?)  occurs  but  three  times 
in  the  New  Testament.  Luke  xxiii. 
43.  2Cor.xii.  4.  Rev.  ii.  7.  It  occurs 
often  in  the  Septuagint,  as  the  trans- 
lation of  the  word  garden.  Gen.  ii.  8, 
9,  10.  15,  16;  hi.  1,2,3.  8.16.23,24; 
xiii.  10.  Num.  xxiv.  6.  Isa.  Ii.  3. 
Ezek.xxviii.  13;  xxxi.  8,  9.  Joel  ii.  3. 
And  also  Isa.  i.  30.  Jer.  xxix.  5;  and 
of  the  word  (diid)  Pardes  in  Neh.  ii.  8. 
Eccl.  ii.  5.  Cant.  ii.  13.  It  is  a  word 
which  had  its  origin  in  the  language  of 
eastern  Asia,  and  which  has  been  adopt- 
ed in  the  Greek,  the  Roman,  and  other 
western  languages.  In  Sanscrit  the  word 
paradesha  means  a  land  elevated  and 
cultivated ;  in  Armenian,  pardes  denotes 
a  garden  around  the  house  planted  with 
trees,  shrubs,  grass  for  use  and  ornament. 
In  Persia,  the  word  denotes  the  plea- 
sure gardens  and  parks  with  wild  ani- 
mals around  the  country  residences  of 
the  monarchs  and  princes.  Hence  it 
denotes  in  general  a  garden  of  pleasure ; 
and  in  the  New  Testament  is  applied 
to  the  abodes  of  the  blessed  after  death, 
the  dwelling-place  of  God  and  of  hap- 
py spirits ;  or  to  heaven  as  a  place  of 
blessedness.  Some  have  supposed  that 
Paul  here  by  the  word  "  paradise"  means 
to  describe  a  different  place  from  that 
denoted  by  the  phrase  "  the  third  hea- 
ven ;"  but  there  is  no  good  reason  for 
this  supposition.  The  only  difference 
is  that  this  word  implies  the  idea  of  a 
place  of  blessedness;  but  the  same 
place  is  undoubtedly  referred  to.    K  And 


4  How  that  he  was  caught  up 
into  paradise,  a  and  heard  un- 
speakable words,  which  it  is  not 
1  lawful  for  a  man  to  utter. 

aLu.  23.  43.    Re.  2.  7.        i  or, possible. 

heard  unspeakable  words.  The  word 
which  is  here  rendered  "  unspeakable" 
(upo»TA)  may  either  mean  what  cannot 
be  spoken,  or  what  ought  not  to  be 
spoken.  The  word  means  unutterable, 
ineffable;  and  whichever  idea  we  attach 
to  it,  Paul  meant  to  say  that  he  could 
not  attempt  by  words  to  do  justice  to 
what  he  saw  and  heard.  The  use  of 
the  word  "words'1  here  would  seem  to 
imply  that  he  heard  the  language  of 
exalted  praise ;  or  that  there  were 
truths  imparted  to  his  mind  which  he 
could  not  hope  to  convey  in  any  lan- 
guage spoken  by  men.  %  Which  it  is 
not  lawful  for  a  man  to  utter.  Marg. 
"Possible."  Witsius  supposes  that  the 
word  i?iv  may  include  both,  and  Dod- 
dridge accords  with  the  interpretation. 
See  also  Robinson's  Lex.  The  word  is 
most  commonly  used  in  the  significa 
tion  of  lawful.  Thus,  Matt.  xiv.  4. 
"  It  is  not  lawful  for  thee  to  have  her." 
Acts  xvi.  21.  "  Which  it  is  not  lawful 
for  us  to  observe;"  xxii.  25.  "Is  it 
lawful  for  you  to  scourge  a  man  that 
is  a  Roman,"  &c.  In  the  same  sense 
of  lawful  it  is  used  in  Matt.  xii.  2.  10. 
12  ;  xx.  15.  Mark  ii.  26  ;  x.  2.  When 
it  refers  to  possibility  it  probably  means 
moral  possibility  ;  that  is,  propriety,  or 
it  means  that  it  is  right.  It  seems  to 
me,  therefore,  that  the  word  here  rather 
means  that  it  was  not  proper  to  give 
utterance  to  those  things ;  it  would  not 
be  right  to  attempt  it.  It  might  be 
also  true  that  it  would  not  have  been 
possible  for  language  to  convey  clearly 
the  ideas  connected  with  the  things  which 
Paul  was  then  permitted  to  see ;  but 
the  main  thought  is,  that  there  was  some 
reason  why  it  would  not  be  proper  for 
him  to  have  attempted  to  communicate 
those  ideas  to  men  at  large.  The  Jews 
held  that  it  was  unlawful  to  pronounce 
the  Tetragrammaton,  i.  e.  the  name  of 
four     letters   (mrr*),   Jehovah  ;     and 


250 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


whenever  that  name  occurred  in  their 
Scriptures,  they  substituted  the  name 
Adonai  in  its  place.  They  maintain 
indeed  that  the  true  pronunciation  is 
utterly  lost,  and  none  of  them  to  this 
day  attempt  to  pronounce  it.  But  this 
was  mere  superstition ;  and  it  is  im- 
possible that  Paul  should  have  been  in- 
fluenced by  any  such  reason  as  this. 

The  ransaction  here  referred  to  is 
very  remarkable.  It  is  the  only  instance 
in  the  Scriptures  of  any  one  who  was 
taken  to  heaven,  either  in  reality  or  in 
vision,  and  who  returned  again  to  the 
earth  and  was  then  qualified  to  commu- 
nicate important  truths  about  the  hea- 
venly world  from  personal  observation. 
Enoch  and  Elijah  were  taken  to  hea- 
ven ;  but  they  returned  not  to  converse 
with  men.  Elijah  appeared  with  Moses 
in  conversation  wilh "Jesus  on  the  mount 
of  transfiguration  ;  but  they  conversed 
with  him  only  about  his  decease,  which 
he  was  about  to  accomplish  at  Jerusa- 
lem. Luke  ix.  31.  There  would  have 
been  no  propriety  for  them  to  have 
spoken  to  Jesus  of  heaven,  for  he  came 
down  from  heaven  and  was  in  heaven 
(John  iii.  13),  and  they  were  not  per- 
mitted to  speak  to  the  disciples  of  hea- 
ven. Lazarus  was  raised  from  the  dead 
(John  xi.),  and  many  of  the  saints 
which  had  slept  in  their  graves  arose  at 
the  death  of  Jesus  (Matt,  xxvii.  52), but 
there  is  no  intimation  that  they  commu- 
nicated any  thing  to  the  living  about 
the  heavenly  world.  Of  all  the  millions 
who  have  been  taken  to  heaven,  not  one 
has  been  permitted  to  return  to  bear 
his  testimony  to  its  glories ;  to  witness 
for  God  that  he  is  faithful  to  his  pro- 
mises; to  encourage  his  pious  friends 
to  persevere;  or  to  invite  his  impenitent 
friends  to  follow  him  to  that  glorious 
world.  And  so  fixed  is  the  law  ;  so 
settled  is  the  principle,  that  even  La- 
zarus was  not  permitted  to  go,  though 
at  the  earnest  request  of  the  rich 
man  in  hell,  and  warn  his  friends 
not  to  follow  him  to  that  world  of  wo. 
Luke  xvi.  27 — 31.  Mahomet  indeed 
feigned  that  he  had  made  a  journey  to 
heaven,  and  he  attempts  to  describe  what 
he  saw;    and  the  difference  between 


true  inspiration  and  false  or  pretended 
inspiration  is  strikingly  evinced  by  the 
difference  between  Paul's  dignified  si- 
lence— verba  sacro  digna  silentio  (Ho~ 
race) — and  the  puerilities  of  the  prophet 
of  Mecca.  See  the  Koran,  ch.  xvii.  As 
the  difference  between  the  true  religion 
and  imposture  is  strikingly  illustrated 
by  this,  we  may  recur  to  the  principal 
events  which  happened  to  the  impostor 
on  this  celebrated  journey.  The  whole 
account  may  be  seen  in  Prideaux's  Life 
of  Mahomet,  p.  43,  seq.  He  solemnly 
affirmed  that  he  had  been  translated  to 
the  heaven  of  heavens ;  that  on  a  white 
beast,  less  than  a  mule,  but  larger  than 
an  ass,  he  had  been  conveyed  from  the 
temple  of  Mecca  to  that  of  Jerusalem  ; 
had  successively  ascended  the  seven 
heavens  with  his  companion  Gabriel, 
receiving  and  returning  the  salutations 
of  its  blessed  inhabitants;  had  then 
proceeded  alone  within  two  bow-shots 
of  the  throne  of  the  Almighty,  when  he 
felt  a  cold  which  pierced  him  to  the 
heart,  and  was  touched  on  the  shoulder 
by  the  hand  of  God,  who  commanded 
him  to  pray  fifty  times  a  day,  but  with 
the  advice  of  Moses  he  was  prevailed 
on  to  have  the  number  reduced  to  five ; 
and  that  he  then  returned  to  Jerusalem 
and  to  Mecca,  having  performed  a 
journey  of  thousands  of  years  in  the 
tenth  part  of  a  night. 

The  fact  that  Paul  was  not  permitted 
to  communicate  what  he  had  seen  is 
very  remarkable.  It  is  natural  to  ask 
why  it  is  so  1  Why  has  not  God  sent 
down  departed  saints  to  tell  men  of  the 
glories  of  heaven  1  Why  does  he  not 
permit  them  to  come  and  bear  testimo- 
ny to  what  they  have  seen  and  enjoy- 
ed] Why  not  come  and  clear  up  the 
doubts  of  the  pious ;  why  not  come 
and  convince  a  thoughtless  world* 
why  not  come  and  bear  honourable 
testimony  for  God  that  he  is  faithful  to 
reward  his  people  1  And  especially 
why  did  he  not  suffer  Paul,  whom  he 
had  permitted  to  behold  the  glories  of 
paradise,  to  testify  simply  to  what  he 
had  seen,  and  tell  us  what  was  there! 

To  these  questions,  so  obvious,  it  is 
impossible  to  give  an  answer  that  we 


A..  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  XII. 


251 


can  demonstrate  to  be  the  true  one. 
But  we  may  suggest  some  reasons  which 
may  furnish  a  plausible  answer,  and 
which  may  serve  to  remove  some  of  the 
perplexity  in  the  case.  I  would,  there- 
fore, suggest  that  the  following  may 
have  been  some  of  the  reasons  why 
Paul  was  not  permitted  to  communicate 
what  he  saw  to  men.  (1.)  It  was  de- 
signed for  the  support  of  Paul  himself 
in  view  of  the  very  remarkable  trials 
which  he  was  about  to  endure.  God 
had  called  him  to  great  toils  and  self- 
denials.  He  was  to  labour  much  alone ; 
to  go  to  foreign  lands  ;  to  be  persecuted, 
and  ultimately  put  to  death ;  and  it  was 
his  purpose  to  qualify  him  for  this  work 
by  some  peculiar  manifestation  of  his 
favour.  He  accordingly  gave  him  such 
views  of  heaven  that  he  would  be  sup- 
ported in  his  trials  by  a  conviction  of 
the  undoubted  truth  of  what  he  taught, 
and  by  the  prospect  of  certain  glory 
when  his  labours  should  end.  It  was 
one  instance  when  God  gave  peculiar 
views  to  prepare  for  trials,  as  he  often 
does  to  his  people  now,  preparing  them 
in  a  peculiar  manner  for  peculiar  trials. 
Christians,  from  some  cause,  often  have 
more  elevated  views  and  deeper  feeling 
before  they  are  called  to  endure  trials 
than  they  have  at  other  times — peculiar 
grace  to  prepare  them  for  suffering. 
But  as  this  was  designed  in  a  peculiar 
manner  for  Paul  alone,  it  was  not  pro- 
per for  him  to  communicate  what  he 
saw  to  others.  (2.)  It  is  probable  that 
if  there  were  a  full  revelation  of  the 
glories  of  heaven  we  should  not  be  able 
to  comprehend  it;  or  even  if  we  did, 
we  should  be  incredulous  in  regard  to 
it.  So  unlike  what  we  see  ;  so  elevated 
above  our  highest  comprehension ;  pro- 
bably so  unlike  what  we  now  anticipate 
is  heaven,  that  we  should  be  slow  to 
receive  the  revelation.  It  is  always 
difficult  to  describe  what  we  have  not 
seen,  even  on  earth,  so  that  we  shall  have 
any  very  clear  idea  of  it :  how  much 
more  difficult  must  it  be  to  describe 
heaven.  We  are  often  incredulous 
about  what  is  reported  to  exist  in  foreign 
lands  on  earth  which  we  have  not  seen, 
and  a  long  time  is  often  necessary  before 


we  will  believe  it.  The  king  of  Siam, 
when  told  by  the  Dutch  ambassador 
that  water  became  so  hard  in  hid  coun- 
try that  men  might  walk  on  it,  said,  "  I 
have  often  suspected  you  of  falsehood, 
but  now  I  know  that  you  lie."  So 
incredulous  might  we  be,  with  our  weak 
faith,  if  we  were  told  what  actually  ex- 
ists in  heaven.  We  should  not  im- 
probably turn  away  from  it  as  wholly 
incredible.  (3.)  There  are  great  truths 
which  it  is  not  the  design  of  God  to 
reveal  to  men.  The  object  is  to  com- 
municate enough  to  win  us,  to  comfort 
us,  to  support  our  faith,  not  to  reveal 
all.  In  eternity  there  must  be  boundless 
truths  and  glories  which  are  not  needful 
for  us  to  know  now,  and  which,  on  many 
accounts,  it  would  not  be  proper  to  be 
revealed  to  men.  The  question  is  not, 
do  we  know  all,  but  have  we  enough 
safely  to  guide  us  to  heaven,  and  to 
comfort  us  in  the  trials  of  life.  (4.) 
There  is  enough  revealed  of  heaven  for 
our  guidance  and  comfort  in  this  world. 
God  has  told  us  what  it  will  be  in  gene- 
ral. It  will  be  a  world  without  sin ; 
without  tears ;  without  wrong,  injustice, 
fraud,  or  wars ;  without  disease,  pesti- 
lence, plague,  death  ;  and  it  is  easy  to 
fill  up  the  picture  sufficiently  for  all  our 
purposes.  Let  us  think  of  a  world 
where  all  shall  be  pure  and  holy ;  of  a 
world  free  from  all  that  we  now  behold 
that  is  evil ;  free  from  pain,  disease, 
death  ;  a  world  where  '  friends  never 
depart,  foes  never  come ;'  a  world  where 
all  shall  be  harmony  and  love — and 
where  all  this  shall  be  eternal,  and 
we  shall  see  that  God  has  revealed 
enough  for  our  welfare  here.  The  highest 
hopes  of  man  are  met  when  we  antici- 
pate an  eterhal  heaven  ;  the  heaviest 
trials  may  be  cheerfully  borne  when  we 
have  the  prospect  of  everlasting  rest. 
(5.)  One  other  reason  may  be  assigned 
why  it  was  not  proper  for  Paul  to  dis- 
close what  he  saw,  and  why  God  has 
withheld  more  full  revelations  from 
men  about  heaven.  It  is,  that  his  pur- 
pose is  that  we  shall  here  walk  by  faith 
and  not  by  sight.  We  are  not  to  see  the 
reward,  nor  to  be  told  fully  what  it  is 
We  are  to  have  such  confidence  in  God 


252 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


5  Of  such  an  one  will  I  glory : 
yet  °  of  myself  I  will  not  glory, 
but  in  mine  infirmities. 

a  c.  11.  30.    ver.  9, 10. 


6  For  though  I  would  desire 
to  glory,  I  shall  not  be  a  fool  ; 
for  I  will  say  the  truth :  but  now 


that  we  shall  assuredly  believe  that  he 
will  fully  reward  and  bless  us,  and  un- 
der this  confidence  we  are  to  live  and 
act  here  below.  God  designs,  therefore, 
to  try  our  faith,  and  to  furnish  an  abun- 
dant evidence  that  his  people  are  disposed 
to  obey  his  commands  and  to  put  their 
trust  in  his  faithfulness.  Besides,  if  all 
the  glories  of  heaven  were  revealed ;  if 
all  were  told  that  might  be ;  and  if 
heaven  were  made  as  attractive  to  mor- 
tal view  as  possible,  then  it  might  appear 
that  his  professed  people  were  influenced 
solely  by  the  hope  of  the  reward.  As 
it  is,  there  is  enough  to  support  and 
comfort;  not  enough  to  make  it  the 
main  and  only  reason  why  we  serve 
God.  It  may  be  added,  (a)  That  we 
have  all  the  truth  which  we  shall  ever 
have  about  heaven  here  below.  No 
other  messenger  will  come ;  none  of  the 
pious  dead  will  return.  If  men,  there- 
fore, are  not  willing  to  be  saved  in  view 
of  the  truth  which  they  have,  they  must 
be  lost.  God  will  communicate  no  more. 

(b)  The  Christian  will  soon  know  all 
about  heaven.  He  will  soon  be  there. 
He  begins  no  day  with  any  certainty 
that  he  may  not  close  it  in  heaven  ;  he 
lies  down  to  rest  at  no  time  with  any 
assurance  that  he  will  not  wake  in  hea- 
ven amidst  its  full  and  eternal  splendours. 

(c)  The  sinner  will  soon  know  fully 
what  it  is  to  lose  heaven.  A  moment  may 
make  him  fully  sensible  of  his  loss — 
for  he  may  die  ;  and  a  moment  may  put 
him  forever  beyond  the  possibility  of 
reaching  a  world  of  glory. 

5.  Of  such  an  one  will  I  glory.  Of 
such  a  man  it  would  be  right  to  boast. 
It  would  be  admitted  that  it  is  right  to 
exult  in  such  a  man,  and  to  esteem  him 
to  be  peculiarly  favoured  by  God.  I 
will  boast  of  him  as  having  received 
peculiar  honour  from  the  Lord.  Bloom- 
field,  however,  supposes  that  the.  words 
rendered  "  of  such  an  one"  should  be 
translated  "  of  such  a  thing,"  or  of  such 


a  transaction  ;  meaning  '  I  can  indeed 
justly  boast  of  my  being  caught  up  to 
heaven  as  of  a  thing  the  whole  glory  of 
which  pertains  to  him  who  has  thus 
exalted  me ;  but  of  myself,  or  of  any 
thing  in  me,  I  will  not  boast.'  So  Ro- 
senmuller  explains  it.  But  it  seems  to 
me  that  the  connexion  requires  that  we 
should  understand  it  of  a  person,  and 
that  the  passage  is  partly  ironical.  Paul 
speaks  in  the  third  person.  He  chooses 
to  keep  himself  directly  out  of  view. 
And  though  he  refers  really  to  himself, 
yet  he  would  not  say  this  directly,  but 
says  that  of  such  a  man  they  would 
admit  it  would  be  proper  to  boast 
f  Yet  of  myself.  Directly.  It  is  not 
expedient  for  me  to  boast  of  myself. 
'  You  would  allow  me  to  boast  of  such 
a  man  as  I  have  referred  to ;  I  admit 
that  it  is  not  proper  for  me  to  boast 
directly  of  myself.'  t  But  in  mine 
infirmities.  My  weaknesses,  trials, 
pains,  sufferings  ;  such  as  many  regard 
as  infirmities.  See  Note  on  ch.  xi.  30. 
6.  For  though  I  would  desire  to 
glory.  I  take  this  to  be  a  solemn  and 
serious  declaration  of  the  bony  which 
precedes ;  and  that  Paul  means  to  say 
seriously,  that  if  he  had  a  wish  to  boast 
as  other  men  boasted,  if  he  chose  to 
make  much  of  his  attainments  and 
privileges,  he  would  have  enough  of 
which  to  make  mention.  It  would  not 
be  mere  empty  boasting  without  any 
foundation  or  any  just  cause,  for  he  had 
as  much  of  which  to  speak  in  a  confi- 
dent manner  pertaining  to  his  labours 
as  an  apostle,  and  his  evidence  of  the 
divine  favour  as  could  be  urged  by  any 
one.  'I  might  go  on  to  speak  mucli 
more  than  I  have  done,  and  to  urge 
claims  which  all  would  admit  to  be  well- 
founded.'  ^f  /  shall  not  be  a  fool. 
'  It  would  not  be  foolish  boasting ;  for 
it  would  be  according  to  truth.  I  could 
urge  much  more  than  I  have  done  ;  I 
could   speak  of  things  which  no  one 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  XII. 


253 


I  forbear,  lest  any  man  should 
think  of  me  above  that  which 


would  be  disposed  to  call  in  question  as 
laying  the  foundation  of  just  claims  to 
my  being  regarded  as  eminently  fa- 
voured of  God ;  I  could  seriously  state 
what  all  would  admit  to  be  such.'  *f  For 
I  will  say  the  truth.  That  is,  *  What- 
ever I  should  say  on  this  subject  would 
be  the  simple  truth.  I  should  mention 
nothing  which  has  not  actually  occurred. 
But  I  forbear,  lest  some  one  should  form 
an  improper  estimate  of  me.'  The 
apostle  seems  to  have  intended  to  have 
added  something  more,  but  he  was 
checked  by  the  apprehension  to  which 
he  here  refers.  Or  perhaps  he  means 
to  say  that  if  he  should  boast  of  the 
vision  to  which  he  had  just  referred ; 
if  he  should  go  on  to  say  how  highly  he 
had  been  honoured  and  exalted  by  it, 
there  would  be  no  impropriety  in  it. 
It  was  so  remarkable  that  if  he  confined 
himself  strictly  to  the  truth,  as  he  would 
do,  still  it  would  be  regarded  by  all  as  a 
very  extraordinary  honour,  and  one  to 
which  no  one  of  the  false  teachers  could 
refer  as  laying  a  foundation  for  their 
boasting.  ^  Lest  any  man  should  think 
of  me,  &c.  The  idea  in  this  part  of  the 
verse  I  take  to  be  this.  '  I  desire  and 
expect  to  be  estimated  by  my  public 
life.  I  expect  to  be  judged  of  men  by 
my  deeds,  by  what  they  see  in  me,  and 
by  my  general  reputation  in  respect  to 
what  I  have  done  in  establishing  the 
Christian  religion.  I  am  willing  that 
my  character  and  reputation,  that  the 
estimate  in  which  I  shall  be  held  by 
mankind,  shall  rest  on  that.  I  do  not 
wish  that  my  character  among  men 
shall  .be  determined  by  my  secret  feel- 
ings ;  or  by  any  secret  extraordinary 
communication  from  heaven  which  I 
may  have,  and  which  cannot  be  sub- 
jected to  the  observation  of  my  fellow- 
men.  I  am  willing  to  be  estimated  by 
my  public  life ;  and  however  valuable 
such  extraordinary  manifestations  may 
be  to  me  as  an  individual ;  or  however 
much  they  may  comfort  me,  I  do  not 
wish  to  make  them  the  basis  of  my 


he   seeth  me  to  be,  or  that  he 
heareth  of  me. 


public  reputation.  I  expect  to  stand 
and  be  estimated  by  my  public  deeds  ; 
by  what  all  men  see  and  hear  of  me ; 
and  I  would  not  have  them  form  even 
a  favourable  opinion  of  me  beyond  that.' 
This  is  the  noble  language  of  a  man 
who  was  willing  to  enjoy  such  a  repu- 
tation as  his  public  life  entitled  him  to. 
He  wished  to  have  the  basis  of  his  repu- 
tation such  that  all  men  could  see  and 
examine  it.  Unlike  enthusiasts  and  fa- 
natics, he  appealed  to  no  secret  im- 
pulses ;  did  not  rest  his  claims  for  public 
confidence  on  any  peculiar  communica- 
tions from  heaven ;  but  wished  to  be 
estimated  by  his  public  deeds.  And  the 
important  truth  taught  is,  that  however 
much  communion  we  may  have  with 
God  ;  however  much  comfort  and  sup 
port  in  prayer  and  in  our  favoured  mo- 
ments of  fellowship  with  God ;  or  how- 
ever much  we  may  fancy  in  this  way 
that  we  are  the  favourites  of  Heaven  , 
and  however  much  this  may  support  us 
in  trial ;  still  this  should  not  be  made 
the  foundation  of  claim  to  the  favour- 
able opinions  of  our  fellow-men.  By 
our  public  character ;  by  our  well-known 
actions;  by  our  lives  as  seen  by  men, 
we  should  desire  to  be  estimated,  and 
we  should  be  satisfied  with  such  a 
measure  of  public  esteem  as  our  deport- 
ment shall  fairly  entitle  us  to.  We 
should  seldom,  perhaps,  refer  to  our 
moments  of  secret,  happy,  and  most 
favoured  communion  with  God.  Paul 
kept  his  most  elevated  joys  in  this  re- 
spect, secret  for  fourteen  years : — what 
an  example  to  those  who  are  constantly 
blazoning  their  Christian  experience 
abroad,  and  boasting  of  what  they  have 
enjoyed !  We  should  never  refer  to 
such  moments  as  a  foundation  for  the 
estimate  in  which  our  character  shall 
be  held  by  our  fellow-men.  We  should 
never  make  this  the  foundation  of  a 
claim  to  the  public  confidence  in  us. 
For  all  such  claims ;  for  all  the  estimate 
in  which  we  shall  be  held  by  men,  we 
should  be  willing  to  be  tried  by  our 


254 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


7  And  lest  I  should  be  exalted 
above  measure  through  the  abun- 


lives.  Paul  would  not  even  make  a 
vision  of  heaven ,-  not  even  the  privilege 
of  having  beheld  the  glories  of  the 
upper  world,  though  a  favour  conferred 
on  no  other  living  man,  a  ground  of 
the  estimate  in  which  his  character 
should  be  held !  What  an  example 
to  those  who  wish  to  be  estimated  by 
secret  raptures,  and  by  special  commu- 
nications to  their  souls  from  heaven  ! 
No.  Let  us  be  willing  to  be  estimated 
by  men  by  what  they  see  in  us ;  to 
enjoy  such  a  reputation  as  our  conduct 
shall  fairly  entitle  us  to.  Let  our  com- 
munion with  God  cheer  our  own  hearts; 
but  let  us  not  obtrude  this  on  men  as 
furnishing  a  claim  for  an  exalted  stand- 
ing in  their  estimation. 

7.  And  lest  I  should  be  exalted.  Lest 
I  should  be  spiritually  proud ;  lest  I 
should  become  self-confident  and  vain, 
and  suppose  that  I  was  a  special  favour- 
ite of  Heaven.  If  Paul  was  in  danger 
of  spiritual  pride,  who  is  not  1  If  it 
was  necessary  for  God  to  adopt  some 
special  measures  to  keep  him  humble, 
we  are  not  to  be  surprised  that  the 
same  thing  should  occur  in  other  cases. 
There  is  abundant  reason  to  believe 
that  Paul  was  naturally  a  proud  man. 
He  was  by  nature  self-confident ;  trust- 
ing in  his  own  talents  and  attainments, 
and  eminently  ambitious.  When  he 
became  a  Christian,  therefore,  one  of 
his  besetting  sins  would  be  pride  ;  and 
as  he  had  been  peculiarly  favoured  in 
his  call  to  the  apostleship ;  in  his  sue-  j 
cess  as  a  preacher ;  in  the  standing ; 
which  he  had  among  the  other  apostles,  I 
and  in  the  revelations  imparted  to  him,  I 
there  was  also  peculiar  danger  that  he 
would  become  self-confident  and  proud 
of  his  attainments.  There  is  no  danger 
that  more  constantly  besets  Christians, 
and  even  eminent  Christians,  than  pride. 
There  is  no  sin  that  is  more  subtle, 
insinuating,  deceptive  ;  none  that  lurks 
more  constantly  around  the  heart  and 
that  finds  a  more  ready  entrance,  than 


dance  of  the  revelations,  there  was 
given  to  me  a  thorn  °  in  the  flesh, 

a  Eze.  28.  24.    Ga.  4.  14. 


pride.  He  who  has  been  characterized 
by  pride  before  his  conversion  will  be 
in  special  danger  of  it  afterwards ;  he 
who  has  eminent  gifts  in  prayer,  or 
in  conversation,  or  in  preaching,  will 
be  in  special  danger  of  it ;  he  who  is 
eminently  successful  will  be  in  danger  of 
it;  and  he  who  has  any  extraordinary 
spiritual  comforts  will  be  in  danger  of  it. 
Of  this  sin  he  who  lives  nearest  to  God 
may  be  in  most  special  danger  ;  and  he 
who  is  most  eminent  in  piety  should 
feel  that  he  also  occupies  a  position  where 
the  enemy  will  approach  him  in  a  sly 
and  subtle  manner,  and  where  he  is  in 
peculiar  danger  of  a  fall.  Possibly  the 
fear  that  he  might  be  in  danger  of 
being  made  proud  by  the  flattery  of  his 
friends  may  have  been  one  reason  why 
Paul  kept  this  thing  concealed  for  four- 
teen years ;  and  if  men  wish  to  keep 
themselves  from  the  danger  of  this  sin, 
they  should  not  be  forward  to  speak  even 
of  the  most  favoured  moments  of  their 
communion  with  God.  ^  Through  the 
abundance  of  the  revelations.  By  my 
being  raised  thus  to  heaven,  and  by 
being  permitted  to  behold  the  wonders 
of  the  heavenly  world,  as  well  as  by  the 
numerous  communications  which  God 
had  made  to  me  at  other  times.  %  There 
was  given  to  me.  That  is,  God  was 
pleased  to  appoint  me.  The  word  which 
Paul  uses  is  worthy  of  special  notice. 
It  is  that  this  "  thorn  in  the  flesh"  was 
given  to  him,  implying  that  it  was  a 
favour.  He  does  not  complain  of  it; 
he  does  not  say  it  was  sent  in  cruelty  ; 
he  does  not  even  speak  of  it  as  an 
affliction ;  he  speaks  of  it  as  a  gift,  as 
any  man  would  of  a  favour  that  had 
been  bestowed.  Paul  had  so  clear  a 
view  of  the  benefits  which  resulted  from 
it  that  he  regarded  it  as  a  favour,  as 
Christians  should  every  trial.  ^  A 
thorn  in  the  flesh.  The  word  here 
used  (intoM^)  occurs  nowhere  else  in 
the  New  Testament.  It  means  propeily 
any  thing  pointed  or  sharp,  e.  g.  a  stake 


A.  D.  60.] 
the 


CHAPTER  XII. 


255 


messenger  of  Satan,  to  buf- 

o  Job  2.  7.    Lu.  13.  16. 


or  palisade  (Xen.  Anab.  5. 2.  5)  ;  or  the 
point  of  a  hook.  The  word  is  used  in 
the  Septuagint  to  denote  a  thorn  or 
prickle,  as  a  translation  of  -pd  (sir),  in 

(Hos.  ii.  6,  "  I  will  hedge  up  thy  way 
with  thorns ,-"  to  denote  a  pricking 
briar  in  Ezek.  xxviii.  24,  as  a  transla- 
tion of  pSo  (si lion),  meaning  a  thorn  or 
prickle,  such  as  is  found  in  the  shoots 
and  twigs  of  the  palm-tree ;  and  to  de- 
note "  pricks  in  the  eyes"  (Num.  xxxiii. 
55),  as  a  translation  of  D^a>  (sikkim), 
thorns  or  prickles.  So  far  as  the  word 
here  used  is  concerned,  it  means  a  sharp 
thorn  or  prickle ;  and  the  idea  is,  that 
the  trial  to  which  he  refers  was  as 
troublesome  and  painful  as  such  a  thorn 
would  be  in  the  flesh.  But  whether  he 
refers  to  some  infirmity  or  pain  in  the 
flesh  or  the  body  is  another  question, 
and  a  question  in  which  interpreters 
have  been  greatly  divided  in  opinion. 
Every  one  who  has  become  familiar 
with  commentaries  knows  that  almost 
every  expositor  has  had  his  own  opinion 
about  this,  and  also  that  no  one  has 
been  able  to  give  any  good  reason  for 
his  own.  Most  of  them  have  been 
fanciful ;  and  many  of  them  eminently 
ridiculous.  Even  Baxter,  who  was 
subject  himself  to  some  such  disorder, 
supposes  that  it  might  be  the  stone  or 
gravel;  and  the  usually  very  judicious 
Doddridge  supposes  that  the  view  which 
he  had  of  the  glories  of  heavenly  ob- 
jects so  affected  his  nerves  as  to  pro- 
duce a  paralytic  disorder,  and  particu- 
larly a  stammering  in  his  speech,  and 
perhaps  also  a  ridiculous  distortion  of 
the  countenance.  This  opinion  was  sug- 
gested by  Whitby,  and  has  been  adopted 
also  by  Benson,  Macknight,  Slade,  and 
Bloomfield.  But  though  sustained  by 
most  respectable  names,  it  would  be 
easy  to  show  that  it  is  mere  conjecture, 
and  perhaps  quite  as  improbable  as  any 
of  the  numerous  opinions  which  have 
been  maintained  on  the  subject.  If 
Paul's  speech  had  been  affected,  and  his 
face  distorted,  and  his  nerves  shattered 


fet  me,  lest  I  should  be  exalted 
above  measure. 


by  such  a  sight,  how  could  he  doubt 
whether  he  was  in  the  body  or  out  of 
it  when  this  occurred  1  Many  of  the 
Latin  fathers  supposed  that  some  un- 
ruly and  ungovernable  lust  was  intended. 
Chrysostom  and  Jerome  suppose  that 
he  meant  the  headache ;  Tertullian  an 
earache ;  and  Rosenmiiller  supposes 
that  it  was  the  gout  in  the  head,  kopf- 
gicht,  and  that  it  was  a  periodical  dis- 
order such  as  affected  him  when  he  was 
with  the  Galatians.  Gal.  iv.  13.  But 
all  conjecture  here  is  vain ;  and  the 
numerous  strange  and  ridiculous  opi- 
nions of  commentators  is  a  melancholy 
attestation  of  their  inclination  to  fanci- 
ful conjecture  where  it  is  impossible  in 
the  nature  of  the  case  to  ascertain  the 
truth.  All  that  can  be  known  of  this 
is,  that  it  was  some  infirmity  of  the 
flesh,  some  bodily  affliction  or  calamity, 
that  was  like  the  continual  piercing  of 
the  flesh  with  a  thorn  (Gal.  iv.  13) ; 
and  that  it  was  something  that  was 
designed  to  prevent  spiritual  pride.  It 
is  not  indeed  an  improbable  supposition 
that  it  was  something  that  could  be  seen 
by  others,  and  that  thus  tended  to  hum- 
ble him  when  with  them,  f  The  mes~ 
senger  of  Satan.  Among  the  Hebrews 
it  was  customary  to  attribute  severe  and 
painful  diseases  to  Satan.  Comp. 
Job  ii.  6,  7.  Comp.  Note  on  Luke 
xiii.  16.  In  the  time  of  the  Saviour  ma- 
lignant spirits  are  known  to  have  taken 
possession  of  the  body  in  numerous 
cases,  and  to  have  produced  painful 
bodily  diseases,  and  Paul  here  says  that 
Satan  was  permitted  to  bring  this  ca- 
lamity on  him.  t  To  buffet  me.  To 
buffet,  means  to  smite  with  the  hand ; 
then  to  maltreat  in  any  way.  The  mean- 
ing is,  that  the  effect  and  design  of  this 
was  deeply  to  afflict  him.  Doddridge 
and  Clarke  suppose  that  the  reference 
is  here  to  the  false  teacher  whom  Satan 
had  sent  to  Corinth,  and  who  was  to 
him  the  source  of  perpetual  trouble. 
But  it  seems  more  probable  to  me  that 
he  refers  to  some  bodily  infirmity.    The 


256 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


8  For  this  a  thing  I  besought 

a  Be.  3.  23.  27.     Ps.  77.  2.  11.     La.  3.  8. 

Mat.  26.  44. 


general  truth  taught  in  this  verse  is,  that 
God  will  take  care  that  his  people  shall 
not  be  unduly  exalted  by  the  manifesta- 
tions of  his  favour,  and  by  the  spiritual 
privileges  which  he  bestows  on  them. 
He  will  take  measures  to  humble  them  ; 
and  a  large  part  of  his  dealings  with 
his  people  is  designed  to  accomplish 
this.  Sometimes  it  will  be  done,  as  in 
the  case  of  Paul,  by  bodily  infirmity  or 
trial,  by  sickness,  or  by  long  and  linger- 
ing disease ;  sometimes  by  great  poverty 
and  by  an  humble  condition  of  life ;  some- 
times by  reducing  us  from  a  state  of 
affluence  where  we  were  in  danger  of 
being  exalted  above  measure ;  some- 
times by  suffering  us  to  be  slandered 
and  calumniated,  by  suffering  foes  to 
rise  up  against  us  who  shall  blacken 
our  character  and  in  such  a  manner  that 
we  cannot  meet  it ;  sometimes  by  perse- 
cution ;  sometimes  by  want  of  success 
in  our  enterprises,  and  if  in  the  ministry, 
by  withholding  his  Spirit;  sometimes 
by  suffering  us  to  fall  into  sin,  and  thus 
greatly  humbling  us  before  the  world. 
Such  was  the  case  with  David  and  with 
Peter ;  and  God  often  permits  us  to  see 
in  this  manner  our  own  weakness,  and 
to  bring  us  to  a  sense  of  our  dependence 
and  to  proper  humility  by  suffering  us 
to  perform  some  act  that  should  be  ever 
afterward  a  standing  source  of  our 
humiliation ;  some  act  so  base,  so  hu- 
miliating, so  evincing  the  deep  depravity 
of  our  hearts  as  forever  to  make  and 
keep  us  humble.  How  could  David  be 
lifted  up  with  pride  after  the  murder  of 
Uriah  1  How  could  Peter  after  having 
denied  his  Lord  with  a  horrid  oath  1 
Thus  many  a  Christian  is  suffered  to 
fall  by  the  temptation  of  Satan  to  show 
him  his  weakness  and  to  keep  him  from 
pride ;  many  a  fall  is  made  the  occasion 
of  the  permanent  benefit  of  the  offender. 
And  perhaps  every  Christian  who  has 
been  much  favoured  with  elevated 
spiritual  views  and  comforts  can  recall 
something  which  shall  be  to  him  a 
standing  topic  of  regret  and  humiliation 


the  Lord   thrice,  that  it  might 
depart  from  me. 


in  his  past  life.  We  should  be  thankful 
for  any  calamity  that  will  humble  us ; 
and  we  should  remember  that  clear  and 
elevated  views  of  God  and  heaven  are, 
after  all,  more  than  a  compensation  for 
all  the  sufferings  which  it  may  be  neces- 
sary to  endure  in  order  to  make  us 
humble. 

8.  For  this  thing.  On  account  of 
this ;  in  order  that  this  calamity  might 
be  removed,  f  I  besought  the  Lord. 
The  word  "  Lord"  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, when  it  stands  without  any  other 
word  in  connexion  to  limit  its  significa- 
tion, commonly  denotes  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  See  Note  on  Acts  i.  24.  The 
following  verse  here  shows  conclusively 
that  it  was  the  Lord  Jesus  to  whom 
Paul  addressed  this  prayer.  The  answer 
was  that  his  grace  was  sufficient  for 
him  ;  and  Paul  consoled  himself  by 
saying  that  it  was  a  sufficient  support 
if  the  power  of  Christ  implied  in  that 
answer,  should  rest  on  him.  He  would 
glory  in  trials  if  such  was  their  result. 
Even  Rosenmiiller  maintains  that  it 
was  the  Lord  Jesus  to  whom  this  prayer 
was  addressed,  and  says  that  the  So- 
cinians  themselves  admit  it.  So  Grotius 
(on  ver.  9)  says  that  the  answer  was 
given  by  Christ.  But  if  this  refers  to 
the  Lord  Jesus,  then  it  proves  that  it  is 
right  to  go  to  him  in  times  of  trouble, 
and  that  it  is  right  to  worship  him. 
Prayer  is  the  most  solemn  act  of  adora- 
tion which  we  can  perform  ;  and  no 
better  authority  can  be  required  for  pay- 
ing divine  honours  to  Christ  than  the 
fact  that  Paul  worshipped  him  and 
called  upon  him  to  remove  a  severe  and 
grievous  calamity.  %  Thrice.  This 
may  either  mean  that  he  prayed  for  this 
often,  or  that  he  sought  it  on  three  set 
and  solemn  occasions.  Many  commen- 
tators have  supposed  that  the  former  is 
meant.  But  to  me  it  seems  probable 
that  Paul  on  three  special  occasions 
earnestly  prayed  for  the  removal  of  this 
calamity.  It  will  be  recollected  that  the 
Lord  Jesus  prayed  three  times  in  the 


A.D.60.] 


CHAPTER  XII. 


257 


9  And  he  said  unto  me,  My 


garden  of  Gethsemane  that  the  cup 
might  be  removed  from  him.  Matt. 
xxvi.  44.  At  the  third  time  he  ceased, 
and  submitted  to  what  was  the  will  of 
God.  There  is  some  reason  to  suppose 
that  the  Jews  were  in  the  habit  of  pray- 
ing three  times  for  any  important  bless- 
ing or  for  the  removal  of  any  calamity  ; 
and  Paul  in  this  would  not  only  con- 
form to  the  usual  custom,  but  especially 
he  would  be  disposed  to  imitate  the 
example  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  Among 
the  Jews  three  was  a  sacred  number, 
and  repeated  instances  occur  where  an 
important  transaction  is  mentioned  as 
having  been  done  thrice.  See  Num. 
xxii.28;  xxiv.  10.  1  Sam.  hi.  8;  xx.41. 
1  Kings  xviii.  44.  Prov.  xxii.  20.  Jer. 
vii.  4;  xxii.  29.  John  xxi.  17.  The 
probability,  therefore,  is,  that  Paul  on 
three  different  occasions  earnestly  be- 
sought the  Lord  Jesus  that  this  calamity 
might  be  removed  from  him.  It  might 
have  been  exceedingly  painful ;  or  it 
might,  as  he  supposed,  interfere  with 
his  success  as  a  preacher ;  or  it  might 
have  been  of  such  a  nature  as  to  ex- 
pose him  to  ridicule ;  and  he  prayed, 
therefore,  if  it  were  possible  that  it 
might  be  taken  away.  The  passage 
proves  that  it  is  right  to  pray  earnestly 
and  repeatedly  for  the  removal  of  any 
calamity.  The  Saviour  so  prayed  in 
the  garden ;  and  Paul  so  prayed  here. 
Yet  it  also  proves  that  there  should  be  a 
limit  to  such  prayers.  The  Saviour 
prayed  three  times ;  and  Paul  limited 
himself  to  the  same  number  of  petitions, 
and  then  submitted  to  the  will  of  God. 
This  does  not  prove  that  we  should  be 
limited  to  exactly  this  number  in  our 
petitions ;  but  it  proves  that  there  should 
be  a  limit ;  that  we  should  not  be  over- 
anxious, and  that  when  it  is  plain  from 
any  cause  that  the  calamity  will  not  be 
removed,  we  should  submit  to  it.  The 
Saviour  in  the  garden  knew  that  the 
cup  would  not  be  removed,  and  he 
acquiesced.  Paul  was  told  indirectly 
that  his  calamity  would  not  be  removed, 
and  he  submitted.  We  may  expect  no 
22* 


grace  is  sufficient  for  thee :  for 


such  revelation  from  heaven,  but  we 
may  know  in  other  ways  that  the 
calamity  will  not  be  removed ;  and  we 
should  submit.  The  child  or  other 
friend  for  whom  we  prayed  may  die ;  or 
the  calamity,  as,  e.  g.  blindness,  or  deaf- 
ness, or  loss  of  health,  or  poverty,  may 
become  permanent,  so  that  there  is  no 
hope  of  removing  it ;  and  we  should 
then  cease  to  pray  that  it  may  be  re- 
moved, and  we  should  cheerfully  acqui- 
esce in  the  will  of  God.  So  David 
prayed  most  fervently  for  his  child  when 
it  was  alive  ;  when  it  was  deceased,  and 
it  was  of  no  further  use  to  pray  for  it, 
he  bowed  in  submission  to  the  will  of 
God.     2  Sam.  xii.  20. 

9.  And  he  said  unto  me.  The  Sa- 
viour replied.  In  what  way  this  was 
done,  or  whether  it  was  done  at  the  time 
when  the  prayer  was  offered,  Paul  does 
not  inform  us.  It  is  possible,  as  Mac- 
knight  supposes,  that  Christ  appeared  to 
him  again  and  spake  to  him  in  an  audi- 
ble manner.  Grotius  supposes  that  this 
was  done  by  the  Vip  na  (Bath-qol) — 
"  daughter  of  the  voice,"  so  frequently 
referred  to  by  the  Jewish  writers,  and 
which  they  suppose  to  be  referred  to  in 
1  Kings  xix.  12,  by  the  phrase,  "a  still 
small  voice."  But  it  is  impossible  to 
determine  in  what  way  it  was  done,  and 
it  is  not  material.  Paul  was  in  habits 
of  communion  with  the  Saviour,  and 
was  accustomed  to  receive  revelations 
from  him.  The  material  fact  here  is, 
that  the  request  was  not  granted  in  the 
exact  form  in  which  he  presented  it,  but 
that  he  received  assurance  of  grace  to 
support  him  in  his  trial.  It  is  one  of 
the  instances  in  which  the  fervent  prayer 
of  a  good  man,  offered  undoubtedly  in 
faith,  was  not  answered  in  the  form 
in  which  he  desired,  though  substan- 
tially answered  in  the  assurance  of  grace 
sufficient  to  support  him.  It  furnishes, 
therefore,  a  very  instructive  lesson  in 
regard  to  prayer,  and  shows  us  that  we 
are  not  to  expect  as  a  matter  of  course 
that  all  our  prayers  will  be  literally 
answered,  and  that  we  should  not  be 


858 


n.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


my  strength  is  made  perfect  in 


disappointed  or  disheartened  if  they  are 
not.  It  is  a  matter  of  fact  that  not  all 
the  prayers  even  of  the  pious,  and  of 
those  who  pray  having  faith  in  God  as  a 
hearer  of  prayer,  are  literally  answered. 
Thus  the  prayer  of  David  (2  Sam.  xii. 
16 — 20)  was  not  literally  answered; 
the  child  for  whose  life  he  so  earnestly 
prayed  died.  So  the  Saviour's  request 
was  not  literally  answered.  Mark.  xiv. 
36.  The  cup  of  suffering  which  he  so 
earnestly  desired  should  be  taken  away 
was  not  removed.  So  in  the  case  be- 
fore us.  Comp.  also  Deut.  iii.  23 — 27. 
Job  xxx.  20.  Lam.  iii.  8.  So  in 
numerous  cases  now,  Christians  pray 
With  fervour  and  with  faith  for  the  re- 
moval of  some  calamity  which  is  not 
removed ;  or  for  something  which  they 
regard  as  desirable  for  their  welfare 
which  is  withheld.  Some  of  the  reasons 
why  this  is  done  are  obvious.  (1.)  The 
grace  that  will  be  imparted  if  the  ca- 
lamity is  not  removed  will  be  of  greater 
value  to  the  individual  than  would  be 
the  direct  answer  to  his  prayer.  Such 
was  the  case  with  Paul;  so  it  was 
doubtless  with  David ;  and  so  it  is  often 
with  Christians  now.  The  removal  of 
the  calamity  might  be  apparently  a 
blessing,  but  it  might  also  be  attended 
with  dangers  to  our  spiritual  welfare ; 
the  grace  imparted  may  be  of  perma- 
nent value  and  may  be  connected  with 
the  development  of  some  of  the  love- 
liest traits  of  Christian  character.  (2.)  It 
might  not  be  for  the  good  of  the  indi- 
vidual who  prays  that  the  exact  thing 
should  be  granted.  When  a  parent 
prays  with  great  earnestness  and  with 
insubmission  for  the  life  of  a  child,  he 
knows  not  what  he  is  doing.  If  the  child 
lives,  he  may  be  the  occasion  of  much 
more  grief  to  him  than  if  he  had  died. 
David  had  far  more  trouble  from  Absa- 
lom than  he  had  from  the  death  of  the 
child  for  which  he  so  earnestly  prayed. 
At  the  same  time  it  may  be  better  for 
the  child  that  he  should  be  removed. 
If  he  dies  in  infancy  he  will  be  saved. 
But  who   can  tell  what  will   be  his 


weakness.     Most  gladly  there- 


character  and  destiny  should  he  live  to 
be  a  man  1  So  of  other  things.  (3.)  God 
has  often  some  better  thing  in  store  for 
us  than  would  be  the  immediate  answer 
to  our  prayer.  Who  can  doubt  that 
this  was  true  of  Paul  1  The  promised 
grace  of  Christ  as  sufficient  to  support 
us  is  of  more  value  than  would  be  the 
mere  removal  of  any  bodily  affliction. 
(4.)  It  would  not  be  well  for  us,  proba- 
bly, should  our  petition  be  literally 
answered.  Who  can  tell  what  is  best 
for  himself  ?  If  the  thing  were  obtained, 
who  can  tell  how  soon  we  might  forget 
the  benefactor  and  become  proud  and 
self-confident  ]  It  was  the  design  of 
God  to  humble  Paul ;  and  this  could  be 
much  better  accomplished  by  continuing 
his  affliction  and  by  imparting  the  pro- 
mised grace,  than  by  withdrawing  the 
affliction  and  withholding  the  grace. 
The  very  thing  to  be  done  was  to  keep 
him  humble ;  and  this  affliction  could 
not  be  withdrawn  without  also  forego- 
ing the  benefit.  It  is  true,  also,  that 
where  things  are  in  themselves  proper 
to  be  asked,  Christians  sometimes  ask 
them  in  an  improper  manner,  and 
this  is  one  of  the  reasons  why  many 
of  their  prayers  are  not  answered.  But 
this  does  not  pertain  to  the  case  before 
us.  1  My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee. 
A  much  better  answer  than  it  would 
have  been  to  have  removed  the  calamity ; 
and  one  that  seems  to  have  been  entirely 
satisfactory  to  Paul.  The  meaning  of 
the  Saviour  is,  that  he  would  support 
him  ;  that  he  would  not  suffer  him  to 
sink  exhausted  under  his  trials ;  that  he 
had  nothing  to  fear.  The  affliction 
was  not  indeed  removed ;  but  there  was 
a  promise  that  the  favour  of  Christ 
would  be  shown  to  him  constantly,  and 
that  he  would  find  his  support  to  be 
ample.  If  Paul  had  this  support,  he 
might  well  bear  the  trial ;  and  if  we 
have  this  assurance,  as  we  may  have, 
we  may  welcome  affliction,  and  rejoice 
that  calamities  are  brought  upon  us.  It 
is  a  sufficient  answer  to  our  prayers 
if  we  have  the  solemn  promise  of  the 


A,.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  XII. 


859 


Fore  will  I  rather  glory  a  in  my 
infirmities,  that  the  power  ^of 
Christ  may  rest  upon  me. 

a  ver.  5.  b  1  Pe.  4.  14. 

Redeemer  that  we  shall  be  upheld  and 
never  sink  under  the  burden  of  our 
neavy  woes,  t  My  strength  is  made 
perfect  in  weakness.  That  is,  the 
strength  which  I  impart  to  my  people 
is  more  commonly  and  more  completely 
manifested  when  my  people  feel  that 
they  are  weak.  It  is  not  imparted 
to  those  who  feel  that  they  are  strong 
and  who  do  not  realize  their  need  of 
divine  aid.  It  is  not  so  completely 
manifested  to  those  who  are  vigorous 
and  strong  as  to  the  feeble.  It  is  when 
we  are  conscious  that  we  are  feeble,  and 
when  we  feel  our  need  of  aid,  that  the 
Redeemer  manifests  his  power  to  up- 
hold, and  imparts  his  purest  consola- 
tions. Grotius  has  collected  several 
similar  passages  from  the  classic  writers 
which  may  serve  to  illustrate  this  expres- 
sion. Thus  Pliny,  vii.  Epis.  26,  says, 
"  We  are  best  where  we  are  weak." 
Seneca  says,  "  Calamity  is  the  occasion 
of  virtue."  Quintilian,  "All  temerity 
of  mind  is  broken  by  bodily  calamity." 
Minutius  Felix,  "  Calamity  is  often  the 
discipline  of  virtue."  There  are  few 
Christians  who  cannot  bear  witness  to 
the  truth  of  what  the  Redeemer  here 
says,  and  who  have  not  experienced  the 
most  pure  consolations  which  they  have 
known,  and  been  most  sensible  of  his 
comforting  presence  and  power  in  times 
of  affliction.  ^  Most  gladly,  therefore, 
&c.  I  count  it  a  privilege  to  be  afflicted, 
if  my  trials  may  be  the  means  of  my 
more  abundantly  enjoying  the  favour 
of  the  Redeemer.  His  presence  and 
imparted  strength  are  more  than  a  com- 
pensation for  all  the  trials  that  I  endure. 
1  That  the  power  of  Christ.  The 
strength  which  Christ  imparts ;  his 
power  manifested  in  supporting  me  in 
trials.  1  May  rest  upon  me  (sJna-xxvXa-w). 
The  word  properly  means  to  pitch  a 
tent  upon;  and  then  to  dwell  in  or 
upon.  Here  it  is  used  in  the  sense 
of  abiding  upon,  or  remaining  with. 


10  Therefore  I  take  pleasure 
in  infirmities,  in  reproaches,  in 
necessities,  in  persecutions,  in 
distresses  for  Christ's  sake  :  for 

The  sense  is,  that  the  power  which 
Christ  manifested  to  his  people  rested 
with  them,  or  abode  with  them  in  their 
trials,  and  therefore  he  would  rejoice  in 
afflictions,  in  order  that  he  might  par- 
take of  the  aid  and  consolation  thus 
imparted.  Learn  hence,  (1.)  That  a 
Christian  never  loses  any  thing  by  suf- 
fering and  affliction.  If  he  may  obtain 
the  favour  of  Christ  by  his  trials  he  is 
a  gainer.  The  favour  of  the  Redeemer 
is  more  than  a  compensation  for  all 
that  we  endure  in  his  cause.  (2.)  The 
Christian  is  a  gainer  by  trial.  I  never 
knew  a  Christian  that  was  not  ultimately 
benefited  by  trials.  I  never  knew  one 
who  did  not  find  that  he  had  gained 
much  that  was  valuable  to  him  in 
scenes  of  affliction.  I  do  not  know  that 
I  have  found  one  who  would  be  willing 
to  exchange  the  advantages  he  has 
gained  in  affliction  for  all  that  the  most 
uninterrupted  prosperity  and  the  highest 
honours  that  the  world  could  give  would 
impart.  (3.)  Learn  to  bear  trials  with 
joy.  They  are  good  for  us.  They 
develope  some  of  the  most  lovely  traits 
of  character.  They  injure  no  one  if 
they  are  properly  received.  And  a 
Christian  should  rejoice  that  he  may 
obtain  what  he  does  obtain  in  affliction, 
cost  what  it  may.  It  is  worth  more 
than  it  costs ;  and  when  we  come  to 
die,  the  things  that  we  shall  have  most 
occasion  to  thank  God  for  will  be  our 
afflictions.  And,  0 !  if  they  are  the 
means  of  raising  us  to  a  higher  seat  in 
heaven,  and  placing  us  nearer  the  Re- 
deemer there,  who  will  not  rejoice  in 
his  trials  1 

10.  Therefore  I  take  pleasure.  Sinco 
so  many  benefits  result  from  trials;  since 
my  afflictions  are  the  occasion  of  obtain- 
ing the  favour  of  Christ  in  so  eminent 
a  degree,  I  rejoice  in  the  privilege  of 
suffering.  There  is  often  real  pleasure 
in  affliction,  paradoxical  as  it  may  ap- 
pear.    Some  of  the  happiest  persons  I 


II.  CORINTHIANS, 
am  weak,    then   am  I 


260 

when  I 
strong. 

11    I    am   become   a   fool  in 
glorying:    ye    have    compelled 

have  known  are  those  who  have  been 
deeply  afflicted ;  some  of  the  purest  joys 
which  I  have  witnessed  have  been  mani- 
fested on  a  sick-bed,  and  in  the  prospect 
of  death.  And  I  have  no  doubt  that 
Paul,  in  the  midst  of  all  his  infirmities 
and  reproaches,  had  a  joy  above  that 
which  all  the  wealth  and  honour  of  the 
world  could  give.  See  here  the  power 
of  religion.  It  not  only  supports,  it 
comforts.  It  not  only  enables  one  to 
bear  suffering  with  resignation,  but  it 
enables  him  to  rejoice.  Philosophy 
blunts  the  feelings ;  infidelity  leaves 
men  to  murmur  and  repine  in  trial ; 
the  pleasures  of  this  world  have  no 
power  even  to  support  or  comfort  in 
times  of  affliction ;  but  Christianity  fur- 
nishes positive  pleasure  in  trial,  and 
enables  the  sufferer  to  smile  through  his 
tears.  Tf  In  infirmities.  In  my  weak- 
nesses. See  Note  on  ch.  xi.  30.  t  In 
reproaches.  In  the  contempt  and  scorn 
with  which  I  meet  as  a  follower  of  Christ. 
Note,  ch.  xi.  21.  ^  In  necessities.  In 
want.  See  Notes  on  ch.  vi.  4,  5.  %  In 
distresses  for  Christ's  sake.  Note,  ch. 
vi.  4.  In  the  various  wants  and  diffi- 
culties to  which  I  am  exposed  on  ac- 
count of  the  Saviour,  or  which  I  suffer 
in  his  cause.  If  For  when  I  am  weak, 
then  am  I  strong.  When  I  feel  weak ; 
when  I  am  subjected  to  trial,  and  nature 
faints  and  fails,  then  strength  is  im- 
parted to  me,  and  I  am  enabled  to  bear 
all.  The  more  I  am  borne  down  with 
trials,  the  more  do  I  feel  my  need  of 
divine  assistance,  and  the  more  do  I  feel 
the  efficacy  of  divine  grace.  Such  was 
the  promise  in  Deut.  xxxiii.  25 :  "  As 
thy  days,  so  shall  thy  strength  be."  So 
in  Heb.  xi.  24 :  "  Who  out  of  weak- 
ness were  made  strong."  What  Chris- 
tian has  not  experienced  this,  and  been 
able  to  say  that  when  he  felt  himself 
weak  and  felt  like  sinking  under  the 
accumulation  of  many  trials,  he  has 
found  his  strength  according  to  his  day, 


[A.  D.  60. 


me  :  for  I  ought  to  have  been 
commended  of  you:  for  fl  in 
nothing   am  I  behind   the  very 

ac.  11.  5. 


and  felt  an  arm  of  power  supporting 
him]  It  is  then  that  the  Redeemer 
manifests  himself  in  a  peculiar  manner; 
and  then  that  the  excellency  of  the  re- 
ligion of  Christ  is  truly  seen  and  its 
power  appreciated  and  felt 

1 1.  I  am  become  a  fool  in  glorying. 
The  meaning  of  this  expression  I  take 
to  be  this.  '  I  have  been  led  along  in 
speaking  of  myself  until  I  admit  I  appear 
foolish  in  this  kind  of  boasting.  It  is 
folly  to  do  it,  and  I  would  not  have  en- 
tered on  it  unless  I  had  been  driven  to 
it  by  my  circumstances  and  the  necessi- 
ty which  was  imposed  on  me  of  speak- 
ing of  myself.'  Paul  doubtless  desired 
that  what  he  had  said  of  himself  should 
not  be  regarded  as  an  example  for 
others  to  follow.  Religion  repressed  all 
vain  boasting  and  self-exultation;  and 
to  prevent  others  from  falling  into  a 
habit  of  boasting,  and  then  pleading 
his  example  as  an  apology,  he  is  care- 
ful to  say  that  he  regarded  it  as  folly  ; 
and  that  he  would  by  no  means  have  done 
it  if  the  circumstances  of  the  case  had 
not  constrained  him.  If  any  one,  there- 
fore, is  disposed  to  imitate  Paul  in 
speaking  of  himself  and  what  he  has 
done,  let  him  do  it  only  when  he  is  in 
circumstances  like  Paul,  and  when  the 
honour  of  religion  and  his  usefulness 
imperiously  demand  it;  and  let  him  not 
forget  that  it  was  the  deliberate  convic- 
tion of  Paul  that  boasting  was  the 
characteristic  of  a  fool !  |  Ye  have 
compelled  me.  You  have  made  it  ne- 
cessary for  me  to  vindicate  my  character 
and  to  state  the  evidence  of  my  divine 
commission  as  an  apostle.  T  For  1 
ought  to  have  been  commended  of  you. 
By  you.  Then  this  boasting,  so  foolish, 
would  have  been  unnecessary.  What 
a  delicate  reproof!  All  the  fault  of 
this  foolish  boasting  was  theirs.  They 
knew  him  intimately.  They  had  de- 
rived great  benefits  from  his  ministry, 
and  they  were  bound  in  gratitude  and 


A.  D.  60  ] 


CHAPTER  XII. 


261 


chiefest  apostles,  though  °  I  be 
nothing. 

o  Lu.  17.  10.     1  Co.  3.  7.     Ep.  3.  8. 

from  a  regard  to  right  and  truth  to 
vindicate  him.  But  they  had  not  done 
it ;  and  hence,  through  their  fault,  he 
had  been  compelled  to  go  into  this  un- 
pleasant vindication  of  his  own  charac- 
ter. 1  For  in  nothing  am  I  behind 
the  very  chiefest  apostles.  Neither  in 
the  evidences  of  my  call  to  the  apostolic 
office  (see  1  Cor.  ix.  1,  seq.)  ;  nor  in 
the  endowments  of  the  Spirit ;  nor  in 
my  success ;  nor  in  the  proofs  of  a  di- 
vine commission  in  the  power  of  work- 
ing miracles.  See  Note  on  ch.  xi.  5. 
^  Though  I  he  nothing.  This  ex- 
pression was  either  used  in  sarcasm  or 
seriously.  According  to  the  former  sup- 
position it  means,  that  he  was  regarded 
as  nothing ;  that  the  false  apostles 
spoke  of  him  as  a  mere  nothing, 
or  as  having  no  claims  to  the  office  of 
an  apostle.  This  is  the  opinion  of 
Clarke,  and  many  of  the  recent  com- 
mentators. Bloomfield  inclines  to  this. 
According  to  the  latter  view,  it  is  an 
expression  of  humility  on  the  part  of 
Paul,  and  is  designed  to  express  his  deep 
sense  of  his  unworthiness  in  view  of 
his  past  life — a  conviction  deepened  by 
the  exalted  privileges  conferred  on  him, 
and  the  exalted  rank  to  which  he  had 
been  raised  as  an  apostle.  This  was 
the  view  of  most  of  the  early  commen- 
tators. Doddridge  unites  the  two.  It 
is  not  possible  to  determine  with  cer- 
tainty which  is  the  true  interpretation ; 
but  it  seems  to  me  that  the  latter  view 
best  accords  with  the  scope  of  the  pas- 
sage, and  with  what  we  have  reason  to 
suppose  the  apostle  would  say  at.  this 
time.  It  is  true  that  in  this  discussion 
(ch.  x.  seq.)  there  is  much  that  is  sar- 
castic. But  in  the  whole  strain  of  the 
passage  before  us  he  is  serious.  He  is 
speaking  of  his  sufferings,  and  of  the 
evidences  that  he  was  raised  to  elevated 
rank  as  an  apostle,  and  it  is  not  quite 
natural  to  suppose  that  he  would  throw 
jn  a  sarcastic  remark  just  in  the  midst 
of  this  discussion.     Besides,  this  inter- 


12  Truly  the   signs  b  of  an 
apostle    were    wrought    among 

b  1  Co.  9.  2. 


pretation  accords  exactly  with  what  he 
says,  1  Cor.  xv.  9 :  "  For  I  am  the 
least  of  all  the  apostles,  that  am  not 
meet  to  be  called  an  apostle."  If  this 
be  the  correct  interpretation,  then  it 
teaches,  (1.)  That  the  highest  attain- 
ments in  piety  are  not  inconsistent  with 
the  deepest  sense  of  our  nothingness 
and  unworthiness.  (2.)  That  the  most 
distinguished  favours  bestowed  on  us 
by  God  are  consistent  with  the  lowest 
humility.  (3.)  That  those  who  are  most 
favoured  in  the  Christian  life,  and  most 
honoured  by  God,  should  not  be  un- 
willing to  take  a  low  place,  and  to  regard 
and  speak  of  themselves  as  nothing. 
Compared  with  God,  what  are  they  ? — 
Nothing.  Compared  with  the  angels, 
what  are  they  1 — Nothing.  As  creatures 
compared  with  the  vast  universe,  what 
are  we  1 — Nothing.  An  atom,  a  speck. 
Compared  with  other  Christians,  the 
eminent  saints  who  have  lived  before 
us,  what  are  we]  Compared  with 
what  we  ought  to  be,  and  might  be, 
what  are  we? — Nothing.  Let  a  man 
look  over  his  past  life,  and  see  how  vile 
and  unworthy  it  has  been ;  let  him 
look  at  God,  and  see  how  great  and  glo- 
rious he  is ;  let  him  look  at  the  vast 
universe,  and  see  how  immense  it  is ; 
let  him  think  of  the  angels,  and  reflect 
how  pure  they  are ;  let  him  think  of 
what  he  might  have  been,  of  how  much 
more  he  might  have  done  for  his  Saviour ; 
let  him  look  at  his  body,  and  think  how 
frail  it  is,  and  how  soon  it  must  return 
to  the  dust;  and  no  matter  how  elevated 
his  rank  among  his  fellow-worms,  and 
no  matter  how  much  God  has  favoured 
him  as  a  Christian  or  a  minister,  he  will 
feel,  if  he  feels  right,  that  he  is  nothing. 
The  most  elevated  saints  are  distinguish- 
ed for  the  deepest  humility  ;  those  who 
are  nearest  to  God  feel  most  their  dis- 
tance; they  who  are  to  occupy  the 
highest  place  in  heaven  feel  most  deeply 
that  they  are  unworthy  of  the  lowest. 
12.  Truly  the  signs  of  an  apostle. 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


you  in  all  patience,  in  signs,  and 
wonders,  and  mighty  deeds. 

1 3  For  what  is  it  wherein  you 
were  inferior  to  other  churches, 


Such  miracles  as  the  acknowledged 
apostles  worked.  Such  "  signs"  or  evi- 
dences that  they  were  divinely  com- 
missioned. See  Notes  on  Mark  xvi.  1 7. 
Acts  ii.  22.  Rom.  xv.  19.  1  Were 
wrought  among  you.  That  is,  by  me. 
See  Note,  1  Cor.  ix.  2.  ^f  In  all  patience. 
I  performed  those  works  notwithstand- 
ing the  opposition  which  I  met  with. 
I  patiently  persevered  in  furnishing  the 
evidence  of  my  divine  commission. 
There  was  a  succession  of  miracles  de- 
monstrating that  I  was  from  God,  not- 
withstanding the  unreasonable  opposi- 
tion which  I  met  with,  until  I  convinced 
you  that  I  was  called  to  the  office  of  an 
apostle.  ^  In  signs  and  wonders.  In 
working  miracles.  Comp.  Note,  Acts 
ii.  22.  What  these  miracles  at  Corinth 
were,  we  are  not  distinctly  informed. 
They  probably,  however,  were  similar 
to  those  wrought  in  other  places,  in 
healing  the  sick,  &c. ;  the  most  benevo- 
lent as  it  was  one  of  the  most  decisive 
proofs  of  the  divine  power. 

13.  For  what  is  it,  &c.  This  verse 
contains  a  striking  mixture  of  sarcasm 
and  irony,  not  exceeded,  says  Bloom- 
field,  by  any  example  in  Demosthenes. 
The  sense  is,  '  I  have  given  among  you 
the  most  ample  proofs  of  my  apostolic 
commission.  I  have  conferred  on  you 
the  highest  favours  of  the  apostolic 
office.  In  these  respects  you  are  supe- 
rior to  all  other  churches.  In  one  re- 
spect only  are  you  inferior — it  is  in 
this,  that  you  have  not  been  burdened 
with  the  privilege  of  supporting  me. 
If  you  had  had  this,  you  would  have 
been  inferior  to  no  others.  But  this  was 
owing  to  me  ;  and  I  pray  that  you  will 
forgive  me  this.  I  might  have  urged 
it ;  I  might  have  claimed  it ;  I  might 
have  given  you  the  privilege  of  becom- 
ing equal  to  the  most  favoured  in  all 
respects.  But  I  have  not  pressed  it,  and 
you  have  not  done  it,  and  I  ask  your 


except  it  be  that  I  °  myself  was 
not  burdensome  to  you  ?  forgive 
me  this  wrong. 

14  Behold,  the   third   time  1 


ac.  11.  9. 


pardon.'  There  is  a  delicate  insinuation 
that  they  had  not  contributed  to  his 
wants  (see  Note,  ch.  xi.  8)  ;  an  intima- 
tion that  it  was  a  privilege  to  contribute 
to  the  support  of  the  gospel,  and  that 
Paul  might  have  been  "burdensome  to 
them"  (see  Notes  on  1  Cor.ix.  1 — 12)  ; 
and  an  admission  that  he  was  in  part 
to  blame  for  this,  and  had  not  in  this 
respect  given  them  an  opportunity  to 
equal  other  churches  in  all  respects 
%  Was  not  burdensome  to  you.  See 
this  explained  in  the  Notes  on  ch.  x.  8. 
If  Forgive  me  this  ivrong.  'If  it  be  a 
fault,  pardon  it.  Forgive  me  that  I 
did  not  give  you  this  opportunity  to  be 
equal  to  other  churches.  It  is  a  privi- 
lege to  contribute  to  the  support  of  the 
gospel,  and  they  who  are  permitted  to 
do  it  should  esteem  themselves  highly 
favoured.  I  pray  you  to  pardon  me 
for  depriving  you  of  any  of  your  Chris- 
tian privileges.'  What  the  feelings  of 
the  Corinthians  were  about  forgiving 
Paul  for  this  we  know  not ;  but  most 
churches  would  be  as  ready  to  forgive 
a  minister  for  this  as  for  any  othei 
offence. 

14.  Behold,  the  third  time,  lam  ready 
to  come  to  you.  That  is,  this  is  the 
third  time  that  I  have  purposed  to  come 
and  see  you,  and  have  made  preparation 
for  it.  He  does  not  mean  that  he  had 
been  twice  with  them  and  was  now 
coming  the  third  time,  but  that  he.  had 
twice  before  intended  to  go  and  had 
been  disappointed.  See  1  Cor.  xvi.  5. 
2  Cor.  i.  15, 16.  His  purpose  had  been 
to  visit  them  on  his  way  to  Macedonia, 
and  again  on  his  return  from  Macedo- 
nia. He  had  now  formed  a  third  reso- 
lution, which  he  had  a  prospect  of  carry- 
ing into  execution,  i  And  I  will  not 
be  burdensome  to  you.  I  resolve  still, 
as  I  have  done  before,  not  to  receive  a 
compensation  that  shall  be  oppressive 
to  you.     See   Notes  on  ch.  xi.  9,  10. 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  X1L 


263 


am  ready  to  come  to  you  ;  and 
I  will  not  be  burdensome  to  you : 
for  a  I  seek  not  yours,  but  you  : 
for  the  children  ought  not  to  lay 

a  1  Co.  10.  33.    1  Th.  2.  8. 

1  For  I  seek  not  yours,  but  you.  I  de- 
sire not  to  obtain  your  property,  but  to 
save  your  souls.  This  was  a  noble  reso- 
lution ;  and  it  is  the  resolution  which 
should  be  formed  by  every  minister  of 
the  gospel.  While  a  minister  of  Christ 
has  a  claim  to  a  competent  support,  his 
main  purpose  should  not  be  to  obtain 
such  a  support.  It  should  be  the  higher 
and  nobler  object  of  winning  souls  to 
the  Redeemer.  See  Paul's  conduct  in 
this  respect  explained  in  the  Notes  on 
Acts  xx.  33.  ^  For  the  children,  &c. 
There  is  great  delicacy  and  address  in 
this  sentiment.  The  meaning  is,  •  It  is 
not  natural  and  usual  for  children  to 
make  provisions  for  their  parents.  The 
common  course  of  events  and  of  duty 
is,  for  parents  to  make  provision  for  their 
offspring.  I,  therefore,  your  spiritual 
father,  choose  to  act  in  the  same  way. 
I  make  provision  for  your  spiritual 
wants ;  I  labour  and  toil  for  you  as  a 
father  does  for  his  children.  I  seek 
your  welfare,  as  he  does,  by  constant 
self-denial.  In  return,  I  do  not  ask  you 
to  provide  for  me,  any  more  than  a  father 
ordinarily  expects  his  children  to  provide 
for  him.  I  am  willing  to  labour  as  he 
does,  content  with  doing  my  duty,  and 
promoting  the  welfare  of  those  under 
me.'  The  words  rendered  "  ought  not" 
(ob  cxpiihii)  are  to  be  understood  in  a 
comparative  sense.  Paul  does  not  mean 
that  a  child  ought  never  to  provide  for 
his  parents,  or  to  lay  any  thing  up  for  a 
sick,  a  poor,  and  an  infirm  father,  but 
that  the  duty  of  doing  that  was  slight 
and  unusual  compared  with  the  duty  of 
a  parent  to  provide  for  his  children. 
The  one  was  of  comparatively  rare  oc- 
currence ;  the  other  was  constant  and 
was  the  ordinary  course  of  duty.  It  is 
a  matter  of  obligation  for  a  child  to  pro- 
vide for  an  aged  and  helpless  parent ; 
but  commonly  the  duty  is  that  of  a  pa- 
rent to  provide  for  his  children.    Paul 


up  for  the  parents,  but  the  parents 
for  the  children. 

15    And   I   will   very   gladly 
spend   and  be  spent  for  1  you ; 

1  your  souls. 


felt  like  a  father  toward  the  church  in 
j  Corinth ;  and  he  was  willing,  therefore, 
|  to  labour  for  them  without  compensa- 
-  tion. 

15.  And  I- mill  very  gladly  spend. 
1 1  am  willing  to  spend  my  strength,  and 
j  time,  and  life,  and  all  that  I  have  for 
j  your  welfare,  as  a  father  cheerfully  does 
for  his  children.  Any  expense  which 
may  be  necessary  to  promote  your  salva- 
tion I  am  willing  to  submit  to.  The 
labour  of  a  father  for  his  children  is 
cheerful  and  pleasant.  Such  is  his  love 
for  them  that  he  delights  in  toil  for  their 
sake  and  that  he  may  make  them  hap- 
py. The  toil  of  a  pastor  for  his  flock 
should  be  cheerful.  He  should  be  will- 
ing to  engage  in  unremitted  efforts  for 
their  welfare ;  and  if  he  has  any  right 
feeling  he  will  find  a  pleasure  in  that 
toil.  He  will  not  grudge  the  time  de- 
manded ;  he  will  not  be  grieved  that  it 
exhausts  his  strength,  or  his  life,  any 
more  than  a  father  will  who  toils  for 
his  family.  And  as  the  pleasures  of  a 
father  who  is  labouring  for  his  children 
are  among  the  purest  and  most  pleasant 
which  men  ever  enjoy,  so  it  is  with  a 
pastor.  Perhaps,  on  the  whole,  the 
pleasantest  employment  in  life  is  that 
connected  with  the  pastoral  office  ;  the 
happiest  moments  known  on  earth  are 
in  the  duties,  arduous  as  they  are,  of  the 
pastoral  relation.  God  thus,  as  in  the 
relation  of  a  father,  tempers  toil  and 
pleasure  together;  and  accompanies 
most  arduous  labours  with  present  and 
abundant  reward.  If  Be  spent.  Be 
exhausted  and  worn  out  in  my  labours. 
So  the  Greek  word  means.  Paul  was 
willing  that  his  powers  should  be  en- 
tirely exhausted  and  his  life  consumed 
in  this  service.  K  For  you.  Marg.  as 
in  the  Greek,  for  your  souls.  So  it 
should  have  been  rendered.  So  Tindal 
renders  it.  The  sense  is,  that  he  was 
willing  to  become  wholly  exhausted  if 


264 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


though  the   more  abundantly 
love  you,  the  less  I  be  loved. 
16  But  be  it   so,  I   did  not 


I   burden  you  :  nevertheless,  being 
I  crafty,  I  caught  you  with  guile. 
17  Did  I  make  a  gain  of  you 


by  it  he  might  secure  the  salvation  of 
their  souls.  %  Though  the  more  abun- 
dantly I  love  you,  &c.  This  is  design- 
ed doubtless  as  a  gentle  reproof.  It 
refers  to  the  fact  that  notwithstanding 
the  tender  attachment  which  he  had 
evinced  for  them,  they  had  not  mani- 
fested the  love  in  return  which  he  had 
had  a  right  to  expect.  It  is  possible  that 
there  may  be  an  allusion  to  the  case  of 
a  fond,  doting  parent.  It  sometimes 
happens  that  a  parent  fixes  his  affections 
with  undue  degree  on  some  one  of  his 
children  ;  and  in  such  cases  it  is  not 
uncommon  that  the  child  evinces  special 
ingratitude  and  want  of  love.  Such 
may  be  the  allusion  here — that  Paul 
had  fixed  his  affections  on  them  like  a 
fond,  doting  father,  and  that  he  had 
met  with  a  return  by  no  means  corres- 
ponding with  the  fervour  of  his  attach- 
ment ;  yet  still  he  was  willing,  like  such 
a  father,  to  exhaust  his  time  and  strength 
for  their  welfare.  The  doctrine  is,  that 
we  should  be  willing  to  labour  and  toil 
for  the  good  of  others,  even  when  they 
evince  great  ingratitude.  The  proper 
end  of  labouring  for  their  welfare  is  not 
to  excite  their  gratitude,  but  to  obey  the 
will  of  God ;  and  no  matter  whether 
others  are  grateful  or  not ;  whether  they 
love  us  or  not ;  whether  we  can  promote 
our  popularity  with  them  or  not,  let 
us  do  them  good  always.  It  better 
shows  the  firmness  of  our  Christian 
principle  to  endeavour  to  benefit  others 
when  they  love  us  the  less  for  all  our 
attempts,  than  it  does  to  attempt  to  do 
good  on  the  swelling  tide  of  popular 
favour. 

16.  But  be  it  so.  This  is  evidently 
a  charge  of  his  enemies ;  or  at  least  a 
charge  which  it  might  be  supposed  they 
would  make.  Whether  they  ever  in 
fact  made  it,  or  whether  the  apostle 
merely  anticipates  an  objection,  it  is  im- 
possible to  determine.  It  is  clearly  to 
be  regarded  as  the  language  of  objectors ; 
for,  (I.)  It  can  never  be  supposed  that 


Paul  would  state  as  a  serious  matter 
that  he  had  caught  them  with  deceit 
or  fraud.  (2.)  He  answers  it  as  an 
objection  in  the  following  verse.  The 
meaning  is,  '  We  admit  that  you  did 
not  burden  us.  You  did  not  exact  a 
support  from  us.  But  all  this  was  mere 
trick.  You  accomplish  the  same  thing 
in  another  way.  You  professed  when 
with  us  not  to  seek  our  property  but 
our  souls.  But  in  various  ways  you 
contrived  to  get  our  money,  and  to 
secure  your  object.  You  made  others 
the  agents  for  doing  this,  and  sent  them 
among  us  under  various  pretexts  to  gain 
money  from  us.'  It  will  be  remembered 
that  Paul  had  sent  Titus  among  them 
to  take  up  the  collection  for  the  poor 
saints  in  Judea  (ch.  viii.  6),  and  it  is 
not  at  all  improbable  that  some  there 
had  charged  Paul  with  making  use  of 
this  pretence  only  to  obtain  money  for 
his  own  private  use.  To  guard  against 
this  charge,  was  one  of  the  reasons  why 
Paul  was  so  anxious  to  have  some  per- 
sons appointed  by  the  church  to  take 
charge  of  the  contribution.  Sec  1  Cor. 
xvi.  3.  Comp.  Notes  on  2  Cor.  viii. 
19 — 21.  f  Being  crafty.  Being  cun- 
ning. That  is,  by  sending  persons  to 
obtain  money  on  different  pretences. 
1  /  caught  you  with  guile.  I  took  you 
by  deceit  or  fraud.  That  is,  making  use 
of  fraud  in  pretending  that  the  money 
was  for  poor  and  afflicted  saints,  when 
in  reality  it  was  for  my  own  use.  It  is 
impossible  that  Paul  should  have  ever 
admitted  this  of  himself;  and  they 
greatly  pervert  the  passage  who  suppose 
that  it  applies  to  him,  and  then  plead 
that  it  is  right  to  make  use  of  guile  iu 
accomplishing  their  purposes.  Paul 
never  carried  his  measures  by  dis- 
honesty, nor  did  he  ever  justify  fraud. 
Comp.  Notes  on  Acts  xxiii.  6. 

17.  Did  I  make  a  gain,  &c.  In 
refuting  this  slander,  Paul  appeals  boldly 
to  the  facts,  and  to  what  they  knew. 
•  Name  the  man,  says  he,  who  has  thus 


A.  1).  60.] 


CHAPTER  XII. 


265 


by  any  of  them  whom  I  sent 
unto  you  ? 

18  I  desired  Titus,  •  and  with 
him,  I  sent  a  brother :  b  Did 
Titus  make  a  gain  of  you  ? 
walked  we  not  in  the  same 
spirit?  walked  we  not  in  the 
same  steps  ? 

ac.7.2.  b  c.  8.  6. 


defrauded  you  under  my  instructions. 
If  the  charge  is  well-founded,  let  him 
be  specified,  and  let  the  mode  in  which 
it  was  done  be  distinctly  stated.'  The 
phrase  "  make  a  gain"  (from  7r\KVBLrii») , 
means  properly  to  have  an  advantage ; 
then  to  take  advantage,  to  seek  unlawful 
gain.  Here  Paul  asks  whether  he  had 
defrauded  them  by  means  of  any  one 
whom  he  had  sent  to  them. 

18.  I  desired  Titus.  To  go  and 
complete  the  collection  which  you  had 
commenced.  See  ch.  viii.  6.  |  And 
with  him  I  sent  a  brother.  See  Note 
on  ch.  viii.  18.  H  Did  Titus  make  a 
gain  of  you  P  They  knew  that  he  did 
not.  They  had  received  him  kindly, 
treated  him  with  affection,  and  sent  him 
away  with  every  proof  of  confidence 
and  respect.  See  ch.  vii.  7.  How  then 
could  they  now  pretend  that  he  had 
defrauded  them  ?  1  Walked  we  not  in 
the  same  spirit  ?  Did  not  all  his  actions 
resemble  mine?  Was  there  not  the 
same  proof  of  honesty,  sincerity,  and 
love  which  I  have  ever  manifested  7 
This  is  a  very  delicate  turn.  Paul's 
course  of  life  when  with  them  they 
admitted  was  free  from  guile  and  from 
any  attempt  to  get  money  by  impro- 
per means.  They  charged  him  only 
with  attempting  it  by  means  of  others. 
He  now  boldly  appeals  to  them  and 
isks  whether  Titus  and  he  had  not  in 
fact  acted  in  the  same  manner;  and 
whether  they  had  not  alike  evinced  a 
spirit  free  from  covetousness  and 
jeceit  1 

1 9.  Again,  think  ye  that  we  excuse 
ourselves  unto  you?  See  Note  on 
ch.  v.  12.  The  sense  is,  do  not  sup- 
pose that  this  is  said  from  mere  anxiety 

23 


19  Again,  think  ye  that  we 
excuse  ourselves  cunto  you  ?  we 
speak  before  God  in  Christ:  but 
we  do  all  things,  dearly  beloved, 
for  your  edifying. 

38  For  I  fear,  lest,  when  dl 
come,  I  shall  not  find  you  such 
as  I  would,  and  that  I  shall  be 

c  c.  5.  12.  d  i  Co.  4.  21.    c.  13.  2.  10. 


to  obtain  your  favour,  or  to  ingratiate 
ourselves  into  your  esteem.  This  is 
said  doubtless  to  keep  himself  from  the 
suspicion  of  being  actuated  by  improper 
motives.  He  had  manifested  great  so- 
licitude certainly  in  the  previous  chap- 
ters to  vindicate  his  character ;  but  he 
here  says  that  it  was  not  from  a  mere 
desire  to  show  them  that  his  conduct 
was  right;  it  was  from  a  desire  to 
honour  Christ  ^  We  speak  before 
God  in  Christ.  We  declare  the  simple 
and  undisguised  truth  as  in  the  pre- 
sence of  God.  I  have  no  mere  desire 
to  palliate  my  conduct;  I  disguise  no- 
thing; I  conceal  nothing;  I  say  nothing 
for  the  mere  purpose  of  self-vindication, 
but  I  can  appeal  to  the  Searcher  of 
hearts  for  the  exact  truth  of  all  that  I 
say.  The  phrase  "  before  God  in  Christ," 
means  probably,  *  I  speak  as  in  the  pre- 
sence of  God  and  as  a  follower  of  Christ, 
as  a  Christian  man.'  It  is  the  solemn 
appeal  of  a  Christian  to  his  God  for  the 
truth  of  what  he  said,  and  a  solemn 
asseveration  that  what  he  said  was  not 
for  the  mere  purpose  of  excusing  or 
apologizing  for  (Greek)  his  conduct. 
<[  But  we  do  all  things,  dearly  beloved, 
for  your  edifying.  All  that  I  have 
done  has  been  for  your  welfare.  My 
vindication  of  my  character,  and  my 
effort  to  disabuse  you  of  your  prejudices, 
has  been  that  you  might  have  unwaver- 
ing confidence  in  the  gospel  and  might 
be  built  up  in  holy  faith.  On  the  word 
edify ,  see  Notes  on  Rom.  xiv.  1 9.  1  Cor. 
viii.  1 ;  x.  23. 

20.  For  I  fear  lest,  when  I  come.  See 
ver.  14.  K  J  shall  not  find  you  such 
as  I  would.  That  is,  walking  in  the 
truth  and  order  of  the  gospel.     He  had 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


found  unto  you  such  as  ye  would 
not ;  lest  there  be  debates,  envy- 
ings,  wraths,  strifes,  backbitings, 
whisperings,  swellings,  tumults : 
21  And  lest,  when  I  come 
again,  my  God  will  humble  a  me 

a  c.  2.  ]. 


feared  that  the  disorders  would  not  be 
removed,  and  that  they  would  not  have 
corrected  the  errors  which  prevailed, 
and  for  which  he  had  rebuked  them. 
It  was  on  this  account  that  he  had  said 
so  much  to  them.  His  desire  was  that 
all  these  disorders  might  be  removed, 
and  that  he  might  be  saved  from  the 
necessity  of  exercising  severe  discipline 
when  he  should  come  among  them. 
1  And  that  /  shall  be  found  unto  you 
such  as  ye  would  not.  That  is,  that  I 
shall  be  compelled  to  administer  disci- 
pline, and  that  my  visit  may  not  be 
as  pleasant  to  you  as  you  would  desire. 
For  this  reason  he  wished  all  disorder 
corrected,  and  all  offences  removed ;  that 
every  thing  might  be  pleasant  when  he 
should  come.  See  1  Cor.  iv.  21.  Comp. 
Note  on  ch.  x.  2.  ^  Lest  there  be  de- 
bates. I  fear  that  there  may  be  existing 
there  debates,  &c,  which  will  require 
the  interposition  of  the  authority  of  an 
apostle.  On  the  meaning  of  the  word 
debate,  see  Note  on  Rom.  i.  29.  ^  Envy- 
ings.  See  Note  on  1  Cor.  iii.  3. 
|  Wraths.  Anger  or  animosity  between 
contending  factions,  the  usual  effect  of 
forming  parties.  Tf  Strifes.  Between 
contending  factions.  See  Note  on  1  Cor. 
iii.  3.  ^  Backbitings.  See  Note  on  Rom. 
i.  30.  f  Whisperings.  See  Note  on 
Rom.  i.  29.  Tf  Swellings.  Undue  ela- 
tion; being  puffed  up  (see  Note  on 
ch.  viii.  1 .  1  Cor.  iv.  6.  1 8, 1 9  ;  v.  2)— 
such  as  would  be  produced  by  vain 
self-confidence,  f  Tumults.  Disorder 
and  confusion  arising  from  this  exist- 
ence of  parties.  Paul,  deeply  sensible 
of  the  evil  of  all  this,  had  endeavoured 
in  this  correspondence  to  suppress  it, 
that  all  things  might  be  pleasant  when 
he  should  come  among  them. 

21.  And  lest,  when  I  come  again,  my 


among  you,  and  that  1  shall  be- 
wail many  which  have  sinned 
already,  and  have  not  repented  l 
of  the  uncleanness,  and  fornica- 
tion, c  and  lasciviousness  which 
they  have  committed. 


b  Re.  2.  21. 


c  1  Co.  5.  1. 


God  will  humble  me,  &c.  Lest  I  should 
be  compelled  to  inflict  punishment  on 
those  whom  I  supposed  to  have  bee^ 
converted  under  my  ministry.  I  had  re- 
joiced in  them  as  true  converts.  I  had 
counted  them  as  among  the  fruit  of  my 
ministry.  Now  to  be  compelled  to  in- 
flict punishment  on  them  as  having  no 
religion  would  mortify  me  and  humble 
me.  The  infliction  of  punishment  on 
members  of  the  church  is  a  sort  of 
punishment  to  him  who  inflicts  it  as 
well  as  to  him  who  is  punished.  Mem- 
bers of  the  church  should  walk  uprightly, 
lest  they  overwhelm  the  ministry  in 
shame.  U  And  that  I  shall  bewail 
many,  &c.  If  they  repented  of  their  sin 
he  could  still  rejoice  in  them.  If  they 
continued  in  their  sin  till  he  came,  it 
would  be  to  him  a  source  of  deep  la- 
mentation. It  is  evident  from  the  word 
"  many"  here  that  the  disorders  had  pre- 
vailed very  extensively  in  the  church  at 
Corinth.  The  word  rendered  "have 
sinned  already r  means  •' who  have  sinned 
before,'  and  the  idea  is,  that  they  were 
old  offenders,  and  that  they  had  not  yet 
repented.  \  The  uncleanness.  See 
Note,  Rom  i.  24.  ^  And  fornication 
and  lasciviousness,  &c.  See  Notes  on 
1  Cor.  v.  1  ;  vi.  18.  This  was  the  sin 
to  which  they  were  particularly  exposed 
in  Corinth,  as  it  was  the  sin  for  which 
that  corrupt  city  was  particularly  dis- 
tinguished. See  the  Introduction  to  the 
first  epistle.  Hence  the  frequent  cautions 
in  these  epistles  against  it ;  and  hence  it 
is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  some  of 
those  who  had  become  professing  Chris- 
tians had  fallen  into  it  It  may  be 
added  that  it  is  still  the  sin  to  which 
converts  from  the  corruptions  and  licen- 
tiousness of  paganism  are  particularly 
exposed. 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


set 


CHAPTER  XIII. 
n^HIS  is  the  third  time  I  am 
coming  to  you.      In   "the 

a  De.  19.  15.    He.  10.  28, 29. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

This  closing  chapter  of  the  epistle 
relates  to  the  following  subjects. 

I.  The  assurance  of  Paul  that  he  was 
about  to  come  among  them  (ver.  1 — 4), 
and  that  he  would  certainly  inflict  pu- 
nishment on  all  who  deserved  it.  His 
enemies  had  reproached  him  as  being 
timid  and  pusillanimous.  See  Notes 
on  ch.  x.  1,  2.  10,  11.  They  had  said 
that  he  was  powerful  to  threaten,  but 
afraid  to  execute.  It  is  probable  that 
they  had  become  more  bold  in  this  from 
the  fact'  that  he  had  twice  purposed  to 
go  there  and  had  failed.  In  reply  to 
all  this,  he  now  in  conclusion  solemnly 
assures  them  that  he  was  coming,  and 
that  in  all  cases  where  an  offence  was 
proved  by  two  or  three  witnesses,  pu- 
nishment would  be  inflicted,  ver.  1.  He 
assures  them  (ver.  2)  that  he  would 
not  spare  ;  and  that  since  they  sought 
a  proof  that  Christ  had  sent  him,  they 
should  witness  that  proof  in  the  punish- 
ment which  he  would  inflict  (ver.  3) ;  for 
that  Christ  was  now  clothed  with  power 
and  was  able  to  execute  punishment, 
though  he  had  been  crucified,  ver.  4. 

II.  Paul  calls  on  them  solemnly  to 
examine  themselves  and  to  see  whether 
they  had  any  true  religion,  ver.  5,  6. 
In  the  state  of  things  which  existed 
there ;  in  the  corruption  which  had 
abounded  in  the  church,  he  solemnly 
commands  them  to  institute  a  faithful 
inquiry  to  know  whether  they  had  not 
been  deceived  ;  at  the  same  time  ex- 
pressing the  hope  that  it  would  appear 
as  the  result  of  their  examination  that 
they  were  not  reprobates. 

III.  He  earnestly  prays  to  God  that 
they  might  do  no  evil ;  that  they  might 
be  found  to  be  honest  and  pure,  what- 
ever might  be  thought  of  Paul  himself 
or  whatever  might  become  of  him.  ver.  7. 
Their  repentance  would  save  Paul  from 
exerting  his  miraculous  power  in  their 


mouth  of  two  or  three  wit- 
nesses shall  every  word  be  es- 
tablished. 


punishment,  and  might  thus  prevent  the 
proof  of  his  apostolic  authority  which 
they  desired,  and  the  consequence  might 
be  that  they  might  esteem  him  to  be  a 
reprobate,  for  he  could  not  exert  his 
miraculous  power  except  in  the  cause 
of  truth,  ver.  8.  Still  he  was  willing 
to  be  esteemed  an  impostor  if  they 
would  do  no  evil. 

IV.  He  assures  them  that  he  earnestly 
wished  their  perfection,  and  that  the 
design  of  his  writing  to  them,  severe  as 
he  had  appeared,  was  their  edification, 
ver.  9,  10. 

V.  Then  he  bids  them  an  affectionate 
and  tender  farewell,  and  closes  with 
the  usual  salutations  and  benedictions, 
ver.  11—14. 

1.  This  is  the  third  time,  &c.  See 
Note  on  ch.  xii.  14.  For  an  interesting 
view  of  this  passage,  see  Paley's  Horse 
Paulina?  on  this  epistle,  No.  xi.  It  is 
evident  that  Paul  had  been  to  Corinth 
but  once  before  this,  but  he  had  resolved 
to  go  before  a  second  time,  but  had  been 
disappointed,  f  In  the  mouth  of  two 
or  three  witnesses,  &c.  This  was  what 
the  law  of  Moses  required.  Deut.  xx. 
16.  See  Note  on  John  viii.  17.  Comp. 
Matt  xviii.  16.  But  in  regard  to  its 
application  here,  commentators  are  not 
agreed.  Some  suppose  that  Paul  refers 
to  his  own  epistles  which  he  had  sent 
to  them  as  the  two  or  three  witnesses 
by  which  his  promise  to  them  would  be 
made  certain  ;  that  he  had  purposed  it 
and  promised  it  two  or  three  times,  and 
that  as  this  was  all  that  was  required 
by  the  law,  it  would  certainly  be  esta- 
blished. This  is  the  opinion  of  Bloom- 
field,  Itosenmiiller,  Grotius,  Hammond, 
Locke,  and  some  others.  But,  with  all 
the  respect  due  to  such  great  names,  it 
seems  to  me  that  this  would  be  trifling 
and  childish  in  the  extreme.  '  Light- 
foot  supposes  that  he  refers  to  Stephanas, 
Fortunatus,  and  Achaicus,  who  would 
be  witnesses  to  them  of  his  purpose. 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D,  60. 


2  I  told  you  before,  and  fore- 
tel  you,  as  if  I  were  present,  the 
6econd  time  ;  and  being  absent 
now  I  write  to  them  a  which 
heretofore  have  sinned,  and  to 
all  other,  that,  if  I  come  again, 
I  will  not  spare : 

a  c.  12.  21. 

See  1  Cor.  xvi.  17.  But  the  more  pro- 
bable opinion,  it  seems  to  me,  is  that 
of  Doddridge,  Macknight,  and  others, 
that  he  anticipated  that  there  would  be 
necessity  for  the  administration  of  dis- 
cipline there,  but  that  he  would  feel 
himself  under  obligation  in  administer- 
ing it  to  adhere  to  the  reasonable  maxim 
of  the  Jewish  law.  No  one  should  be 
condemned  or  punished  where  there 
was  not  at  least  two  or  three  witnesses 
to  prove  the  offence.  But  where  there 
were,  discipline  would  be  administered 
according  to  the  nature  of  the  crime. 

2.  I  told  you  before.  That  I  would 
not  spare  offenders ;  that  I  would  cer- 
tainly punish  them.  He  had  intimated 
this  before  in  the  first  Epis.  ch.  iv.  21, 
and  ch.  v.  %  And  forettl  you.  Now 
apprise  you  of  my  fixed  determination 
to  punish  every  offender  as  he  deserves. 
T  As  if  I  were  present  the  second  time. 
The  mention  of  the  '  second  time''  here 
proves  that  Paul  had  been  with  them 
but  once  before.  He  had  formed  the 
resolution  to  go  to  them,  but  had  been 
disappointed.  The  time  when  he  had 
been  with  them  is  recorded  in  Acts 
xviii.  1,  seq.  He  now  uses  the  same 
language  to  them  which  he  says  he 
would  use  if  he  were  with  them,  as  he 
had  expected  to  be,  the  second  time- 
See  the  remarks  of  Paley  on  this  pas- 
sage, referred  to  above.  \  And  being 
absent.  See  Note  on  1  Cor.  v.  3.  %  To 
them  which  have  heretofore  sinned.  To 
all  the  offenders  in  the  church.  They 
had  supposed  that  he  would  not  come  to 
them  (I  Cor.  iv.  18),  or  that  if  he  came 
he  would  not  dare  to  inflict  punish- 
ment. 2  Cor.  9 — 11.  They  had,  there- 
fore, given  themselves  greater  liberty, 
and  had  pursued  their  own  course,  re- 
gardless of  his  authority  and  commands. 


3  Since  ye  seek  a  proof  of 
Christ  speaking  in  me,  which  to 
you-ward  is  not  weak,  but  is 
mighty  fcin  you. 

4  For  though e  he  was  crucified 
through  weakness,  yet  he  liveth 
by  the  power  of  God.     For  we 

b  1  Co.  9.  2.  e  Ph.  2.  7, 8.     1  Pe.  3.  IS. 


t  I  will  not  spare.    I  will  punish  them. 
They  shall  not  escape. 

3.  Since  ye  seek  a  proof  of  Christ 
speaking  in  ine.  See  the  Notes  on 
the  previous  chapters.  They  had  called 
in  question  his  apostolic  authority  ;  they 
had  demanded  the  evidence  of  his  divine 
commission.  He  says  that  he  would 
now  furnish  such  evidence  by  inflicting 
just  punishment  on  all  offenders,  and 
they  should  have  abundant  proof  that 
Christ  spoke  by  him,  or  that  he  was 
inspired.  ^  Which  to  you-ward  is  not 
weak.  Or  who,  that  is,  Christ,  is  not 
weak,  &c.  Christ  has  manifested  his 
power  abundantly  towards  you,  that  is, 
either  by  the  miracles  that  had  been 
wrought  in  his  name  ;  or  by  the  diseases 
and  calamities  which  they  had  suffered 
on  account  of  their  disorders  and  of- 
fences (see  Note  on  1  Cor.  xi.  30  ;  and 
1  Cor.  v.)  ;  or  by  the  force  and  efficacy 
of  his  doctrine.  The  connexion,  it 
seems  to  me,  requires  that  we  should 
understand  it  of  the  calamities  which 
had  been  inflicted  by  Christ  on  them 
for  their  sins,  and  which  Paul  says 
would  be  inflicted  again  if  they  did  not 
repent.  The  idea  is,  that  they  had  had 
ample  demonstration  of  the  power  of 
Christ  to  inflict  punishment,  and  they 
had  reason  to  apprehend  it  again. 

4.  For  though  he  was  crucified 
through  weakness.  Various  modes  have 
been  adopted  of  explaining  the  phrase 
"  through  weakness."  The  most  proba- 
ble explanation  is  that  which  refers  it  to 
the  human  nature  which  he  had  assurr.eJ 
(Phil.  ii.  7,  8.  1  Pet.  iii.  18),  and  to  the 
appearance  of  weakness  which  he  mani- 
fested. He  did  not  choose  to  exert  his 
power.  He  appeared  to  his  enemies 
to  be  weak  and  feeble.  This  idea  would 
be  an  exact  illustration  of  the  point 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


269 


also  are  weak  1  in  him,  but  we 

•  or,  with. 


before  the  apostle.  He  is  illustrating 
his  own  conduct,  and  especially  in  the 
fact  that  he  had  not  exerted  his  miracu- 
lous powers  among  them  in  the  punish- 
ment of  offenders;  and  he  does  it  by 
the  example  of  Christ,  who  though 
abundantly  able  to  have  exerted  his 
power  and  to  have  rescued  himself  from 
his  enemies,  yet  was  willing  to  appear 
weak,  and  to  be  crucified.  It  is  very 
clear,  (1.)  That  the  Lord  Jesus  seemed 
to  his  enemies  to  be  weak  and  incapa- 
ble of  resistance.  (2.)  That  he  did  not 
put  forth  his  power  to  protect  his  life. 
He  in  fact  offered  no  resistance,  as  if  he 
had  no  power.  (3.)  He  had  a  human 
nature  that  was  peculiarly  sensitive,  and 
sensible  to  suffering;  and  that  was 
borne  down  and  crushed  under  the 
weight  of  mighty  woes.  See  my  Notes 
on  Isa.  liii.  2, 3.  From  all  these  causes 
he  seemed  to  be  weak  and  feeble ;  and 
these  appear  to  me  to  be  the  principal 
ideas  in  this  expression,  t  Yet  he  liveth. 
He  is  not  now  dead.  Though  he  was 
crucified,  yet  he  now  lives  again,  and  is 
now  capable  of  exerting  his  great  power. 
He  furnishes  proof  of  his  being  alive,  in 
the  success  which  attends  the  gospel,  and 
in  the  miracles  which  are  wrought  in  his 
name  and  by  his  power.  There  is  a 
living  Redeemer  in  heaven ;  a  Redeemer 
who  is  able  to  exert  all  the  power  which 
he  ever  exerted  when  on  earth ;  a  Re- 
deemer, therefore,  who  is  able  to  save 
the  soul ;  to  raise  the  dead ;  to  punish 
all  his  foes,  t  By  the  power  of  God. 
In  raising  him  from  the  dead  and  placing 
him  at  his  own  right  hand.  See  Eph. 
i.  19 — 21.  Through  the  power  of  God 
he  was  brought  from  the  tomb,  and  has 
had  a  place  assigned  him  at  the  head 
of  the  universe.  \  For  we  also  are 
weak  in  him.  Marg.  *  with  him.'  We 
his  apostles,  also,  are  weak  in  virtue  of 
our  connexion  with  him.  We  are 
subject  to  infirmities  and  trials ;  we 
seem  to  have  no  power ;  we  are  exposed 
to  contempt;  and  we  appear  to  our 
enemies  to  be  destitute  of  strength. 
23* 


shall  live  with  him  by  the  power 
of  God  towards  you. 


Our  enemies  regard  us  as  feeble ;  and 
they  despise  us.  %  But  we  shall  live 
with  him,  &c.  That  is,  we  shall  show 
to  you  that  we  are  alive.  By  the  aid 
of  the  power  of  God  we  shall  show 
that  we  are  not  as  weak  as  our  foes  pre- 
tend ;  that  we  are  invested  with  power ; 
and  that  we  are  able  to  inflict  the  punish- 
ment which  we  threaten.  This  is  one 
of  the  numerous  instances  in  which 
Paul  illustrated  the  case  before  him  by 
a  reference  to  the  example  and  charac- 
ter of  Christ.  The  idea  is,  that  Christ 
did  not  exert  his  power,  and  appeared  to 
be  weak,  and  was  put  to  death.  So 
Paul  says  that  he  had  not  exerted  his 
power,  and  seemed  to  be  weak.  But, 
says  he,  Christ  lives,  and  is  clothed 
with  strength ;  and  so  we,  though  we 
appear  to  be  weak,  shall  exert  among 
you,  or  toward  you,  the  power  with 
which  he  has  invested  us,  in  inflicting 
punishment  on  our  foes. 

5.  Examine  yourselves.  See  Note 
on  1  Cor.  xi.  28.  The  particular  rea- 
son why  Paul  calls  on  them  to  examine 
themselves  was,  that  there  was  occasion 
to  fear  that  many  of  them  had  been  de- 
ceived. Such  had  been  the  irregularities 
and  disorders  in  the  church  at  Corinth ; 
so  ignorant  had  many  of  them  shown 
themselves  of  the  nature  of  the  Chris- 
tian religion,  that  it  was  important,  in 
the  highest  degree,  for  them  to  institute 
a  strict  and  impartial  examination  to 
ascertain  whether  they  had  not  been 
altogetherdeceived.  This  examination, 
however,  is  never  unimportant  or  use- 
less for  Christians;  and  an  exhortation 
to  do  it  is  always  in  place.  So  impor- 
tant are  the  interests  at  stake,  and  so 
liable  are  the  best  to  deceive  themselves, 
that  all  Christians  should  be  often  in- 
duced to  examine  the  foundation  of  their 
hope  of  eternal  salvation.  %  Whether 
ye  be  in  the  faith.  Whether  you  are 
true  Christians.  Whether  you  have  any 
true  faith  in  the  gospel.  Faith  in  Jesus 
Christ,  and  in  the  promises  of  God 
through  him,  is  one  of  the  distinguishing 


370 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


5     Examine     a     yourselves 

a  1  Co.  11.  28.    1  Jno.  3.  20,  21. 


characteristics  of  a  true  Christian ;  and 
to  ascertain  whether  we  have  any  true 
faith,  therefore,  is  to  ascertain  whether 
we  are  sincere  Christians.  For  some 
reasons  for  such  an  examination,  and 
some  remarks  on  the  mode  of  doing  it, 
see  Note  on  1  Cor.  xi.  28.  1  Prove 
your  ownselves.  The  word  here  used 
(JoMpa^iTi)  is  stronger  than  that  before 
used,  and  rendered  "  examine"  {jruga^ni) . 
This  word,  prove,  refers  to  assaying  or 
trying  metals  by  the  powerful  action  of 
heat ;  and  the  idea  here  is,  that  they 
should  make  the  most  thorough  trial  of 
their  religion,  to  see  whether  it  would 
stand  the  test.  See  Note  on  1  Cor.  iii. 
13.  The  proof  of  their  piety  was  to 
be  arrived  at  by  a  faithful  examination 
of  their  own  hearts  and  lives ;  by  a 
diligent  comparison  of  their  views  and 
feelings  with  the  word  of  God ;  and 
especially  by  making  trial  of  it  in  life. 
The  best  way  to  prove  our  piety  is  to 
subject  it  to  actual  trial  in  the  various 
duties  and  responsibilities  of  life.  A 
man  who  wishes  to  prove  an  axe  to  see 
whether  it  is  good  or  not,  does  not  sit 
down  and  look  at  it,  or  read  all  the 
treatises  which  he  can  find  on  axe- 
making,  and  on  the  properties  of  iron 
and  steel,  valuable  as  such  information 
would  be  ;  but  he  shoulders  his  axe  and 
goes  into  the  woods,  and  puts  it  to  the 
trial  there.  If  it  cuts  well ;  if  it  does 
not  break ;  if  it  is  not  soon  made  dull, 
he  understands  the  quality  of  his  axe 
better  than  he  could  in  any  other  way. 
So  if  a  man  wishes  to  know  what  his 
religion  is  worth,  let  him  try  it  in  the 
places  where  religion  is  of  any  value. 
Let  him  go  into  the  world  with  it.  Let 
him  go  and  try  to  do  good  ;  to  endure 
affliction  in  a  proper  manner ;  to  combat 
the  errors  and  follies  of  life ;  to  ad- 
monish sinners  of  the  error  of  their 
ways;  and  to  urge  forward  the  great 
work  of  the  conversion  of  the  world, 
and  he  will  soon  see  there  what,  his  re- 
ligion is  worth — as  easily  as  a  man  can 
test  the  qualities  of  an  axe.    Let  him 


whether    ye   be   in   the    faith ; 
prove  your  ownselves.     Know 


not  merely  sit  down  and  think,  and 
compare  himself  with  the  Bible  and 
look  at  his  own  heart — valuable  as  this 
may  be  in  many  respects — but  let  him 
treat  his  religion  as  he  would  any  thing 
else — let  him  subject  it  to  actual  expe- 
riment. That  religion  which  will  ena- 
ble a  man  to  imitate  the  example  of  Paul 
or  Howard,  or  the  great  Master  himself, 
in  doing  good,  is  genuine.  That  reli- 
gion which  will  enable  a  man  to  endure 
persecution  for  the  name  of  Jesus  ;  to 
bear  calamity  without  murmuring;  to 
submit  to  a  long  series  of  disappoint- 
ments and  distresses  for  Christ's  sake, 
is  genuine.  That  religion  which  will 
prompt  a  man  unceasingly  to  a  life  of 
prayer  and  self-denial ;  which  will  make 
him  ever  conscientious,  industrious,  and 
honest ;  which  will  enable  him  to  warn 
sinners  of  the  error  of  their  ways,  and 
which  will  dispose  him  to  seek  the 
friendship  of  Christians,  and  the  salva- 
tion of  the  world,  is  pure  and  genuine. 
That  will  answer  the  purpose.  It  is 
like  the  good  axe  with  which  a  man  can 
chop  all  day  long,  in  which  there  is  no 
flaw,  and  which  does  not  get  dull,  and 
which  answers  all  the  purposes  of  an 
axe.  Any  other  religion  than  this  is 
worthless.  ^  Know  ye  not  your  own- 
selves.  That  is,  'Do  you  not  know 
yourselves  V  This  does  not  mean,  as 
some  may  suppose,  that  they  might 
know  of  themselves,  without  the  aid  of 
others,  what  their  character  was ;  or 
that  they  might  themselves  ascertain  it ; 
but  it  means  that  they  might  know 
themselves ,-  i.  e.  their  character,  princi- 
ples, conduct.  This  proves  that  Chris- 
tians may  k?iow  their  true  character. 
If  they  are  Christians,  they  may  know 
it  with  as  undoubted  certainty  as  they 
may  know  their  character  on  any 
other  subject.  Why  should  not  a  man 
be  as  able  to  determine  whether  he  loves 
God  as  whether  he  loves  a  child,  a  pa- 
rent, or  a  friend]  What  greater  diffi- 
culty need  there  be  in  understanding 
the  character  on  the  subject  of  religion 


k.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


271 


ye  not  your  ownselves,  how 
that  Jesus  Christ  «■  is  in  you, 
except  ye  be  reprobates  1  b 

a  Ro.  8.  10.     Ga.  4.  19. 


than  on  any  other  subject;  and  why 
should  there  be  any  more  reason  for 
doubt  on  this  than  on  any  other  point 
of  character  1  And  yet  it  is  remarkable, 
that  while  a  child  has  no  doubt  that  he 
loves  a  parent,  or  a  husband  a  wife,  or 
a  friend  a  friend,  almost  all  Christians 
are  in  very  great  doubt  about  their  at- 
tachment to  the  Redeemer  and  to  the 
great  principles  of  religion.  Such  was 
not  the  case  with  the  apostles  and  early 
Christians.  "I  know,"  says  Paul, 
*  whom  I  have  believed,  and  am  persuaded 
that  he  is  able  to  keep  that  which  I  have 
committed  to  him,"  &c.  2  Tim.  i.  12. 
"  We  know,"  says  John,  speaking  in 
the  name  of  the  body  of  Christians, 
"  that  we  have  passed  from  death  unto 
life."  1  John  iii.  14.  "We  know  that 
we  are  of  the  truth."  19.  "We  know 
that  he  abideth  in  us."  24.  "We 
know  that  we  dwell  in  him."  1  John 
iv.  13.  See  also  v.  2.  19,  20.  So  Job 
said,  "I  know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth, 
and  that  he  shall  stand  in  the  latter  day 
upon  the  earth,"  &c.  Job  xix.  25. 
Such  is  the  current  language  of  Scrip- 
ture. Where,  in  the  Bible,  do  the  sacred 
speakers  and  writers  express  doubts 
about  their  attachment  to  God  and  the 
Redeemer?  Where  is  such  language 
to  be  found  as  we  hear  from  almost  all 
professing  Christians,  expressing  entire 
uncertainty  about  their  condition ;  ab- 
solute doubt  whether  they  love  God  or 
hate  him;  whether  they  are  going  to 
heaven  or  hell ;  whether  they  are  in- 
fluenced by  good  motives  or  bad ;  and 
even  making  it  a  matter  of  merit  to  be 
in  such  doubt,  and  thinking  it  wrong 
not  to  doubt  1  What  would  be  thought 
of  a  husband  that  should  make  it  a  mat- 
ter of  merit  to  doubt  whether  he  loved 
his  wife  ;  or  of  a  child  that  should  think 
it  wrong  not  to  doubt  whether  he  loved 
his  father  or  mother  ?  Such  attachments 
ought  to  be  doubted — but  they  do  not 
occur  in  the  common  relations  of  life. 


6  But  I  trust  that  yo  shall 
know  that  we  are  not  repro- 
bates. 

b  1  Co.  9.  27.    2  Ti.  3.  8. 


On  the  subject  of  religion  men  often 
act  as  they  do  on  no  other  subject ;  and 
if  it  is  right  for  one  to  be  satisfied  of  the 
sincerity  of  his  attachments  to  his  best 
earthly  friends,  and  to  speak  of  such 
attachment  without  wavering  or  mis- 
giving, it  cannot  be  wrong  to  be  satisfied 
with  regard  to  our  attachment  to  God, 
and  to  speak  of  that  attachment,  as  the 
apostles  did,  in  language  of  undoubted 
confidence.  *J  How  that  Jesus  Christ 
is  in  you.  To  be  in  Christ,  or  for  Christ 
to  be  in  us,  is  a  common  mode  in  the 
Scriptures  of  expressing  the  idea  that 
we  are  Christians.  It  is  language  de- 
rived from  the  close  union  which  sub- 
sists between  the  Redeemer  and  his 
people.  See  the  phrase  explained  in 
the  Note  on  Rom.viii.  10.  1  Except 
ye  be  reprobates.  See  Note  on  Rom. 
i.  28.  The  word  rendered  "  reprobates" 
(oJkifxoi)  means  properly  not  approved, 
rejected ,-  that  which  will  not  stand  the 
trial.  It  is  properly  applicable  to  metals, 
as  denoting  that  they  will  not  bear  the 
tests  to  which  they  are  subjected,  but 
are  found  to  be  base  or  adulterated. 
The  sense  here  is,  that  they  might  know 
that  they  were  Christians,  unless  their 
religion  was  base,  false,  adulterated ;  or 
such  as  would  not  bear  the  test.  There 
is  no  allusion  here  to  the  sense  which 
is  sometimes  given  to  the  word  reprobate, 
of  being  cast  off  or  abandoned  by  God, 
or  doomed  by  him  to  eternal  ruin  in  ac- 
cordance with  an  eternal  purpose. 
Whatever  may  be  the  truth  on  that 
subject,  nothing  is  taught  in  regard  tc 
it  here.  The  simple  idea  is,  that  they 
might  know  that  they  were  Christians, 
unless  their  religion  was  such  as  would 
not  stand  the  test,  or  was  worthless. 

6.  But  I  trust,  &c.  The  sense  of 
this  verse  is,  'Whatever  may  be  the 
result  of  your  examination  of  yourselves, 
I  trust  (Gr.  /  hope)  you  will  not  find  us 
false  and  to  be  rejected ;  that  is,  I  trust 
you  will  find  in  me  evidence  that  I  am 


372 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.D.60 


7  Now  I  pray  to  God  that  ye  !  should  do  that  which  is  honest, 
do  no  evil ;  not  that  we  should   though  we  be  as  reprobates. 

8  For  °  we  can  do   nothing 

oPr.  21.30. 


appear   approved,   but    that  ye 


commissioned  by  the  Lord  Jesus  to  be 
his  apostle.'  The  idea  is,  that  they 
would  find  when  he  was  among  them, 
that  he  was  endowed  with  all  the  quali- 
fications needful  to  confer  a  claim  to  the 
apostolic  office. 

7.  Now  1  pray  to  God  that  ye  do  no 
evil.  I  earnestly  desire  that  you  may 
do  right,  and  only  right ;  and  I  beseech 
God  that  it  may  be  so,  whatever  may 
be  the  result  in  regard  to  me,  and  what- 
ever may  be  thought  of  my  claims  to 
the  apostolic  office.  This  is  designed 
to  mitigate  the  apparent  severity  of  the 
sentiment  in  ver.  6.  There  he  had  said 
that  they  would  find  him  fully  endowed 
with  the  power  of  an  apostle.  They 
would  see  that  he  was  able  abundantly 
to  punish  the  disobedient  They  would 
have  ample  demonstration  that  he  was 
endowed  by  Christ  with  all  the  powers 
appropriate  to  an  apostle,  and  that  all 
that  he  had  claimed  had  been  well- 
founded,  all  that  he  threatened  would 
be  executed.  But  this  seemed  to  imply 
that  he  desired  that  there  should  be 
occasion  for  the  exercise  of  that  power 
of  administering  discipline  ;  and  he, 
therefore,  in  this  verse,  removes  all  sus- 
picion that  such  was  his  wish,  by  saying 
solemnly,  that  he  prayed  to  God  that 
they  might  never  do  wrong ;  that  they 
might  never  give  him  occasion  for  the 
exercise  of  his  power  in  that  way, 
though  as  a  consequence  he  would  be 
regarded  as  a  reprobate,  or  as  having  no 
claims  to  the  apostolic  office.  He  would 
rather  be  regarded  as  an  impostor ;  ra- 
ther lie  under  the  reproach  of  his  ene- 
mies that  he  had  no  claims  to  the 
apostolic  character,  than  that  they,  by 
doing  wrong,  should  give  him  occasion 
to  show  that  he  was  not  a  deceiver. 
T  Not  that  we  should  appear  approved. 
My  great  object,  and  my  main  desire, 
is  not  to  urge  my  claims  to  the  apostolic 
office  and  clear  up  my  own  character ; 
it  is  that  you  should  lead  honest  lives, 


whatever  may  become  of  me  and  my 
reputation.  \  Though  we  be  as  repro- 
bates. I  am  willing  to  be  regarded  as 
rejected,  disapproved,  worthless,  like 
base  metal,  provided  you  lead  honest 
and  holy  lives.  I  prefer  to  be  so  esteem- 
ed, and  to  have  you  live  as  becomes 
Christians,  than  that  you  should  dis- 
honour your  Christian  profession,  and 
thus  afford  me  the  opportunity  of  de- 
monstrating, by  inflicting  punishment, 
that  I  am  commissioned  by  the  Lord 
Jesus  to  be  an  apostle.  The  sentiment 
is,  that  a  minister  of  the  gospel  should 
desire  that  his  people  should  walk 
worthy  of  their  high  calling,  whatever 
may  be  the  estimate  in  which  he  is  held. 
He  should  never  desire  that  they  should 
do  wrong — how  can  he  do  it  1 — in  order 
that  he  may  take  occasion  from  their 
wrong-doing  to  vindicate,  in  any  way, 
his  own  character,  or  to  establish  a  re- 
putation for  skill  in  administering  disci- 
pline or  in  governing  a  church.  What 
a  miserable  ambition  it  is — and  as  wick- 
ed as  it  is  miserable — for  a  man  to  wish 
to  take  advantage  of  a  state  of  disorder, 
or  of  the  faults  of  others,  in  order  to  es- 
tablish his  own  character,  or  to  obtain 
reputation.  Paul  spurned  and  detested 
such  a  thought ;  yet  it  is  to  be  feared  it 
is  sometimes  done. 

8.  For  we.  That  is,  we  the  apostles. 
f  Can  do  nothing  against  the  truth, 
&c.  That  is,  we  who  are  under  the  in- 
fluence of  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  who  have 
been  commissioned  by  him  as  apostles, 
can  do  nothing  that  shall  be  against 
that  great  system  of  truth  which  we  are 
appointed  to  promulgate  and  defend. 
You  need,  therefore,  apprehend  no  par- 
tial, or  severe  discipline  from  is;  no 
unjust  construction  of  your  conduct. 
Our  aim  is  to  promote  the  truth,  and  to 
do  what  is  right ;  and  we  cannot,  there- 
fore, by  any  regard  to  our  own  reputa- 
tion, or  to  any  personal  advantage,  do 
what  is  wrong,  or  countenance,  or  deajrt 


A.  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  XIII 

but   for   the 


273 


against   the   truth 
truth. 

9  For  we  are  glad,  when  we 
are  weak,  and  ye  are  strong: 
and  this  also  we  wish,  even 
your  perfection.  a 

a  1  Th.  3.  10.    He.  6.  1. 


what  is  wrong  in  others.  We  must 
wish  that  which  is  right  to  be  done  by 
others,  whatever  may  be  the  effect  on  us 
— whether  we  are  regarded  as  apostles  or 
deceivers.  I  suppose,  therefore,  that  this 
verse  is  designed  to  qualify  and  confirm 
the  sentiment  in  the  previous  verse,  that 
Paul  meant  to  do  only  right ;  that  he 
wished  all  others  to  do  right ;  and  that 
whatever  might  be  the  effect  on  his 
own  reputation,  or  however  he  might 
be  regarded,  he  could  not  go  against 
the  great  system  of  gospel  truth  which 
he  preached,  or  even  desire  that  others 
should  ever  do  wrong,  though  it  might 
in  any  way  be  for  his  advantage.  It 
was  a  fixed  principle  with  him  to  act 
only  in  accordance  with  truth  ;  to  do 
what  was  right. 

9.  For  we  are  glad  token  we  are 
weak,  &c.  We  rejoice  in  your  wel- 
fare, and  are  willing  to  submit  to  self- 
denial  and  to  infirmity  if  it  may  promote 
your  spiritual  strength.  In  the  con- 
nexion in  which  this  stands  it  seems  to 
mean,  '  I  am  content  to  appear  weak, 
provided  you  do  no  wrong ;  I  am  will- 
ing not  to  have  occasion  to  exercise 
my  power  in  punishing  offenders,  and 
had  rather  lie  under  the  reproach  of 
being  actually  weak,  than  to  have  occa- 
sion to  exercise  my  power  by  punishing 
you  for  wrong-doing ;  and  provided  you 
are  strong  in  the  faith  and  in  the  hope 
of  the  gospel,  I  am  very  willing,  nay,  I 
rejoice  that  I  am  under  this  necessity  of 
appearing  weak.'  Tf  And  this  also  we 
ivish.  I  desire  this  in  addition  to  your 
doing  no  evil.  ^  Even  your  perfection. 
The  word  here  used  (k^to^t/ov?)  occurs 
nowhere  else  in  the  New  Testament, 
though  the  verb  from  which  it  is  derived 
(**t*{t*£«)  occurs  often.  Matt.  iv.  21  ; 
xxi.    J  6.     Mark  i.  19.      Luke  vi.  40. 


10  Therefore  I  write  these 
things  being  absent,  lest  being 
present  I  should  use  sharpness, 
h  according  c  to  the  power  which 
the  Lord  hath  given  me  to  edifi- 
cation, and  not  to  destruction. 

b  Tit.  1.  13.  c  c.  10.  8. 


Rom.  ix.  22.  1  Cor.  i.  10.  2  Cor.  xiii. 
11.  Gal.  vi.  1.  1  Thess.  iii.  10,  et  al. 
See  Note  on  ver.  11.  On  the  meaning 
of  the  word  see  Rom.  ix.  22.  The  idea 
of  restoring,  putting  in  order,  fitting, 
repairing,  is  involved  in  the  word  always, 
and  hence  the  idea  of  making  perfect ; 
i.  e.  of  completely  restoring  any  thing 
to  its  proper  place.  Here  it  evidently 
means  that  Paul  wished  their  entire 
reformation — so  that  there  should  be  no 
occasion  for  exercising  discipline.  Dod- 
dridge renders  it,  "perfect  good  order." 
Macknight,  "  restoration."  For  this  re- 
storation of  good  order  Paul  had  dili- 
gently laboured  in  these  epistles  ;  and 
this  was  an  object  near  to  his  heart. 

10.  Therefore  I  write  these  things, 
&c.  This  is  a  kind  of  apology  for  what 
he  had  said,  and  especially  for  the  ap- 
parently harsh  language  which  he  had 
felt  himself  constrained  to  use.  He  had 
reproved  them;  he  had  admonished 
them  of  their  faults ;  he  had  threatened 
punishment,  all  of  which  was  designed 
to  prevent  the  necessity  of  severe  mea- 
sures when  he  should  be  with  them. 
1  Lest  being  present  I  should  use 
sharpness.  In  order  that  when  I  come 
I  may  not  have  occasion  to  employ  se- 
verity. See  the  sentiment  explained  in 
the  Note  on  ch.  x.  2.  t  According  to 
the  power,  &c.  That  I  may  not  use 
the  power  with  which  Christ  has  invest- 
ed me  for  maintaining  discipline  in  his 
church.  The  same  form  of  expression 
is  found  in  ch.  x.  8.  See  Note  on  that 
place. 

11.  Finally,  brethren  (acwgv).  The 
remainder ;  all  that  remains  is  for  me 
to  bid  you  an  affectionate  faiewell.  The 
word  here  rendered  "farewell"  0t«^g«"»)> 
means  usually  to  joy  and  rejoice,  or  to 
be  glad,  Luke  i.  14.    John  xvi.  20.  22 ; 


274 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


11  Finally,  brethren,  farewell. 
Be  perfect,  abe  of  good  comfort, 
be  iof  one  mind,  live  in  peace ; 


b  Ro.  12. 16;  15. 5. 


a  ver.  y 
Ep.  4. 3. 


Ph.2.-2.  lPe.3.8. 


and  it  is  often  used  in  the  sense  of  'joy 
to  you,'  'hail!'  as  a  salutation.  Matt, 
xxvi.  49;  xxvii.  29.  It  is  also  used  as 
a  salutation  at  the  beginning  of  an 
epistle,  in  the  sense  of  greeting.  Acts 
xv.  23;  xxiii.  26.  James  i.  1.  It  is 
generally  agreed,  however,  that  it  is 
here  to  be  understood  in  the  sense  of 
farewell,  as  a  parting  salutation,  though 
it  may  be  admitted  that  there  is  included 
in  the  word  an  expression  of  a  wish  for 
their  happiness.  This  was  among  the 
last  words  which  Cyrus,  when  dying, 
addressed  to  his  friends.  \  Be  perfect. 
See  this  word  explained  in  the  Notes 
on  ver.  9,  and  Rom.  ix.  22.  It  was  a 
wish  that  every  disorder  might  be  re- 
moved ;  that  all  that  was  out  of  joint 
might  be  restored ;  that  every  thing 
might  be  in  its  proper  place  ;  and  that 
they  might  be  just  what  they  ought  to 
be.  A  command  to  be  perfect,  however, 
does  not  prove  that  it  has  ever  in  fact 
been  obeyed ;  and  an  earnest  wish  on 
the  part  of  an  apostle  that  others  might 
be  perfect,  does  not  demonstrate  that 
they  were ;  and  this  passage  should  not 
be  adduced  to  prove  that  any  have  been 
free  from  sin.  It  maybe  adduced, how- 
ever, to  prove  that  an  obligation  rests 
on  Christians  to  be  perfect,  and  that 
there  is  no  natural  obstacle  to  their 
becoming  such,  since  God  never  can 
command  us  to  do  an  impossibility. 
"Whether  any  one,  but  the  Lord  Jesus, 
has  been  perfect,  however,  is  a  question 
on  which  different  denominations  of 
Christians  have  been  greatly  divided. 
It  is  incumbent  on  the  advocates  of  the 
doctrine  of  sinless  perfection  to  produce 
some  one  instance  of  a  perfectly  sinless 
character.  This  has  not  yet  been  done. 
1  Be  of  good  comfort.  Be  consoled  by 
the  promises  and  supports  of  the  gospel. 
Take  comfort  from  the  hopes  which  the 
gospel  imparts.  Or  the  word  may  pos- 
sibly have  a  reciprocal  sense,  and  mean, 


[A.  D.  60. 

and  peace 


and  the  God  of  love 
shall  be  with  you. 

12   Greet  cone  another  with 
an  holy  kiss. 

c  Ro.  16.  16. 


comfort  one  another.  See  Schlcusner 
Rosenmuller  renders  it,  "  receive  admo- 
nition from  all  with  a  grateful  mind, 
that  you  may  come  to  greater  perfec- 
tion." It  is,  at  any  rate,  the  expression 
of  an  earnest  wish  on  the  part  of  the 
apostle,  that  they  might  be  happy.  H  Be 
of  one  mind.  They  had  been  greatly 
distracted,  and  divided  into  different 
parties  and  factions.  At  the  close  of 
the  epistle  he  exhorts  them,  as  he  had 
repeatedly  done  before,  to  lay  aside  those 
strifes,  and  to  be  united,  and  manifest 
the  same  spirit.  See  Note  on  Rom. 
xii.  16  ;  xv.  5.  See  Note  also  on  1  Cor. 
i.  10.  The  sense  is,  that  Paul  desired 
that  dissensions  should  cease,  and  that 
they  should  be  united  in  opinion  and 
feeling  as  Christian  brethren.  \  hive 
in  peace.  With  each  other.  Let  con- 
tentions and  strifes  cease.  To  promote 
the  restoration  of  peace  had  been  the 
main  design  of  these  epistles.  \  And 
the  God  of  love  and  peace.  The  God 
who  is  all  love,  and  who  is  the  author 
of  all  peace.  What  a  glorious  appella- 
tion is  this  !  There  can  be  no  more 
beautiful  expression,  and  it  is  as  true  as 
it  is  beautiful,  that  God  is  a  God  of  love 
and  of  peace.  He  is  infinitely  benevo- 
lent; he  delights  in  exhibiting  his  love; 
and  he  delights  in  the  love  which  his 
people  evince  for  each  other.  At  the 
same  time  he  is  the  author  of  peace, 
and  he  delights  in  peace  among  men. 
When.  Christians  love  each  other  they 
have  reason  to  expect  that  the  God  of 
love  will  be  with  them ;  when  they 
live  in  peace,  they  may  expect  the  God 
of  peace  will  take  up  his  abode  with 
them.  In  contention  and  strife  we  have 
no  reason  to  expect  his  presence  ;  and 
it  is  only  when  we  are  willing  to  lay 
aside  all  animosity  that  we  may  expect 
the  God  of  peace  will  Jix  his  abodo 
with  us. 

12.  Greet.    Salute.    See  Note,  Rom. 


A..  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


275 


13  All  the  saints  salute  you. 

14  The  "grace  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  the  love  of 
God,  and  the  b  communion  of  the 


a  Ro.  16.  24. 


b  Ph.  2. 


xvi.  3.     f  With  an  holy  kiss.     Note, 
Rom.  xvi.  16. 

13.  All  the  saints  salute  you.  That 
is,  all  who  were  with  Paul,  or  in  the 
place  where  he  was.  The  epistle  was 
written  from  Macedonia,  probably  from 
Philippi.     See  Intro.  §  3. 

14.  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  See  Note,  Rom  xvi.  20.  This 
verse  contains  what  is  usually  called 
the  apostolic  benediction.;  the  form 
which  has  been  so  long,  and  which  is 
almost  so  universally  used,  in  dismissing 
religious  assemblies.  It  is  properly  a 
prayer,  and  it  is  evident  that  the  Opta- 
tive ef«,  '  May  the  grace,'  &c,  is  to  be 
supplied.  It  is  the  expression  of  a  de- 
sire that  the  favours  here  referred  to  may 
descend  on  all  for  whom  they  are  thus 
invoked.  ^  And  the  love  of  God. 
May  the  love  of  God  towards  you  be 
manifest.  This  must  refer  peculiarly 
to  the  Father,  as  the  Son  and  the  Holy 
Spirit  are  mentioned  in  the  other  mem- 
bers of  the  sentence.  The  '  love  of  God' 
here  referred  to  is  the  manifestation  of 
his  goodness  and  favour  in  the  pardon 
of  sin,  in  the  communication  of  his 
grace,  in  the  comforts  and  consolations 
which  he  imparts  to  his  people,  in  all 
that  constitutes  an  expression  of  love. 
The  love  of  God  brings  salvation  ;  im- 
parts comfort ;  pardons  sin  ;  sanctifies 
the  soul ;  fills  the  heart  with  joy  and 
peace ;  and  Paul  here  prays  that  all  the 
blessings  which  are  the  fruit  of  that  love 
may  be  with  them.  ^  And  the  com- 
munion of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Comp. 
Note,  1  Cor.  x.  16.  The  word  com- 
munion  (.tofyain'*)  means  properly  par- 
ticipation, fellowship,  or  having  any 
thing  in  common.  Acts  ii.  4-2.  Rom. 
xv  26.  1  Cor.  i.  9;  x.  16.  2  Cor. 
vi.  14  ;  viii.4  ;  ix.  13.  Gal.  ii.  9.  Eph. 
iii.  9.  1  John  i.  3.  This  is  also  a 
wish  or  prayer  of  the  apostle  Paul ;  and 


Holy  Ghost,   be  with   you  all. 

Amen. 

The  second  epistle  to  the  Co- 
rinthians was  written  from 
Philippi,  a  city  of  Mace- 
donia, by  Titus  and  Lucas. 


the  desire  is  either  that  they  might  par- 
take of  the  views  and  feelings  of  the 
Holy  Ghost ;  that  is,  that  they  might 
have  fellowship  with  him  ;  or  that  they 
might  all  in  common  partake  of  the 
gifts  and  graces  which  the  Spirit  of 
God  imparts.  He  gives  love,  joy, 
peace,  long-suffering,  gentleness,  good- 
ness, faith  (Gal.  v.  22),  as  well  as  mi- 
raculous endowments  ;  and  Paul  prays 
that  these  things  might  be  imparted 
freely  to  all  the  church  in  common,  that 
all  might  participate  in  them,  all  might 
share  them.  1  Amen.  This  word  is 
wanting,  says  Clarke,  in  almost  every 
MS.  of  any  authority.  It  was  however 
early  affixed  to  the  epistle. 

In  regard  to  this  closing  verse  of  the 
epistle,  we  may  make  the  following 
remarks.  (I.)  It  is  a  prayer  ,•  and  if 
it  is  a  prayer  addressed  to  God,  it  is  no 
less  so  to  the  Lord  Jesus  and  to  the 
Holy  Spirit.  If  so,  it  is  right  to  offer 
worship  to  the  Lord  Jesus  and  to  the 
Holy  Spirit.  (2.)  There  is  a  distinction 
in  the  divine  nature  ;  or  there  is  the 
existence  of  what  is  usually  termed  three 
persons  in  the  Godhead.  If  not,  why 
are  they  mentioned  in  this  manner  1 
If  the  Lord  Jesus  is  not  divine  and 
equal  with  the  Father,  why  is  he  men- 
tioned in  this  connexion  1  How  strange 
it  would  be  for  Paul,  an  inspired  man, 
to  pray  in  the  same  breath,  '  the  grace 
of  a  man  or  an  angel'  and  "  the  love  of 
God"  be  with  you  !  And  if  the  '  Holy 
Spirit'  be  merely  an  influence  of  God, 
or  an  attribute  of  God,  how  strange  to 
pray  that  the  '  love  of  God'  and  the  par- 
ticipation or  fellowship  of  an  '  influence 
of  God,'  or  an  '  attribute  of  God'  might 
be  with  them  !  (3.)  The  Holy  Spirit 
is  a  person,  or  has  a  distinct  personality. 
He  is  not  an  attribute  of  God,  nor  a 
mere  divine  influence.  How  could 
prayer  be  addressed  to  an  attribute,  or 


276 


II.  CORINTHIANS. 


[A.  D.  60. 


an  influence  ?  But  here,  nothing  can 
be  plainer  than  that  there  were  favours 
which  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  an  intelligent 
and  conscious  agent,  was  expected  to 
bestow.  And  nothing  can  be  plainer 
than  that  they  were  favours  in  some 
sense  distinct  from  those  which  were 
conferred  by  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  by  the 
Father.  Here  is  a  distinction  of  some 
kind  as  real  as  that  between  the  Lord 
Jesus  and  the  Father ;  here  are  favours 
expected  from  him  distinct  from  those 
conferred  by  the  Father  and  the  Son  ; 
and  there  is,  therefore,  here  all  the  proof 
that  there  can  be,  that  there  is  in  some 
respects  a  distinction  between  the  per- 
sons here  referred  to,  and  that  the  Holy 
Spirit  is  an  intelligent,  conscious  agent. 
(4.)  The  Lord  Jesus  is  not  inferior  to 
the  Father,  that  is,  he  has  an  equality 
with  God.  If  he  were  not  equal,  how 
could  he  be  mentioned,  as  he  here  is,  as 
bestowing  favours  like  God,  and  espe- 
cially why  is  he  mentioned  first  ? 
Would  Paul,  in  invoking  blessings, 
mention  the  name  of  a  mere  man  or  an 
angel  before  that  of  the  eternal  God  1 
(5.)  The  passage,  therefore,  furnishes 
a  proof  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity 
that  has  not  yet  been  answered,  and,  it 
is  believed,  cannot  be.  On  the  suppo- 
sition that  there  are  three  persons  in  the 
adorable  Trinity,  united  in  essence  and 
yet  distinct  in  some  respects,  all  is  plain 
and  clear.  But  on  the  supposition 
that  the  Lord  Jesus  is  a  mere  man,  an 
angel,  or  an  archangel,  and  that  the 
Holy  Spirit  is  an  attribute,  or  an  influ- 
ence from  God,  how  unintelligible,  con- 
fused, strange  does  all  become  !  That 
Paul,  in  the  solemn  close  of  the  epistle, 
should  at  the  same  time  invoke  blessings 
from  a  mere  creature,  and  from  God, 
and  from  an  attribute,  surpasses  belief. 
But  that  he  should  invoke  blessings 
from  him  who  was  the  equal  with  the 
Father,  and  from  the  Father  himself, 
and  from  the  Sacred  Spirit  sustaining 
the  same  rank,  and  in  like  manner  im- 
parting important  blessings,  is  in  accord- 
ance with  all  that  we  should  expect, 
and  makes  all  harmonious  and  appro- 


priate. (6.)  Nothing  could  be  a  more 
proper  close  of  the  epistle  ;  nothing  is  a 
more  appropriate  close  of  public  wor- 
ship, than  such  an  invocation.  It  is  a 
prayer  to  the  ever-blessed  God,  that  all 
the  rich  influences  which  he  gives  as 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  may  be 
imparted  ;  that  all  the  benefits  which 
God  confers  in  the  interesting  relations 
in  which  he  makes  himself  known  to 
us  may  descend  and  bless  us.  What 
more  appropriate  prayer  can  be  offered 
at  the  close  of  public  worship  ]  How 
seriously  should  it  be  pronounced,  as  a 
congregration  is  about  to  separate,  per- 
haps to  come  together  no  more  !  With 
what  solemnity  should  all  join  in  it,  and 
how  devoutly  should  all  pray,  as  they 
thus  separate,  that  these  rich  and  in- 
estimable blessings  may  rest  upon  them  ! 
With  hearts  uplifted  to  God  it  should 
be  pronounced  and  heard ;  and  every 
worshipper  should  leave  the  sanctuary 
deeply  feeling  that  what  he  most  needs 
as  he  leaves  the  place  of  public  worship ; 
as  he  travels  on  the  journey  of  life ;  as 
he  engages  in  its  duties  or  meets  its 
trials ;  as  he  looks  at  the  grave  and 
eternity,  is  the  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  the  love  of  God,  and  the  bless- 
ings which  the  Holy  Spirit  imparts  in 
renewing,  and  sanctifying,  and  comfort- 
ing his  people.  What  more  appropriate 
prayer  than  this  for  the  writer  and 
reader  of  these  Notes !  May  that  bless- 
ing rest  alike  upon  us,  though  we  may 
be  strangers  in  the  flesh,  and  may  those 
heavenly  influences  guide  us  alike 
to  the  same  everlasting  kingdom  of 
glory  ! 

In  regard  to  the  subscription  at  the 
end  of  this  epistle,  it  may  be  observed, 
that  it  is  wanting  in  a  great  part  of  the 
most  ancient  MSS.,  and  is  of  no  author- 
ity whatever.  See  Notes  at  the  end 
of  the  epistle  to  the  Romans,  and  1  Co- 
rinthians. In  this  case,  however,  this 
subscription  is  in  the  main  correct,  as 
there  is  evidence  that  it  was  written 
from  Macedonia,  and  not  improbably 
from  Philippi.  See  the  Introduction  to 
the  epistle. 


INTRODUCTION 


TO    THE 


EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS 


§  1 .  The  Situation  of  Galatia,  and  the  Character  of  the  People. 

Galatia  was  a  province  of  Asia  Minor,  having  Pontus  on  the  east,  Bithyma 
and  Paphlagonia  north,  Cappadocia  and  Phrygia  south,  and  Phrygia  west. 
See  the  map  prefixed  to  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  In  Tanner's  Classical  Atlas, 
however,  it  extends  on  the  north  to  the  Euxine  or  Black  sea.  It  was  probably 
about  two  hundred  miles  in  its  greatest  extent  from  cast  to  west,  and  varied  in 
breadth  from  twelve  to  an  hundred  and  fifty  miles.  It  was  one  of  the  largest 
provinces  of  Asia  Minor,  and  covered  an  extent  of  country  almost  as  large  as  the 
State  of  New  Jersey.  It  is  probable,  however,  that  the  boundaries  of  Galatia 
varied  at  different  times  as  circumstances  dictated.  It  had  no  natural  boundary, 
except  on  the  north  ;  and  of  course  the  limits  may  have  been  varied  by  conquests, 
or  by  the  will  of  the  Roman  Emperor,  when  it  was  erected  into  a  province. 

The  name  Galatia  is  derived  from  the  word  Gaul,  and  was  given  to  it  be- 
cause it  had  been  conquered  by  the  Gauls,  who,  having  subdued  the  country 
settled  in  it. — Pausanias,  Attic,  cap.  iv.  These  were  mixed  with  various  Gre- 
cian families,  and  the  country  was  also  called  Gallograecia. — Justin.,  lib.  xxiv. 
4;  xxv.  2  ;  xxvii.  3.  This  invasion  of  Asia  Minor  was  made,  according  to  Jus- 
tin (lib.  xxv.  cap.  2),  about  the  four  hundred  and  seventy-ninth  year  after  the 
founding  of  Rome,  and,  of  course,  about  272  years  before  Christ.  They  invaded 
Macedonia  and  Greece ;  and  subsequently  invaded  Asia  Minor,  and  became  an 
object  of  terror  to  all  that  region.  This  expedition  issued  from  Gaul,  passed  over 
the  Rhine,  along  the  Danube,  through  Noricum,  Pannonia,  and  Moesia,  and  at 
its  entrance  into  Germany,  carried  along  with  it  many  of  the  Tectosages.  On 
their  arrival  in  Thrace,  Lutarius  took  them  with  him,  crossed  the  Bosphorus,  and 
effected  the  conquest  of  Asia  Minor. — Liv.  lib.  xxxviii.  c.  16.  Such  was  their 
number,  that  Justin  says,  "  they  filled  all  Asia  (i.  e.  all  Asia  Minor)  like  swarma 
of  bees.  Finally,  they  became  so  numerous  that  no  kings  of  the  east  could  en- 
gage in  war  without  an  army  of  Gauls ;  neither  when  driven  from  their  king- 
dom could  they  flee  to  any  other  than  to  the  Gauls.  Such  was  the  terror  of  the 
name  of  Gauls,  and  such  the  invincible  felicity  of  their  arms — et  armorum  in* 
victa  felicitas  erat — that  they  supposed  that  in  no  other  way  could  their  own 
majesty  be  protected,  or  being  lost,  could  be  recovered,  without  the  aid  of  Gallic 
courage.  Their  being  called  in  by  the  king  of  Bithynia  for  aid,  when  they  had 
gained  the  victory,  they  divided  the  kingdom  with  him,  and  called  that  region 
Gallogrxcia" — Justin,  xxv.  2.  Under  the  reign  of  Augustus  Cesar,  about  26 
years  before  the  birth  of  Christ,  this  region  was  reduced  into  the  form  of  a 
Roman  colony,  and  was  governed  by  a.  propraetor,  appointed  by  the  emperor. 

Their  original  Gaulish  language  they  retained  so  late  as  the  fifth  century,  asr 

24  eclxxvii 


CclxXViii  INTRODUCTION. 

appears  from  the  testimony  of  Jerome,  who  says  that  their  dialect  was  nearly  the 
same  as  that  of  the  Treviri. — Tom.  iv.  p.  256.  ed.  Benedict.  At  the  same 
time,  they  also  spoke  the  Greek  language  in  common  with  all  the  inhabitants  of 
Lesser  Asia,  and  therefore  the  epistle  to  them  was  written  in  Greek,  and  was 
intelligible  to  them  as  well  as  to  others. 

The  Galatians,  like  the  inhabitants  of  the  surrounding  country,  were  hea- 
thens, and  their  religion  was  of  a  gross  and  debasing  kind.  They  are  said  to 
have  worshipped  "  the  mother  of  the  gods,"  under  the  name  of  Agdistis.  Cal- 
limachus,  in  his  hymns,  calls  them  "  a  foolish  people."  And  Hillary,  himself  a 
Gaul,  calls  them  Gallos  indociles — expressions  which,  says  Calmet,  may  well 
excuse  Paul's  addressing  them  as  "foolish."  ch.  iii.  1.  There  were  few  cities  to 
be  found  among  them,  with  the  exception  of  Ancyra,  Tavium,  and  Pessinus, 
which  carried  on  some  trade. 

The  possessors  of  Galatia  were  of  three  different  nations  or  tribes  of  Gauls  ; 
the  Tolistobogi,  the  Trocmi,  and  the  Tectosagi.  There  are  imperial  medals  ex- 
tant, on  which  these  names  are  found.  It  is  of  some  importance  to  bear  in  mind 
these  distinctions.  It  is  possible  that  while  Peter  was  making  converts  in  one 
part  of  Galatia,  the  apostle  Paul  was  in  another ;  and  that  some,  claiming  au- 
thority as  from  Peter,  propagated  opinions  not  conformable  to  the  views  of  Paul, 
to  correct  and  expose  which  was  one  design  of  this  epistle. — Calmet. 

The  Gauls  are  mentioned  by  ancient  historians  as  a  tall  and  valiant  people. 
They  went  nearly  naked.  Their  arms  were  only  a  sword  and  buckler.  The 
impetuosity  of  their  attack,  it  is  said,  was  irresistible,  and  hence  they  became  so 
formidable,  and  were  usually  so  victorious. 

It  is  not  possible  to  ascertain  the  number  of  the  inhabitants  of  Galatia,  at  the 
time  when  the  gospel  was  preached  there,  or  when  this  epistle  was  written.  In 
2  iMacc.  viii.  20,  it  is  said  that  Judas  Maccabeus,  exhorting  his  followers  to  fight 
manfully  against  the  Syrians,  referred  to  several  instances  of  divine  interposition 
to  encourage  them ;  and  among  others,  "  he  told  them  of  the  battle  which  they 
had  in  Babylon  with  the  Galatians,-  how  they  came  but  eight  thousand  in  all  to 
the  business,  with  four  thousand  Macedonians ;  and  that  the  Macedonians  being 
perplexed,  the  eight  thousand  destroyed  an  hundred  and  twenty  thousand,  be- 
cause of  the  help  which  they  had  from  Heaven,  and  so  received  a  great  booty." 
But  it  is  not  certain  that  this  refers  to  those  who  dwelt  in  Galatia.  It  may  refer 
to  Gauls  who  at  that  time  had  overrun  Asia  Minor;  the  Greek  word  here  used, 
(YdLXoLTdt.;)  being  taken  equally  for  either.  It  is  evident,  however,  that  there  was  a 
large  population  that  went  under  this  general  name;  and  it  is  probable  that  Ga- 
latia was  thickly  settled  at  the  time  when  the  gospel  was  preached  there.  It  was 
in  a  central  part  of  Asia  Minor,  then  one  of  the  most  densely  populated  parts  of 
the  world,  and  was  a  region  singularly  fertile. — Strabo,  lib.  xii.  p.  567,  568,  ed. 
Casaub.  Many  persons,  also,  were  attracted  there  for  the  sake  of  commerce. 
That  there  were  many  Jews  also,  in  all  the  provinces  of  Asia  Minor,  is  apparent 
not  only  from  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  but  is  expressly  declared  by  Josephus, 
Ant.  xvi.  6. 

§  2.  The  time  when  the  Gospel  was  preached  in  Galatia. 

There  is  no  certain  information  as  to  the  time  when  the  gospel  was  first 
preached  in  Galatia,  or  the  persons  by  whom  it  was  done.  There  is  mention, 
however,  of  Paul's  having  preached  there  several  times,  and  several  circum- 
stances lead  us  to  suppose  that  those  churches  were  established  by  him,  or  that 
he  was  the  first  to  carry  the  gospel  to  them,  or  that  he  and  Barnabas  together 
preached  the  gospel  there  oa  the  mission  on  which  they  were  sent  from  Antioch. 
Acts  xiii.  2,  seq.     In  Acts  xvi.  5,  6,  it  is  expressly  said  that  they  went  "  through- 


INTRODUCTION.  CclxXlX 

out  Phrygia  and  the  region  of  Galatia."  This  journey  was  for  the  purpose  of 
confirming  the  churches,  and  was  undertaken  at  the  suggestion  of  Paul  (Acts 
xv.  36),  with  the  design  of  visiting  their  brethren  in  every  city  where  they  had 
preached  the  word  of  the  Lord.  It  is  true,  that  in  the  account  of  the  mission  of 
Paul  and  Barnabas  (Acts  xiv),  it  is  not  expressly  said  that  they  went  into  Gala- 
tia; but  it  is  said  (Acts  xiv.  5,  6),  that  when  they  were  in  Iconium,  an  assault 
was  made  on  them,  or  a  purpose  formed  to  stone  them,  and  that,  being  apprized 
of  it,  they  fled  unto  Lystra  and  Derbe,  cities  of  Lycaonia,  "  and  unto  the  region 
that  lieth  round  about."  Pliny,  lib.  v.  c.  27,  says,  that  a  part  of  Lycaonia  bor- 
dered on  Galatia,  and  contained  fourteen  cities,  of  which  Iconium  was  the  most 
celebrated.  Phrygia  also  was  contiguous  to  Galatia,  and  to  Lycaonia,  and  these 
circumstances  render  it  probable  that  when  Paul  proposed  to  Barnabas  to  visit 
again  the  churches  where  they  had  preached,  Galatia  was  included,  and  that  they 
had  been  there  before  this  visit  referred  to  in  Acts  xvi.  6. 

It  may  be,  also,  that  Paul  refers  to  himself  in  the  epistle  (ch.  i.  6),  where  he 
says,  "  I  marvel  that  ye  are  so  soon  removed  from  him  that  called  you  into 
the  grace  of  Christ  unto  another  gospel ;"  and  if  so,  then  it  is  plain  that  he 
preached  to  them  first,  and  founded  the  churches  there.  The  same  thing  may 
be  evinced  also  from  the  expression  in  ch.  iv.  15,  where  he  says,  "  I  bear  you 
record,  that  if  it  had  been  possible,  ye  would  have  plucked  out  your  own  eyes, 
and  have  given  them  to  me ;"  an  expression  which  leads  us  to  suppose  that  they 
had  formed  for  him  a  peculiar  attachment,  because  he  had  first  preached  the  gos- 
pel to  them,  and  that  there  had  existed  all  the  ardour  of  attachment  implied  in 
their  first  love.  It  is  quite  evident,  therefore,  I  think,  that  the  gospel  was  preached 
among  the  Galatians  first  by  Paul,  either  alone  or  in  company  with  some  other 
one  of  the  apostles.  It  is  possible,  however,  as  has  been  intimated  above,  that 
Peter  also  may  have  preached  in  one  part  of  Galatia  at  the  time  that  Paul  was 
preaching  in  other  parts.  It  is  a  circumstance  also  of  some  importance  on  this 
point,  that  Paul  speaks  in  this  epistle  in  a  tone  of  authority,  and  with  a  severity 
of  reproof  which  he  would  hardly  have  used  unless  he  had  at  first  preached 
there,  and  had  a  right  to  be  regarded  as  the  founder  of  the  church,  and  to  ad- 
dress it  as  its  father.  In  this  respect  the  tone  here  is  quite  different,  as  Mr.  Locke 
has  remarked,  from  what  is  observable  in  the  epistle  to  the  Romans.  Paul  had 
not  been  at  Rome  when  he  addressed  the  church  there  by  letter,  and  his  language 
differs  materially  from  that  which  occurs  in  the  epistles  to  the  Corinthians  and 
Galatians.  It  was  to  them  the  very  respectful  and  mild  language  of  a  stranger ; 
here  it  is  respectful,  but  it  is  the  authoritative  language  of  a  father  having  a  right 
to  reprove. 


§  3.  Tlie  date  of  this  Epistle. 

Many  have  supposed  that  this  was  the  first  epistle  which  Paul  wrote.  Ter- 
tullian  maintained  this  (See  Lardner,  vol.  vi.  p.  7.  ed.  Lond.  1829),  and  Epi- 
phanius  also.  Theodoret  and  others  suppose  it  was  written  at  Rome,  and  waa 
consequently  written  near  the  close  of  the  life  of  Paul,  and  was  one  of  his  last 
epistles.  Lightfoot  supposes  also  that  it  was  written  from  Rome,  and  that  it  wag 
among  the  first  which  Paul  wrote  there.  Chrysostom  says  that  this  epistle  was 
written  before  that  to  the  Romans.  Lewis  Capellus,  Witsius,  and  Wall  sup- 
pose that  it  was  written  from  Ephesus  after  the  apostle  had  been  a  second  time 
in  Galatia.  This  also  was  the  opinion  of  Pearson,  who  places  it  in  the  year  57, 
after  the  first  epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  and  before  Paul  left  Ephesus.  Grotius 
thought  it  difficult  to  assign  the  date  of  the  epistle,  but  conjectures  that  it  was 
written  about  the  same  time  as  that  to  the  Romans.     Mill  supposes  that  it  was 


CclXXX  INTRODUCTION. 

not  written  until  after  that  to  the  Romans,  probably  at  Troas,  or  some  other  place 
in  Asia,  as  Paul  was  going  to  Jerusalem.  He  dates  the  epistle  in  the  year  58. 
Dr.  Benson  supposes  that  it  was  written  at  Corinth,  when  the  apostle  was  first 
there,  and  made  a  long  stay  of  a  year  and  six  ir.onths.  While  there,  he  sup- 
poses that  Paul  received  tidings  of  the  instability  of  the  converts  in  Galatia, 
and  wrote  this  epistle  and  sent  it  by  one  of  his  assistants.  See  these  opinions 
examined  in  Lardner  as  quoted  above.  Lardner  himself  supposes  that  it  was 
written  from  Corinth  about  the  year  52,  or  the  beginning  of  the  year  53.  Mac- 
knight  supposes  it  was  written  from  Antioch,  after  the  council  at  Jerusalem,  and 
before  Paul  and  Silas  undertook  the  journey  in  which  they  delivered  to  the 
churches  the  decrees  which  were  ordained  at  Jerusalem.  Acts  xvi.  4.  Hug,  in 
his  Introduction,  supposes  that  it  was  written  at  Ephesus  in  the  year  57,  and 
after  the  I.  and  II.  Thess.,  and  the  epistle  to  Titus  had  been  written.  Mr.  Locke 
supposes  that  Paul  established  churches  in  Galatia,  in  the  year  51 ;  and  that  this 
epistle  was  written  between  that  time  and  the  year  57.  These  opinions  are 
mostly  mere  conjecture ;  and  amidst  such  a  variety  of  sentiment,  it  is  evidently 
impossible  to  determine  exactly  at  what  time  it  was  written.  The  only  mark  of 
time  in  the  epistle  itself  occurs  in  ch.  i.  6,  where  the  apostle  says,  u  I  marvel 
that  ye  are  so  soon  (wtu>  Tat^ac )  removed  from  him  that  called  you,"  &c. ; 
where  the  words  "  so  soon"  would  lead  us  to  suppose  that  it  was  at  no  distant 
period  after  he  had  been  among  them.  Still  it  might  have  been  several  years. 
The  date  assigned  to  it  in  the  Polyglott  Bible  (Bagster's)  is  the  year  58. 

The  exact  date  of  the  epistle  is  of  very  little  importance.  In  regard  to  the 
time  when  it  was  written  the  only  arguments  which  seem  to  me  to  be  of  much 
weight,  are  those  advanced  by  Paley  in  his  Horae  Paulinas.  "  It  will  hardly  be 
doubted,"  says  he,  "  but  that  it  was  written  whilst  the  dispute  concerning  the  cir- 
cumcision of  Gentile  converts  was  fresh  in  men's  minds;  for  even  supposing  it 
to  have  been  a  forgery,  the  only  credible  motive  that  can  be  assigned  for  the 
forgery,  was  to  bring  the  name  and  authority  of  the  apostle  into  this  controversy. 
No  design  can  be  so  insipid,  or  so  unlikely  to  enter  into  the  thoughts  of  any 
man,  as  to  produce  an  epistle  written  earnestly  and  pointedly  on  one  side  of  a 
controversy,  when  the  controversy  itself  was  dead,  and  the  question  no  longer 
interesting  to  any  class  of  readers  whatever.  Now  the  controversy  concerning 
the  circumcision  of  the  Gentiles  was  of  such  a  nature,  that,  if  it  arose  at  all,  it 
must  have  arisen  in  the  beginning  of  Christianity."  Paley  then  goes  on  to  show 
that  it  was  natural  that  the  Jews,  and  converts  from  the  Jews,  should  start  this 
question,  and  agitate  it ;  and  that  this  was  much  more  likely  to  be  insisted  on 
while  the  temple  was  standing,  and  they  continued  as  a  nation,  and  sacrifices 
were  offered,  than  after  their  city  and  temple  were  destroyed.  It  is  therefore 
clear  that  the  controversy  must  have  been  started,  and  the  epistle  written  before 
the  invasion  of  Judea,  by  Titus,  and  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem.  The  interna. 
evidence  leads  to  this  conclusion.  On  the  whole,  it  is  probable  that  the  epistle 
was  written  somewhere  about  the  year  53,  or  between  that  and  57 ;  and  was 
evidently  designed  to  settle  an  important  controversy  in  the  churches  of  Galatia. 
The  place  where  it  was  written,  must  be,  I  think,  wholly  a  matter  of  conjecture. 
The  subscription  at  the  end  that  it  was  written  from  Rome  is  of  no  authority 
whatever;  and  there  are  no  internal  circumstances,  which,  so  far  as  I  can  sec, 
throw  any  light  on  the  subject. 


§  4.  Tfie  design  of  the  Epistle. 

It  is  easy  to  discern  from  the  epistle  itself  that  the  following  circumstances  px 
isted  in  the  churches  of  Galatia,  and  that  it  was  written  with  reference  to  theiu 


INTRODUCTION.  CClxXXl 

(1.)  That  they  had  been  at  first  devotedly  attached  to  the  apostle  Paul,  and 
had  received  his  commands  and  instructions  with  implicit  confidence  when  ha 
was  among  them.    ch.  iv.  14,  15.     Comp.  ch.  i.  5. 

(2.)  That  they  had  been  perverted  from  the  doctrine  which  he  taught  them 
soon  after  he  had  left  them.   ch.  i.  6. 

(3.)  That  this  had  been  done  by  persons  who  were  of  Jewish  origin,  and  who 
insisted  on  the  observance  of  the  rites  of  the  Jewish  religion. 

(4.)  That  they  claimed  to  have  come  directly  from  Jerusalem,  and  to  have 
derived  their  views  of  religion  and  their  authority  from  the  apostles  there. 

(5.)  That  they  taught  that  the  apostle  Paul  was  inferior  to  the  apostles  there , 
that  he  had  been  called  more  recently  into  the  apostolic  office ;  that  the  apostles 
at  Jerusalem  must  be  regarded  as  the  source  of  authority  in  the  Christian  church ; 
and  that,  therefore,  the  teaching  of  Paul  should  yield  to  that  which  was  derived 
directly  from  Jerusalem. 

(6.)  That  the  laws  of  Moses  were  binding,  and  were  necessary  in  order  to 
justification.  That  the  rite  of  circumcision  especially  was  of  binding  obliga- 
tion ;  and  it  is  probable  (ch.  vi.  1 2)  that  they  had  prevailed  on  many  of  the  Ga- 
latians  to  be  circumcised,  and  certain  that  they  had  induced  them  to  observe  the 
Jewish  festivals,  ch.  iv.  10. 

(7.)  It  would  seem,  also,  that  they  urged  that  Paul  himself  had  changed  his 
views  since  he  had  been  among  the  Galatians,  and  now  maintained  the  neces- 
sity of  circumcision,  ch.  v.  11.  Perhaps  they  alleged  this,  from  the  undoubted 
fact,  that  Paul,  when  at  Jerusalem  (Acts  xxi.  26),  had  complied  with  some  of 
the  customs  of  the  Jewish  ritual. 

(8.)  That  they  urged  that  all  the  promises  of  God  were  made  to  Abraham, 
and  that  whoever  would  partake  of  those  promises,  must  be  circumcised  as  Abra- 
ham was.     This  Paul  answers,  ch.  iii.  7 — iv.  7. 

(9.)  That  in  consequence  of  the  promulgation  of  these  views,  great  dissen- 
sions had  arisen  in  the  church,  and  strifes  of  an  unhappy  nature  existed,  greatly 
contrary  to  the  spirit  which  should  be  manifested  by  those  who  bore  the  Christian 
name. 

From  this  description  of  the  state  of  things  in  the  churches  of  Galatia,  the  de- 
sign of  the  epistle  is  apparent,  and  the  scope  of  the  argument  will  be  easily  seen. 
Of  this  state  of  things  the  apostle  had  been  undoubtedly  apprized,  but  whether 
by  letters,  or  by  messengers  from  the  churches  there,  is  not  declared.  It  is  not 
improbable,  that  some  of  his  friends  in  the  churches  there  had  informed  him  of 
it,  and  he  immediately  set  about  a  remedy  to  the  evils  existing  there. 

I.  The  first  object,  therefore,  was  to  show  that  he  had  received  his  commission 
as  an  apostle,  directly  from  God.  He  had  not  received  it  at  all  from  man ;  he 
had  not  even  been  instructed  by  the  other  apostles ;  he  had  not  acknowledged 
their  superiority ;  he  had  not  even  consulted  them.  He  did  not  acknowledge, 
therefore,  that  the  apostles  at  Jerusalem  possessed  any  superior  rank  or  authority. 
His  commission,  though  he  had  not  seen  the  Lord  Jesus  before  he  was  crucified, 
he  had,  nevertheless,  derived  immediately  from  him.  The  doctrine,  therefore, 
which  he  had  taught  them,  that  the  Mosaic  laws  were  not  binding,  and  that  there 
was  no  necessity  of  being  circumcised,  was  a  doctrine  which  had  been  derived 
directly  from  God.  In  proof  of  this,  he  goes  into  an  extended  statement  (ch.  i.) 
of  the  manner  in  which  he  had  been  called,  and  of  the  fact,  that  he  had  not  con- 
sulted with  the  apostles  at  Jerusalem,  or  confessed  his  inferiority  to  them  ;  of  the 
fact  that  when  they  had  become  acquainted  with  the  manner  in  which  he  preached, 
they  approved  his  course  (ch.  i.  24 ;  ii.  1 — 10)  ;  and  of  the  fact  that  on  one  occa- 
sion, he  had  actually  been  constrained  to  differ  from  Peter,  the  oldest  of  the 
apostles,  on  a  point  in  which  he  was  manifestly  wrong,  and  on  one  of  the  very 
points  then  under  consideration. 

24* 


Cclxxxii  INTRODUCTION. 

II.  The  second  great  object,  therefore,  was  to  show  the  real  nature  and  design 
of  the  law  of  Moses,  and  to  prove  that  the  peculiar  rites  of  the  Mosaic  ritual,  and 
especially  the  rite  of  circumcision,  were  not  necessary  to  justification  and  salva- 
tion ;  and  that  they  who  observed  that  rite,  did  in  fact  renounce  the  Scripture 
method  of  justification ;  make  the  sacrifice  of  Christ  of  no  value,  and  make  slaves 
of  themselves.  This  leads  him  into  a  consideration  of  the  true  nature  of  the 
doctrine  of  justification,  and  of  the  way  of  salvation  by  a  Redeemer. 

This  point  he  shows  in  the  following  way, 

(1.)  By  showing  that  those  who  lived  before  Christ,  and  especially  Abraham, 
were  in  fact  justified,  not  by  obedience  to  the  ritual  law  of  Moses,  but  by  faith  in 
the  promises  of  God.  ch.  iii.  1 — 18. 

(2.)  By  showing  that  the  design  of  the  Mosaic  ritual  was  only  temporary, 
and  that  it  was  intended  to  lead  to  Christ,  ch.  iii.  19 — 29;  iv.  1 — 8. 

(3.  In  view  of  this,  he  reproves  the  Galatians  for  having  so  readily  fallen  into 
the  observance  of  those  customs,  ch.  iv.  9 — 21. 

(4.)  This  view  of  the  design  of  the  Mosaic  law,  and  of  its  tendency,  he  illus- 
trates by  an  allegory  drawn  from  the  case  of  Hagar.  ch.  iv.  21 — 31. 

This  whole  discourse  is  succeeded  by  an  affectionate  exhortation  to  the  Gala- 
tians, to  avoid  the  evils  which  had  been  engendered ;  reproving  them  for  the 
strifes  existing  in  consequence  of  the  attempt  to  introduce  the  Mosaic  rites,  and 
earnestly  entreating  them  to  stand  firm  in  the  liberty  which  Christ  had  vouch- 
safed to  them  from  the  servitude  of  the  Mosaic  institutions,  ch.  v.  vi. 

The  design  of  the  whole  epistle,  therefore,  is  to  state  and  defend  the  true  doc- 
trine of  justification,  and  to  show  that  it  did  not  depend  on  the  observance  of 
the  laws  of  Moses.  In  this  general  purpose,  therefore,  it  accords  with  the  design 
of  the  epistle  to  the  Romans.  In  one  respect,  however,  it  differs  from  the  de- 
sign of  that  epistle.  That  was  written,  to  show  that  man  could  not  be  justified 
by  any  works  of  the  law,  or  by  conformity  to  any  law,  moral  or  ceremonial ; 
the  object  of  this  is,  to  show  that  justification  cannot  be  obtained  by  conformity 
to  the  ritual  or  ceremonial  law  ;  or  that  the  observance  of  the  ceremonial  law 
is  not  necessary  to  salvation.  In  this  respect,  therefore,  this  epistle  is  of  less 
general  interest  than  that  to  the  Romans.  It  is  also,  in  some  respects,  more  dif- 
ficult. The  argument,  if  I  may  so  express  myself,  is  more  Jewish.  It  is  more 
in  the  Jewish  manner ;  is  designed  to  meet  a  Jew  in  his  own  way,  and  is,  there- 
fore, somewhat  more  difficult  for  all  to  follow.  Still  it  contains  great  and  vital 
statements  on  the  doctrines  of  salvation,  and,  as  such,  demands  the  profound  and 
careful  attention  of  all  who  desire  to  be  saved,  and  who  would  know  the  wcy  of 
acceptance  with  God. 


EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS. 


CHAPTER  I. 
OAUL,  an  apostle,  (not  of  men, 
**-    neither  by  man,  but0 by  Jesus 


CHAPTER  I. 

ANALYSIS. 

The  main  design  of  Paul  in  this 
chapter,  is  to  show  that  he  had  received 
his  call  to  the  apostleship,  not  from  man, 
but  from  God.  It  had  been  alleged 
(see  the  Introduction  above)  that  the 
apostles  at  Jerusalem  possessed  the  most 
elevated  rank,  and  the  highest  authority 
in  the  Christian  church ;  that  they  were 
to  be  regarded  as  the  fountains  and  the 
judges  of  the  truth ;  that  Paul  was  in- 
ferior to  them  as  an  apostle ;  and  that 
they  who  inculcated  the  necessity  of 
circumcision,  and  the  observance  of  the 
rites  of  Moses,  were  sustained  by  the 
authority  and  the  examples  of  the  apos- 
tles at  Jerusalem. 

To  meet  this  statement  was  the  de- 
sign of  this  first  chapter.  Paul's  grand 
object  was  to  show  that  he  was  not  ap- 
pointed by  men ;  that  he  had  not  been 
commissioned  by  men ;  that  he  had  not 
derived  his  instructions  from  men;  that 
he  had  not  even  consulted  with  them ; 
but  that  he  had  been  commissioned  and 
taught  expressly  by  Jesus  Christ,  and 
that  when  the  apostles  at  Jerusalem  had 
become  acquainted  with  him,  and  with 
his  views  and  plans  of  labour,  long  after 
he  had  begun  to  preach,  they  had  fully 
concurred  with  him.  This  argument 
comprises  the  following  parts: 

I.  The  solemn  declaration  that  he  was 
not  commissioned  by  men,  and  that  he 
was  not,  in  any  sense,  an  apostle  of 
man,  together  with  the  general  salutation 
to  the  churches  in  Galatia.  ver.  1 — 5. 

II.  The  expression  of  his  astonish- 
ment that  the  Galatians  had  so  soon  for- 
saken his  instruction,  and  embraced  an- 


Christ,  and  God  the  Father,  who 
6  raised  him  from  the  dead  ;) 

a  Ac.  9.  6, 15.  b  Ac.  2.24. 


other  gospel ;  and  a  solemn  declaration 
that  whoever  preached  another  gosoel 
was  to  be  held  accursed,  ver.  6 — 10. 
Twice  he  anathematizes  those  who  at- 
tempt to  declare  any  other  way  of  justi- 
fication than  that  which  consisted  in 
faith  in  Christ,  and  says  that  it  was  no 
gospel  at  all.  It  was  to  be  held  as  a 
great  and  fixed  principle,  that  there  was 
but  one  way  of  salvation ;  and  no  mat- 
ter who  attempted  to  preach  any  other, 
he  was  to  be  held  accursed. 

III.  To  show,  therefore,  that  he  was 
not  appointed  by  men,  and  that  he  had 
not  received  his  instruction  from  men, 
but  that  he,  had  preached  the  truth  di-. 
rectly  revealed  to  him  by  God,  and  that 
which  was,  therefore,  immutable  and 
eternal,  he  goes  into  a  statement  of  the 
manner  in  which  he  was  called  into  the 
ministry,  and  made  acquainted  with  the 
gospel,  ver.  11 — 24. 

(a)  He  affirms,  that  he  was  not  taught 
it  by  man,  but  by  the  express  revelation 
of  Jesus  Christ,  ver.  11,  12. 

(b)  He  refers  to  his  former  well- 
known  life,  and  his  zeal  in  the  Jewish 
religion ;  showing  how  much  he  had 
been  formerly  opposed  to  the  gospel, 
ver.  13,  14. 

(c)  He  says  that  he  had  been  sepa- 
rated, by  the  divine  purpose,  from  his 
mother's  womb,  to  be  a  preacher  of  the 
gospel,  and  that  when  he  was  called  to 
the  ministry,  he  had  no  conference  with 
any  human  being,  as  to  what  he  was 
to  preach;  he  did  not  go  up  to  Jerusa- 
lem to  consult  with  those  who  were 
older  apostles,  but  he  retired  far  from 
them  into  Arabia,  and  thence  again  ro 
turned  to  Damascus,  ver.  15 — 17. 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.  58. 


(d)  After  three  years,  he  says,  he  did 
indeed  go  to  Jerusalem ;  but  he  remain- 
ed there  but  fifteen  days,  and  saw  none 
of  the  apostles  but  Peter  and  James, 
ver.  18,  19.  His  views  of  the  gospel 
were  formed  before  that;  and  that  he 
did  not  submit  implicitly  to  Peter,  and 
learn  of  him,  he  shows  in  ch.  ii.,  where 
he  says,  he  "  withstood  him  to  the  face." 

(e)  After  that,  he  says,  he  departed 
into  the  regions  of  Cilicia,  in  Asia  Mi- 
nor, and  had  no  opportunity  of  confer- 
ence with  the  churches  which  were  in 
Judea.  Yet  they  heard  that  he  who 
had  been  formerly  a  persecutor,  had  be- 
come a  preacher,  and  they  glorified  God 
for  it.  ver.  20 — 24.  Of  course,  he  had 
had  no  opportunity  of  deriving  his  views 
of  religion  from  them;  he  had  been  in 
no  sense  dependent  on  them  ;  but  so  far 
as  they  were  acquainted  with  his  views, 
they  concurred  in  them.  The  sum  of 
the  argument,  therefore,  in  this  chapter 
is,  that  when  Paul  went  into  Cilicia 
and  the  adjacent  regions,  he  had  never 
seen  but  two  of  the  apostles,  and  that 
but  for  a  short  time ;  he  had  never  seen 
the  apostles  together ;  and  he  had  never 
.received  any  instructions  f/om  them. 
His  views  of  the  gospel,  which  he  had 
imparted  to  the  Galatians,  he  had  de- 
rived directly  from  God. 

1.  Paul  an  apostle.  See  Note,  Rom. 
i.  1.  This  is  the  usual  form  in  which  he 
commences  his  epistles ;  and  it  was  of 
special  importance  to  commence  this 
epistle  in  this  manner,  because  it  was 
one  design  to  vindicate  his  apostleship, 
or  to  show  that  he  had  received  his  com- 
mission directly  from  the  Lord  Jesus. 
\  Not  of  men.  '  Not  from  (dw')  men.' 
That  is,  he  was  not  from  any  body  of 
men,  or  commissioned  by  men.  The 
word  apostle  means  sent,  and  Paul 
means  to  say,  that  he  was  not  sent  to 
execute  any  purpose  of  men,  or  com- 
missioned by  them.  His  was  a  higher 
calling ;  a  calling  of  God,  and  he  had 
been  sent  directly  by  him.  Of  course, 
he  means  to  exclude  here  all  classes  of 
men  as  having  had  any  thing  to  do  in 
sending  him  forth ;  and,  especially,  he 
means  to  affirm,  that  he  had  not  been 
sent  out  by  the  body  of  apostles  at  Jeru- 


salem. This,  it  will  be  remembered 
(See  the  Introduction),  was  one  of  the 
charges  of  those  who  had  perverted  the 
Galatians  from  the  faith  which  Paul 
had  preached  to  them.  Tf  Neither  by 
man.  '  Neither  by  or  through  (St)  the 
instrumentality  of  any  man.'  Here  he 
designs  to  exclude  all  men  from  having 
had  any  agency  in  his  appointment  to 
the  apostolic  office.  He  was  neither 
sent  out  from  any  body  of  men  to  exe- 
cute their  purposes ;  nor  did  he  receive 
his  commission,  authority,  or  ordination, 
through  the  medium  of  any  man.  A 
minister  of  the  gospel  now  receives  his 
call  from  God,  but  he  is  ordained  or  set 
apart  to  his  office  by  man.  Matthias, 
the  apostle  chosen  in  the  place  of  Judas, 
(Acts  i.  27),  received  his  call  from  God, 
but  it  was  by  the  vote  of  the  body  of 
the  apostles.  Timothy  was  also  called 
of  God,  but  he  was  appointed  to  his 
office  by  the  laying  on  the  hands  of  the 
presbytery.  1  Tim.  iv.  14.  But  Paul 
here  says,  that  he  received  no  such  com- 
mission as  that  from  the  apostles.  They 
were  not  the  means  or  the  medium  of 
ordaining  him  to  his  work.  He  had, 
indeed,  together  with  Barnabas,  been 
set  apart  at  Antioch,  by  the  brethren 
there  (Acts  xiii.  1 — 3),  for  a  special 
mission  in  Asia  Minor;  but  this  was  not 
an  appointment  to  the  apostleship.  He 
had  been  restored  to  sight  after  the  mi- 
raculous blindness  produced  by  seeing 
the  Lord  Jesus  on  the  way  to  Damas- 
cus, by  the  laying  on  of  the  hands  of 
Ananias,  and  had  received  important 
instruction  from  him  (Acts  ix.  17),  but 
his  commission  as  an  apostle  had  been 
received  directly  from  the  Lord  Jesus, 
without  any  intervening  medium,  or  any 
form  of  human  authority.  Actsix.  15 ; 
xxii.  17 — 21.  1  Cor.  ix.  1.  %  But  by 
Jesus  Christ.  That  is,  directly  by  Christ. 
He  had  been  called  by  him,  and  com- 
missioned by  him,  and  sent  by  him,  to 
engage  in  the  work  of  the  gospel  If  And 
God  the  Father.  These  words  wero 
omitted  by  Marcion,  because,  says  Je- 
rome, he  held  that  Christ  raised  himself 
from  the  dead.  But  there  is  no  author- 
ity for  omitting  them.  The  sense  is, 
that  he  had  the  highest  possible  author- 


A.  D.  58.] 


CHAPTER  I. 


285 


2  And  all  the  brethren  which 
are  with  me,  unto  the  churches  of 
Galatia :  a 

3  Grace  h  be  to  you,  and  peace, 

o  Ac.  16.6;  18.23.  6Ro.  1.7,&c. 


ity  for  the  office  of  an  apostle  ;  he  had 
been  called  to  it  by  God  himself,  who 
.  had  raised  up  the  Redeemer.  It  is  re- 
markable here,  that  Paul  associates  Jesus 
Christ  and  God  the  Father,  as  having 
called  and  commissioned  him.  We  may 
ask  here,  of  one  who  should  deny  the 
divinity  of  Christ,  how  Paul  could  men- 
tion him  as  being  equal  with  God  in  the 
work  of  commissioning  him]  We  may 
further  ask,  how  could  he  say  that  he 
had  not  received  his  call  to  this  office 
from  a  man,  if  Jesus  Christ  was  a  mere 
man  7  That  he  was  called  by  Christ, 
he  expressly  says,  and  strenuously  main- 
tains as  a  point  of  great  importance. 
And  yet,  the  very  point  and  drift  of  his 
argument  is,  to  show  that  he  was  not 
called  by  man.  How  could  this  be 
if  Christ  was  a  mere  man  1  %  Who 
raised  him  from  the  dead.  See  Notes 
on  Acts  ii.  24. 32.  It  is  not  quite  clear, 
why  Paul  introduces  this  circumstance 
here.  It  may  have  been,  (1.)  Because 
his  mind  was  full  of  it,  and  he  wished 
on  all  occasions  to  make  that  fact  promi- 
nent ;  (2.)  Because  this  was  the  dis- 
tinguishing feature  of  the  Christian  re- 
ligion, that  the  Lord  Jesus  had  been 
raised  up  from  the  dead,  and  he  wished, 
in  the  outset,  to  present  the  superiority 
of  that  religion  which  had  brought  life 
and  immortality  to  light;  and,  (3.)  Be- 
cause he  wished  to  show  that  he  had 
received  his  commission  from  that  same 
God,  who  had  raised  up  Jesus,  and  who 
was,  therefore,  the  author  of  the  true 
religion.  His  commission  was  from  the 
source  of  life  and  light ;  the  God  of  the 
living  and  the  dead ;  the  God  who  was 
the  author  of  the  glorious  scheme  which 
revealed  life  and  immortality. 

2.  And  all  the  brethren  which  are 
with  me.  It  was  usual  for  Paul  to  as- 
sociate with  him  the  ministers  of  the 
gospel,  or  other  Christians  who  were 
with  him,  in  expressing  friendly  saluta- 


from  God  the  Father,  and  from 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 

4  Who  gave  c  himself  for  our 
sins,  that  he  might  deliver  us- 

c  Jno.  10. 17, 18.  Tit.  2. 14.     d  Jno.  17. 14. 

tions  to  the  churches  to  which  he  wrote, 
or  as  uniting  with  him,  and  concurring 
in  the  sentiments  which  he  expressed. 
Though  Paul  claimed  to  be  inspired, 
yet  it  would  do  much  to  conciliate  favour 
for  what  he  advanced,  if  others  also 
concurred  with  what  he  said,  and  espe- 
cially if  they  were  known  to  the  churches 
to  which  the  epistles  were  written. 
Sometimes  the  names  of  others  were  as- 
sociated with  his  in  the  epistle.  See 
Note,  1  Cor.  i.  1.  Phil.  i.  1.  Col.  i.  1. 
1  Thess.  i.  1.  As  we  do  not  know 
where  this  epistle  was  written,  of  course 
we  are  ignorant  who  the  "brethren" 
were,  who  are  here  referred  to.  They 
may  have  been  ministers  with  Paul,  or 
they  may  have  been  the  private  members 
of  the  churches.  Commentators  have 
been  much  divided  in  opinion  on  the 
subject ;  but  all  is  conjecture.  It  is  ob- 
viously impossible  to  determine,  ^  Un- 
to the  churches.  How  many  churches 
there  were  in  Galatia,  is  unknown. 
There  were  several  cities  in  Galatia,  as 
Ancyria,  Tavia,  Pessinus,  &c.  It  is 
not  improbable  that  a  church  had  been 
established  in  each  of  the  cities,  and  as 
they  were  not  far  distant  from  each 
other,  and  the  people  had  the  same  gene- 
ral character  and  habits,  it  is  not  impro- 
bable that  they  had  fallen  into  the  same 
errors.  Hence  the  epistle  is  directed  to 
them  in  common. 

3.  Grace  be  unto  you,  &c.  This  is 
the  usual  apostolic  salutation,  imploring 
for  them  the  blessing  of  God.  See  it 
fully  explained  in  the  Notes  on  Rom.  i.  7. 

4.  Who  gave  himself  for  our  sins. 
The  reason  why  Paul  so  soon  introduces 
this  important  doctrine,  and  makes  it 
here  so  prominent,  probably  is,  that  this 
was  the  cardinal  doctrine  of  the  Chris- 
tian religion,  the  great  truth  which  was 
ever  to  be  kept  before  the  mind,  and 
because  this  truth  had  been  in  fact  lost 
sight  of  by  them.     They  had  embraced 


286  GALATIANS. 

from   this  present   evil  a  world 

alJno.2. 16. 


[A.  D.  58. 


doctrines  which  tended  to  obscure  it,  or 
to  make  it  void.  They  had  been  led 
into  error  by  the  Judaizing  teachers,  who 
held  that  it  was  necessary  to  be  circum- 
cised, and  to  conform  to  the  whole  Jewish 
ritual.  Yet  the  tendency  of  all  this 
was  to  obscure  the  doctrines  of  the  gos- 
pel, and  particularly  the  great  truth  that 
men  can  be  justified  only  by  faith  in 
the  blood  of  Jesus,  ch.  v.  4.  Comp.  ch. 
i.  6,  7.  Paul,  therefore,  wished  to  make 
this  prominent — the  very  starting  point 
in  their  religion  ;  a  truth  never  to  be 
forgotten,  that  Christ  gave  himself  for 
their  sins,  that  he  might  deliver  them 
from  all  the  bad  influences  of  this  world, 
and  from  all  the  false  systems  of  religion 
engendered  in  this  world.  The  expres- 
sion "who  gave"  (**3  Swtz<;)  is  one  that 
often  occurs  in  relation  to  the  work  of 
the  Redeemer,  where  it  is  represented  as 
a  gift,  either  on  the  part  of  God,  or  on 
the  part  of  Christ  himself.  See  Note 
on  John  iii.  16.  Comp.  John  iv.  10. 
Rom.  iv.  25.  2  Cor.  ix.  14.  Gal.  ii.  20. 
Eph.  v.  25.  Tit.  ii.  14.  This  passage 
proves,  ( 1 .)  That  it  was  wholly  volun- 
tary on  the  part  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  No 
one  compelled  him  to  come ;  no  one 
could  compel  him.  It  is  not  too  much 
to  say,  that  God  could  not,  and  would 
not  compel  any  innocent  and  holy  being 
to  undertake  the  great  work  of  the  atone- 
ment, and  endure  the  bitter  sorrows 
which  were  necessary  to  redeem  man. 
God  will  compel  the  guilty  to  suffer,  but 
he  never  will  compel  the  innocent  to 
endure  sorrows,  even  in  behalf  of  others. 
The  whole  work  of  redemption  must  be 
voluntary,  or  it  co\  Id  not  be  performed. 
(2.)  It  evinced  great  benevolence  on  the 
part  of  the  Redeemer.  He  did  not  come 
to  take  upon  himself  unknown  and  un- 
surveyed  woes.  He  did  not  go  to  work 
in  the  dark.  He  knew  what  was  to  be 
done.  He  knew  just  what  sorrows  were 
to  be  endured — how  long,  how  keen, 
how  awful.  And  yet,  knowing  this,  he 
came  resolved  and  prepared  to  endure 


according  *  to  the  will  of  God 
and  our  Father : 

fcRo.8.27. 


all  those  woes,  and  to  drink  the  bitter 
cup  to  the  dregs.  (3.)  If  there  had  not 
been  this  benevolence  in  his  bosom,  man 
must  have  perished  forever.  He  could 
not  have  saved  himself;  and  he  had  no 
power  or  right  to  compel  another  to  suf- 
fer in  his  behalf;  and  even  God  would 
not  lay  this  mighty  burden  on  any  other, 
unless  he  was  entirely  willing  to  endure 
it.  How  much  then  do  we  owe  to  the 
Lord  Jesus ;  and  how  entirely  should 
we  devote  our  lives  to  him  who  loved 
us,  and  gave  himself  for  us.  The  word 
himself,  is  rendered  by  the  Syriac,  his 
life  (Nuphsh'e);  and  this  is  in  fact  the 
sense  of  the  Greek,  that  he  gave  his  life 
for  our  sins,  or  that  he  died  in  our  stead. 
He  gave  his  life  up  to  toil,  tears,  priva- 
tion, sorrow,  and  death,  that  he  might 
redeem  us.  The  phrase,  '  for  our  ettu? 
(v7rig  tZv  a/ut^rtZv  »/uZv^,  means  the  same 
as  on  account  of;  meaning,  that  the 
cause  or  reason  why  he  gave  himself  to 
death,  was  our  sins  ;  that  is,  he  died  be- 
cause we  are  sinners,  and  because  we 
could  be  saved  only  by  his  giving  him- 
self up  to  death.  Many  MSS.  instead 
of  v?rt^,  here  read  7rt^i,  but  the  sense  is 
not  materially  varied.  The  Syriac  trans- 
lates it,  "  who  gave  himself  instead  of" 
by  a  word  denoting  that  there  was  a 
substitution  of  the  Redeemer  in  our 
place.  The  sense  is,  that  the  Lord 
Jesus  became  a  vicarious  offering,  and 
died  in  the  stead  of  sinners.  It  is  not 
possible  to  express  this  idea  more  dis- 
tinctly and  unambiguously  than  Paul 
has  done,  in  this  passage.  Sin  was  the 
procuring  cause  of  his  death;  to  make 
expiation  for  sin  was  the  design  of  his 
coming;  and  sin  is  pardoned  and  re- 
moved only  by  his  substituted  suffering. 
1  That  //%  might  deliver  us.  The  word 
here  used  (i£tx»Tut)  properly  means,  to 
pluck  out,  to  tear  out ;  to  take  out  from 
a  number,  to  select ;  then  to  rescue  or 
deliver.  This  is  the  sense  here.  He 
came  and  gave  himself  that  he  might 
rescue  or  deliver  us  from  this  present 


A.  D.  58.] 


CHAPTER  1. 


287 


5  To  whom  be  glory  for  ever 
and  ever.     Amen. 

6  I  marvel  that  ye  are  so  soon 


evil  world.  It  does  not  mean  to  take  away 
by  death,  or  to  remove  to  another  world, 
but  that  he  might  effect  a  separation  be- 
tween us  and  what  the  apostle  calls 
here,  "this  present  evil  world."  The 
grand  purpose  was,  to  rescue  sinners 
from  the  dominion  of  this  world,  and 
separate  them  unto  God.  f  This  pre- 
sent evil  world.  See  John  xvii.  15,  16. 
Locke  supposes,  that  by  this  phrase  is 
intended  the  Jewish  institutions,  or  the 
Mosaical  age,  in  contradistinction  from 
the  age  of  the  Messiah.  Bloomfield 
supposes,  that  it  means  "  the  present 
state  of  being,  this  life,  filled  as  it  is  with 
calamity,  sin,  and  sorrow ;  or,  rather,  the 
sin  itself,  and  the  misery  consequent 
upon  it."  Rosenmiiller  understands  by 
it,  "  the  men  of  this  age,  Jews,  who  re- 
ject the  Messiah  ;  and  Pagans,  who  are 
devoted  to  idolatry  and  crime."  The 
word  rendered  world,  (*iij<)  means  pro- 
perly age,  an  indefinitely  long  period  of 
time;  then  eternity,  forever.  It  then 
comes  to  mean  the  world,  either  pre- 
sent or  future;  and  then  the  present 
world,  as  it  is,  with  its  cares,  temptations, 
and  desires;  the  idea  of  evil,  physical 
and  moral,  being  everywhere  implied. — 
Robinson,  Lex.  Matt.  xiii.  22.  Luke 
xvi.  8  ;  xx.  34.  Rom.  xii.  2.  Here  it 
means  the  world  as  it  is,  without  reli- 
gion ;  a  world  of  bad  passions,  false 
opinions,  corrupt  desires;  a  world  full 
of  ambition,  and  of  the  love  of  pleasure, 
and  of  gold  ;  a  world  where  God  is  not 
loved  or  obeyed;  a  world  where  men 
are  regardless  of  right,  and  truth,  and 
duty ;  where  they  live  for  themselves, 
and  not  for  God ;  in  short,  that  great 
community,  which  in  the  Scriptures  is 
called  thk  would,  in  contradistinction 
from  the  kingdom  of  God.  That  world, 
that  evil  world,  is  full  of  sin ;  and  the 
object  of  the  Redeemer  was  to  deliver 
us  from  that ;  that  is,  to  effect  a  separa- 
tion between  his  followers  and  that.  It 
follows,  therefore,  that  his  followers  con- 


removed  a  from  him  that  called 
you  into  the  grace  of  Christ  unto 
another  gospel; 

a  c.  5.4,7,8. 


stitute  a  peculiar  community,  not  go- 
verned by  the  prevailing  maxims,  or  in- 
fluenced by  the  peculiar  feelings  of  the 
people  of  this  world.  And  it  follows, 
also,  that  if  there  is  not  in  fact  such  a 
separation,  then  the  purpose  of  the  Re- 
deemer's death,  in  regard  to  us,  has  not 
been  effected,  and  we  are  still  a  part  of 
that  great  and  ungodly  community,  the 
world.  %  According  to  the  will  of  God, 
&c.  Not  by  the  will  of  man,  or  by  his 
wisdom,  but  in  accordance  with  the 
will  of  God.  It  was  his  purpose  that 
the  Lord  Jesus  should  thus  give  himself; 
and  his  doing  it  was  in  accordance  with 
his  will,  and  was  pleasing  in  his  sight. 
The  whole  plan  originated  in  the  divine 
purpose,  and  has  been  executed  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  divine  will.  If  in 
accordance  with  his  will,  it  is  good,  and 
is  worthy  of  universal  acceptation. 

5.  To  whom  be  glory,  &c.  Let  him 
have  all  the  praise  and  honour  of  the  plan 
and  its  execution.  It  is  not  uncommon 
for  Paul  to  introduce  an  ascription  of 
praise  in  the  midst  of  an  argument.  Sec 
Note  on  Rom.  i.  25.  It  results  from  the 
strong  desire  which  he  had,  that  all  the 
glory  should  be  given  to  God,  and 
showed  that  he  believed  that  all  blessings 
had  their  origin  in  him,  and  that  he 
should  be  always  acknowledged. 

6.  /  marvel.  I  wonder.  It  is  re- 
marked by  Luther  (Comm.  in  loco), 
that  Paul  here  uses  as  mild  a  word  as 
possible.  He  does  not  employ  the  Ian 
guage  of  severe  reproof,  but  he  expresses 
his  astonishment  that  the  thing  should 
have  occurred.  He  was  deeply  affected 
and  amazed,  that  such  a  thing  could 
have  happened.  They  had  cordially 
embraced  the  gospel ;  they  had  mani- 
fested the  tenderest  attachment  for  him; 
they  had  given  themselves  to  God,  and 
yet  in  a  very  short  time  they  had  been 
led  wholly  astray,  and  had  embraced 
opinions  which  tended  wholly  to  pervert 
and  destroy  the  gospel.  They  had  shown 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.  58. 


an  instability  and  inconstancy  of  cha- 
racter, which  was  to  him  perfectly  sur- 
prising. «|  That  ye  are  so  soon.  This 
proves  that  the  epistle  was  written  not 
long  after  the  gospel  was  first  preached 
to  them.  According  to  the  general  sup* 
position,  it  could  not  have  been  more 
than  from  two  to  five  years.  Had  it  been 
a  long  and  gradual  decline ;  had  they 
been  destitute  for  years  of  the  privileges 
of  the  gospel ;  or  had  they  had  time  to 
forget  him  who  had  first  preached  to 
them,  it  would  not  have  been  a  matter 
of  surprise.  But  when  it  occurred  in  a 
few  months;  when  their  once  ardent 
love  for  Paul,  and  their  confidence  in 
him  had  so  soon  vanished,  or  their  affec- 
tions become  alienated,  and  when  they 
had  so  soon  embraced  opinions  tending 
to  set  the  whole  gospel  aside,  it  could 
not  but  excite  his  wonder.  Learn  hence, 
that  men,  professedly  pious,  and  appa- 
rently ardently  attached  to  the  gospel, 
may  become  soon  perverted  in  their 
views,  and  alienated  from  those  who  had 
called  them  into  the  gospel,  and  whom 
they  professed  tenderly  to  love.  The 
ardour,  of  the  affections  becomes  cool,  and 
some  artful,  and  zealous,  and  plausible 
teachers  of  error  seduce  the  mind,  cor- 
rupt the  heart,  and  alienate  the  affec- 
tions. Where  there  is  the  ardour  of  the 
first  love  to  God,  there  is  also  an  effort 
soon  made  by  the  adversary,  to  turn 
away  the  heart  from  him ;  and  young 
converts  are  commonly  soon  attacked  in 
some  plausible  manner,  and  by  art  and 
arguments  adapted  to  turn  away  their 
minds  from  the  truth,  and  to  alienate 
the  affections  from  God.  J  So  soon  re- 
moved. This  also,  Luther  remarks,  is 
a  mild  and  gentle  term.  It  implies  that 
foreign  influence  had  been  used,  to  turn 
away  their  minds  from  the  truth.  The 
word  here  used  (fjLiTxr&VT§-t)  means,  to 
transpose,  put  in  another  place;  and 
then,  to  go  over  from  one  party  to  ano- 
ther Their  affections  had  become  trans- 
ferred to  other  doctrines  than  those 
which  they  had  at  first  embraced,  and 
they  had  moved  off  from  the  only  true 
foundation,  to  one  which  would  give 
them  no  support.  \  From  him  that 
called  you.     There  has  been  great  dif- 


ference of  opinion  in  regard  to  the  sense 
of  this  passage.  Some  have  supposed, 
that  it  refers  to  God  ;  others  to  Christ ; 
others  to  Paul  himself.  Either  suppo- 
sition .makes  good  sense,  and  conveys 
an  idea  not  contrary  to  the  Scriptures  in 
other  places.  Doddridge,  Chandler, 
Clarke,  Macknight,  Locke,  and  some 
others,  refer  it  to  Paul;  Rosenmuller, 
Koppe,  and  others,  suppose  it  refers  to 
God ;  and  others  refer  it  to  the  Re- 
deemer. The  Syriac  renders  it  thus: 
"  I  marvel  that  ye  are  so  soon  turned 
away  from  that  Messiah  (Christ)  who 
has  called  you."  &c.  It  is  not  possible, 
perhaps,  to  determine  the  true  sense.  It 
does  not  seem  to  me  to  refer  to  Paul,  as 
the  main  object  of  the  epistle  is,  not  to 
show  that  they  had  removed  from  him, 
but  from  the  gospel — a  far  more  griev- 
ous offence ;  and  it  seems  to  me  that 
it  is  to  be  referred  to  God.  The  reasons 
are,  (1.)  That  he  who  had  called  them, 
is  said  to  have  called  them  "  into  the 
grace  of  Christ,"  which  would  be  hardly 
said  of  Christ  himself;  and,  (2.)  That 
the  work  of  calling  men  is  usually  in 
the  Scriptures  attributed  to  God.  1 
Thess.  ii.  12;  v.  24.  2  Thess.  ii.  14. 
2  Tim.  i.  9.  ]  Into  the  grace  of  Christ. 
Locke  renders  this,  "  into  the  covenant 
of  grace  which  is  by  Christ."  Doddridge 
understands  it  of  the  method  of  salva- 
tion which  is  by  or  through  the  grace 
of  Christ  There  is  no  doubt  that  it  re- 
fers to  the  plan  of  salvation  which  is  by 
Christ,  or  in  Christ ;  and  the  main  idea 
is,  that  the  scheme  of  salvation  which 
they  had  embraced  under  his  instruc- 
tion, was  one  which  contemplated  salva- 
tion only  by  the  grace  or  favour  of  Christ; 
and  that  from  that  they  had  been  re- 
moved to  another  scheme,  essentially 
different,  where  the  grace  of  Christ  was 
made  useless  and  void.  It  is  Paul's  ob- 
ject to  show  that  the  true  plan  makes 
Christ  the  great  and  prominent  object : 
and  that  the  plan  which  they  had  embracl 
ed  was  in  this  respect  wholly  different. 
^  Unto  another  gospel.  A  gospel  which 
destroys  the  grace  of  Christ ;  which 
proclaims  salvation  on  other  terms  than 
simple  dependence  on  the  merits  of  the 
Lord  Jesus ;  and  which  has  introduced 


A.  D.  58.1 


CHAPTER  I. 


7  Which  a  is  not  another ;  but 
there  be  some  that  trouble  you, 

a  2  Co.  11.4.     6  Ac.  15. 1,24.    2  Co.  2.  17;  c. 
5. 10, 12. 


the  Jewish  rites  and  ceremonies  as  es- 
sential, in  order  to  obtain  salvation. 
The  apostle  calls  that  scheme  the  gospel, 
because  it  pretended  to  be ;  it  was 
preached  by  those  who  claimed  to  be 
preachers  of  the  gospel ;  who  alleged 
that  they  had  come  direct  from  the  apos- 
tles at  Jerusalem,  and  who  pretended 
to  declare  the  method  of  salvation.  It 
claimed  to  be  the  gospel,  and  yet  itTwas 
essentially  unlike  the  plan  which  he 
had  preached  as  constituting  the  gospel. 
That  which  he  preached,  inculcated  the 
entire  dependence  of  the  sinner  on  the 
merits  and  grace  of  Christ ;  that  system 
had  introduced  dependence  on  the  ob- 
servance of  the  rites  of  the  Mosaic  sys- 
tem, as  necessary  to  salvation. 

7.  Which  is  not  another.  There  is 
also  a  great  variety  of  view  in  regard  to 
the  meaning  of  this  expression.  Tindal 
translates  it,  "  which  is  nothing  else  but 
there  be  some  that  trouble  you."  Locke, 
"which  is  not  owing  to  any  thing  else 
but  only  this,  that  ye  are  troubled  with 
a  certain  sort  of  men  who  would  over- 
turn the  gospel  of  Christ."  But  Rosen- 
muller,  Koppe,  Bloomfield,  and  others, 
give  a  different  view  ;  and  according  to 
them  the  sense  is,  "  which,  however,  is 
not  another  gospel,  nor  indeed  the  gospel 
at  all,  or  true,"  &c.  According  to  this, 
the  design  was  to  state,  that  what  they 
taught  had  none  of  the  elements  or 
characteristics  of  the  gospel.  It  was  a 
different  system,  and  one  which  taught 
an  entirely  different  method  of  justifi- 
cation before  God.  It  seems  to  me  that 
this  is  the  true  sense  of  the  passage, 
and  that  Paul  means  to  teach  them  that 
the  system,  though  it  was  called  the 
gospel,  was  essentially  different  from  that 
which  he  had  taught,  and  which  con- 
sisted in  simple  reliance  on  Christ  for 
salvation.  The  system  which  they 
taught,  was  in  fact  the  Mosaic  system  ; 
the  Jewish  mode,  depending  on  the 
rites  and  ceremonies  of  religion ;  and 
which,  therefore,  did  not  deserve  to  be 
25 


and  would  pervert b  the  gospel  of 
Christ. 

8  But  though  we,  or  an  angel 


called  the  gospel.  It  would  load  them 
again  with  burdensome  rites,  and  with 
cumbrous  institutions,  from  which  it 
was  the  great  purpose  of  the  gospel  to 
relieve  them,  f  But  there  be  some  that 
trouble  you.  Though  this  is  most  mani- 
festly another  system,  and  not  the  gos- 
pel at  all,  yet  there  are  some  persons  who 
are  capable  of  giving  trouble  and  of  un- 
settling your  minds,  by  making  it  plau- 
sible. They  pretend  that  they  have 
come  direct  from  the  apostles  at  Jerusa- 
lem ;  that  they  have  received  their  in- 
structions from  them,  and  that  they 
preach  the  true  gospel  as  they  teach  it. 
They  pretend  that  Paul  was  called  into 
the  office  of  an  apostle  after  them ;  that 
he  had  never  seen  the  Lord  Jesus  ;  that 
he  had  derived  his  information  only 
from  others ;  and  thus  they  are  able  to 
present  a  plausible  argument,  and  to 
unsettle  the  minds  of  the  Galatians. 
f  And  would  prevent.  That  is,  the  ten- 
dency of  their  doctrine  is  wholly  to  turn 
away  ^/mncto-r^ti),  to  destroy,  or  ren- 
der useless  the  gospel  of  Christ.  It 
would  lead  to  the  denial  of  the  necessity 
of  dependence  on  the  merits  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  for  salvation,  and  would  substi- 
tute dependence  on  rites  and  ceremonies. 
This  does  not  of  necessity  mean  that 
such  was  the  design  of  their  teaching, 
for  they  might  have  been  in  the  main 
honest ;  but  that  such  was  the  tendency 
and  result  of  their  teaching.  It  would 
lead  men  to  rely  on  the  Mosaic  rites  for 
salvation. 

8.  But  though  we.  That  is,  we  the 
apostles.  Probably,  he  refers  particu- 
larly to  himself,  as  the  plural  is  often 
used  by  Paul  when  speaking  of  himself. 
He  alludes  here,  possibly,  to  a  charge 
which  was  brought  against  him  by  the 
false  teachers  in  Galatia,  that  he  had 
changed  his  views  since  he  came  among 
them,  and  now  preached  differently  from 
what  he  did  then.  See  the  Introduc- 
tion. They  endeavoured  probably  to 
fortify  their  own  opinions  in  regard  to 


290 


GALAT1ANS. 


[A.  D.  5& 


from  heaven,  preach  any  other 
gospel  unto  you  than  that  which 


the  obligations  of  the  Mosaic  law,  by 
affirming,  that  though  Paul  when  h^ 
was  among  them  had  maintained  that 
the  observance  of  the  law  was  not 
necessary  to  salvation,  yet  that  he  had 
changed  his  views,  and  now  held  the 
same  doctrine  on  the  subject  which  they 
did.  What  they  relied  on  in  support 
of  this  opinion  is  unknown.  It  is  cer- 
tain, however,  that  Paul  did,  on  some 
occasions  (see  Note  on  Acts  xxi.  2 1 — 
26),  comply  with  the  Jewish  rites,  and 
it  is  not  improbable  that  they  were  ac- 
quainted with  that  fact,  and  interpreted 
it  as  proving  that  he  had  changed  his 
sentiments  on  the  subject.  At  all  events, 
it  would  make  their  allegation  plausible 
that  Paul  was  now  in  favour  of  the  ob- 
servance of  the  Jewish  rites,  and  that  if 
he  had  ever  taught  differently,  he  must 
now  have  changed  his  opinion.  Paul, 
therefore,  begins  the  discussion  by  de- 
nying this  in  the  most  solemn  manner. 
He  affirms  that  the  gospel  which  he  had 
at  first  preached  to  them  was  the  true 
gospel.  It  contained  the  great  doctrines 
of  salvation.  It  was  to  be  regarded  by 
them  as  a  fixed  and  settled  point,  that 
there  was  no  other  way  of  salvation  but 
by  the  merits  of  the  Saviour.  No  matter 
who  taught  any  thing  else;  no  matter 
though  it  be  alleged  that  he  had  changed 
hisfmind;  no  matter  even  though  he 
should  preach  another  gospel ;  and  no 
matter  though  an  angel  from  heaven 
should  declare  any  other  mode  of  salva- 
tion, it  was  to  be  held  as  a  fixed  and 
settled  position,  that  the  true  gospel  had 
been  preached  to  them  at  first.  We  are 
not  to  suppose  that  Paul  admitted  that 
he  had  changed  his  mind,  or  that  the 
inferences  of  the  false  teachers  there 
were  well-founded,  but  we  are  to  under- 
stand this  as  affirming  in  the  most 
solemn  manner  that  the  true  gospel,  and 
the  only  method  of  salvation,  had  been 
preached  among  them  at  first.  1  Or  an 
angel  from  heaven.  This  is  a  very 
strong  rhetorical  mode  of  expression.  It 
is  not   to   be  supposed  that  an  angel 


we  have  preached  unto  you,  let 
him  be  accursed. 

c  1  Co.  16. 22. 


from  heaven  would  preach   any  other 
than  the  true  gospel.     But  Paul  wishes 
to  put  the  strongest  possible  case,  and 
to  affirm  in  the  strongest  manner  possi- 
ble,  that    the    true    gospel    had    been 
preached  to  them.     The  great  system  of 
salvation  had  been  taught;  and  no  other 
was   to   be   admitted,   no   matter  who 
preached  it;  no  matter  what  the  cha- 
racter or  rank  of  the  preacher ;  and  no 
matter  with  what  imposing  claims  he 
came.     It  follows  from  this,  that  the 
mere  rank,  character,  talent,  eloquence, 
or  piety  of  a  preacher  does  not  of  neces- 
sity give  his  doctrine  a  claim  to  our  be- 
lief, or  prove  that  his   gospel  is  true. 
Great  talents  may  be  prostituted;  and 
great  sanctity  of  manner,  and  even  holi- 
ness of  character,  may  be  in  error ;  and 
no  matter  what  may  be  the  rank,  and 
j  talents,  and  eloquence,  and  piety  of  the 
preacher,  if  he  does  not  accord  with  the 
I  gospel  which  was  first  preached,  he  is  to 
j  be  held  accursed.     *f  Preach  any  other 
'  gospel,  &c.     See  Note  on  ver.  6.     Any 
1  gospel  that  differs  from  that  which  was 
I  first   preached  to  you,  any  system  of 
I  doctrines  which  goes  to  deny  the  neces- 
!  sity  of  simple  dependence  on  the  Lord 
j  JesuS  Christ  for  salvation.     %  Let  him 
\  be  accursed.     Gr.  uvaS-sa*  (anathema). 
On  the  meaning  of  this  word,  see  Notes 
on  1  Cor.  xii.  3 ;  xvi.  22.     It  is  not  im- 
properly  here   rendered   '  accursed,'  or 
'  devoted  to  destruction.'     The  object  of 
Paul  is  to  express  the  greatest  possible 
abhorrence  of  any  other  doctrine  than 
that  which  he  had  himself  preached.    So 
great  was  his  detestation  of  it,  that,  says 
Luther,  "  he  casteth  out  very  flames  of 
fire,  and  his  zeal  is  so  fervent,  that  he 
beginneth  almost  to  curse  the  angels." 
j  It  follows  from  this,  (1.)  That  any  other 
I  doctrine  than  that  which  is  proclaimed 
j  in  the  Bible  on  the  subject  of  justifica- 
tion, is  to  be  rejected  and  treated  with 
I  abhorrence,  no  matter  what  the  rank, 
\  talent,  or  eloquence  of  him  who  deiends 
it.     (2.)  That  we  are  not  to  patronise 
or   countenance   such   preachers.     No 


A.  D.  58.1 


CHAPTER  I. 


291 


9  As  we  said  before,  so  say  I 
now  again,  If  any  ?nan  preach 
any  other  ft  gospel  unto  you  than 


a  De.  4.  2.  Re.  22.  18. 


matter  what  their  zeal  or  their  apparent 
sincerity,  or  their  apparent  sanctity,  or 
their  apparent  success,  or  their  real  bold- 
ness in  rebuking  vice,  we  are  to  with- 
draw from  them.  "  Cease,  my  son," 
said  Solomon,  "  to  hear  the  instruction 
that  causes  to  err  from  the  words  of 
knowledge."  Prov.  xix.  27.  Especially 
are  we  to  withdraw  wholly  from  that 
instruction  which  goes  to  deny  the  great 
doctrines  of  salvation;  that  pure  gospel 
which  the  Lord  Jesus  and  the  apostle 
taught.  If  Paul  would  regard  even  an 
angel  as  doomed  to  destruction,  and  as 
held  accursed,  should  he  preach  any 
other  doctrine,  assuredly  we  should  not 
be  found  to  lend  our  countenance  to  it, 
nor  should  we  patronise  it  by  attending 
on  such  a  ministry.  Who  would  desire 
to  attend  on  the  ministry  of  even  an 
angel  if  he  was  to  be  held  accursed  1 
How  much  less  the  ministry  of  a  man 
preaching  the  same  doctrine ! — It  does 
not  follow  from  this,  however,  that  we 
are  to  treat  others  with  severity  of  lan- 
guage or  with  the  language  of  cursing. 
They  must  answer  to  God.  We  are  to 
withdraw  from  their  teaching ;  we  are  to 
regard  the  doctrines  with  abhorrence; 
and  we  are  not  to  lend  our  countenance 
to  them.  To  their  own  master  they 
stand  or  fall ;  but  what  must  be  the 
doom  of  a  teacher  whom  an  inspired 
man  has  said  should  be  regarded  as 
"  accuiised  !" — It  may  be  added,  how 
responsible  is  the  ministerial  office !  How 
fearful  the  account  which  the  ministers 
of  religion  must  render!  How  much 
prayer,  and  study,  and  effort  are  needed 
that  they  may  be  able  to  understand  the 
true  gospel,  and  that  they  may  not  be 
led  into  error,  or  lead  others  into  error. 

9.  As  we  said  before.  That  is,  in 
the  previous  verse.  It  is  equivalent  to 
saying,  'as  I  have  just  said.'  See  2 
Cor.  vii.  3.  It  cannot  be  supposed  that 
he  had  said  this  when  he  was  with 
them,  as  it  cannot  be  believed  that  he 
then  anticipated  that  his  doctrines  would 


that  ye  have  received,  let  him  be 
accursed. 

10  For   do   I    now    persuade 


be  perverted,  and  that  another  gospel 
would  be  preached  to  them.  The  sen- 
timent of  ver.  8  is  here  repeated  on 
account  of  its  importance.  It  is  com- 
mon in  the  Scriptures,  as  indeed  it  is 
everywhere  else,  to  repeat  a  declaration 
in  order  to  deepen  the  impression  of  its 
importance  and  its  truth.  Paul  would 
not  be  misunderstood  on  this  point.  He 
would  leave  no  doubt  as  to  his  meaning. 
He  would  not  have  it  supposed  that  he 
had  uttered  the  sentiment  in  ver.  8 
hastily  ;  and  he  therefore  repeats  it  with 
emphasis.  %  Than  that  ye  have  re- 
ceived. In  the  previous  verse,  it  is, 
"  that  which  we  have  preached."  By 
this  change  in  the  phraseology  he  de- 
signs, probably,  to  remind  them  that 
they  had  once  solemnly  professed  to 
embrace  that  system.  It  had  not  only 
been  preached  to  them,  it  had  been 
embraced  by  them.  The  teachers  ot 
the  new  system,  therefore,  were  really 
in  opposition  to  the  once  avowed  senti- 
ments of  the  Galatians ;  to  what  they 
knew  to  be  true.  They  were  not  only 
to  be  held  accursed,  therefore,  because 
Paul  so  declared,  but  because  they 
preached  what  the  Galatians  themselves 
knew  to  be  false,  or  what  was  contrary 
to  that  which  they  had  themselves  pro- 
fessed to  be  true. 

10.  For  do  I  now  persuade  men,  or 
God?  The  word  "now"  (agiv)  is  used 
here,  evidently,  to  express  a  contrast 
between  his  present  and  his  former  pur- 
pose of  life.  Before  his  conversion  to 
Christianity,  he  impliedly  admits,  that  it 
was  his  object  to  conciliate  the  favour  of 
men;  that  he  derived  his  authority 
from  them  (Acts  ix.  1,2);  that  he  en 
deavoured  to  act  so  as  to  please  thera 
and  gain  their  good  esteem.  But  now 
he  says,  this  was  not  his  object.  He 
had  a  higher  aim.  It  was  to  please 
God,  and  to  conciliate  his  favour.  The 
object  of  this  verse  is  obscure ;  but  it 
seems  to  me  to  be  connected  with  what 
follows,  and  to  be  designed  to  introduce? 


292 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.  58. 


men,  or  God  ?  or  do  I  seek  a  to 
please  men  ?  for  if  I  yet  pleased 

a .2  Co.  12.  19. 1  Th.  2.  4. 


that  by  showing  that  he  had  not  now 
received  his  commission  from  men,  but 
had   received   it   from  God.     Perhaps 
there  may  be  an  allusion  to  an  implied 
allegation  in  regard  to  him.     It  may 
have   been  alleged   (see   Notes  on  the 
previous    verses)    that    even    he    had 
changed  his  mind,  and  was  now  himself 
an  observer  of  the  laws  of  Moses.     To 
this,  perhaps,  he  replies,  by  this  question, 
that  such  conduct  would  not  have  been 
inconsistent  in  his  view,  when  it  was  his 
main  purpose  to  please  men,  and  when 
he  derived  his  commission  from  them ; 
but  that  now  he  had  a  higher  aim.    His 
purpose  was  to  please  God ;  and  he  was 
not  aiming  in  any  way  to  gratify  men. 
The  word  which  is  rendered  "  persuade" 
here  (w«/3-a),  has  been  very  variously  in-  j 
terpreted.  Tindal  renders  it,  "  seek  now  ! 
the  favour  of  men  or  of  God?"  Dod-  i 
dridge :  "Do  I  now  solicit  the  favour  | 
of  men  or  of  God  \n    This  also  is  the  i 
interpretation   of    Grotius,   Hammond, 
Eisner,  Koppe,    Rosenmiiller,   Bloom-  | 
field,  &c.  and  is  undoubtedly  the  true 
explanation.  The  word  properly  means 
to  persuade,  or  to  convince.  Acts  xviii.  4  ; 
xxviii.  23.    2  Cor.  v.  11.     But  it  also  ; 
means,  to  bring  over  to  kind  feelings,  to 
conciliate,  to  pacify,  to  quiet.    Sept.  1  | 
Sam.  xxiv.  8.     2  Mace.  iv.  25.     Acts  j 
xii.   20.      1    John   iii.    19.      By    the  I 
question  here,  Paul  means  to  say,  that 
his  great  object  was  now  to  please  God. 
He  desired  his  favour  rather  than  the 
favour  of  man.     He  acted  with  refer- 
ence to  his  will.     He  derived  his  au- 
thority  from   him,    and  not  from   the 
Sanhedrim  or  any  earthly  council.   And 
the  purpose  of  all  this  is  to  say,  that  he 
had   not   received    his   commission    to 
preach  from  man,  but  had  received  it 
directly  from  God.     f    Or  do  I  seek  to 
please  men  ?  It  is  not  my  aim  or  pur- 
pose  to  please  men,  and  to  conciliate 
their   favour.     Comp.    1  Thess.    ii.  4. 
f  For  if  I  yet  pleased  men.    If  I  made 
it  my  aim  to  please  men ;  if  this  was 
the  regulating  principle  of  my  conduct. 


men.  I  should  not  *  be  the  ser- 
vant of  Christ. 

b  Ja.  4.  4. 

The  word  "  yet"  here  (in)  has  reference 
to  his  former  purpose.  It  implies  that 
this  had  once  been  his  aim.  But  he 
says  if  he  had  pursued  that  purpose  to 
please  men;  if  this  had  continued  to 
be  the  aim  of  his  life,  he  would  not 
now  have  been  a  servant  of  Chri.<?t. 
He  had  been  constrained  to  abandon 
that  purpose  in  order  that  he  might  be  a 
servant  of  Christ ;  and  the  sentiment  is, 
that  in  order  that  a  man  may  become  a 
Christian,  it  is  necessary  for  him  to 
abandon  the  purpose  of  pleasing  men  as 
the  rule  of  his  life.  It  may  be  implied 
also  that  if  in  fact  a  man  makes  it  his 
aim  to  please  men,  or  if  this  is  the  pur- 
pose for  which  he  lives  and  acts,  and  if 
he  shapes  his  conduct  with  reference  to 
that,  he  cannot  be  a  Christian  or  a  ser- 
vant of  Christ.  A  Christian  must  act 
from  higher  motives  than  those,  and  he 
who  aims  supremely  at  the  favour  of 
his  fellow-men  has  full  evidence  that 
he  is  not  a  Christian.  A  friend  of 
Christ  must  do  his  duty,  and  must 
regulate  his  conduct  by  the  will  of  God, 
whether  men  are  pleased  with  it  or  not. 
And  it  may  be  further  implied  that  the 
life  and  deportment  of  a  sincere  Chris- 
tian will  not  please  men.  It  is  not 
that  which  they  love.  A  holy,  humble, 
spiritual  life  they  do  not  love.  It  is 
true,  indeed,  that  their  consciences  tell 
them  that  such  a  life  is  right ;  that  they 
are  often  constrained  to  speak  well  of 
the  life  of  Christians,  and  to  commend 
it ;  it  is  true  that  they  are  constrained  to 
respect  a  man  who  is  a  sincere  Christian, 
and  that  they  often  repose  confidence  in 
such  a  man;  and  it  is  true  also  that 
they  often  speak  with  respect  of  them 
when  they  are  dead ;  but  the  life  of  an 
humble,  devoted,  and  zealous  Christian 
they  do  not  love.  It  is  contrary  to  their 
views  of  life.  And  especially  if  a 
Christian  so  lives  and  acts  as  to  reprove 
them  either  by  his  words  or  by  his  life ; 
or  if  a  Christian  makes  his  religion  so 
prominent  as  to  interfere  with  their 
pursuits  or  pleasures,  they  do  not  love 


A.  D.  58.] 


CHAPTER  I. 


293 


11  But  1  certify  you,  bre- 
thren, that  the  gospel  which  was 
preached    of    me,    is    not   after 


it.  It  follows  from  this,  (1.)  That  a 
Christian  is  not  to  expect  to  please  men. 
He  must  not  be  disappointed,  therefore, 
if  he  docs  not.  His  Master  did  not 
please  the  world  ;  and  it  is  enough  for 
the  disciple  that  he  be  as  his  master. 
(2.)  A  professing  Christian,  and  espe- 
cially a  minister,  should  be  alarmed 
when  the  world  flatters  and  caresses 
him.  He  should  fear  either,  («)  That 
he  is  not  living  as  he  ought  to,  and 
that  sinners  love  him  because  he  is 
so  much  like  them,  and  keeps  them 
in  countenance ;  or,  (A)  That  they 
mean  to  make  him  betray  his  religion 
and  become  conformed  to  them.  It  is  a 
great  point  gained  for  the  gay  world, 
when  it  can,  by  its  caresses  and  atten- 
tions, get  a  Christian  to  forsake  a  prayer- 
meeting  for  a  party,  or  surrender  his 
deep  spirituality  to  engage  in  some 
political  project.  "  Wo  unto  you," 
said  the  Redeemer,  "  when  all  men 
speak  well  of  you."  Luke  vi.  26.  (3.) 
One  of  the  main  differences  between 
Christians  and  the  world  is,  that  others 
aim  to  please  men  ;  the  Christian  aims 
to  please  God  And  this  is  a  great  dif- 
ference. (4.)  It  follows  that  if  men 
would  become  Christians,  they  must 
cease  to  make  it  their  object  to  please 
men.  They  must  be  willing  to  be  met 
with  contempt  and  a  frown  ;  they  must 
be  willing  to  be  persecuted  and  despised ; 
they  must  be  willing  to  lay  aside  all 
hope  of  the  praise  and  the  flattery  of 
men,  and  be  content  with  an  honest 
effort  to  please  God.  (5.)  True  Chris- 
tians must  differ  from  the  world.  Their 
aims,  feelings,  purposes  must  be  unlike 
the  world.  They  are  to  be  a  peculiar 
people;  and  they  should  be  willing  to 
be  esteemed  such.  It  does  not  follow, 
however,  that  a  true  Christian  should 
not  desire  the  good  esteem  of  the  world, 
or  that  he  should  be  indifferent  to  an 
honourable  reputation  ( 1  Tim.  iii.  7) ; 
nor  does  it  follow  that  a  consistent 
25* 


12  For  a  I  neither  received  it 
of  man,  neither  was  I  taught  it, 
but  by  the  revelation  b  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

alCo.  15.  1— 3  6Ep.  3.  3.    . 


Jhristian  will  not  often  command  the 
respect  of  the  world.  In  times  of  trial, 
the  world  will  repose  confidence  in 
Christians ;  when  any  work  of  benevo- 
lence is  to  be  done,  the  world  will 
instinctively  look  to  Christians;  and 
notwithstanding  sinners  will  not  love  re- 
ligion, yet  they  will  secretly  feel  assured 
that  some  of  the  brightest  ornaments  of 
society  are  Christians,  and  that  they 
have  a  claim  to  the  confidence  and 
esteem  of  their  fellow-men.  %  The 
servant  of  Christ.   A  Christian. 

1 1 .  Bat  I  certify  you.  I  make 
known  to  you;  or,  I  declare  to  you. 
See  1  Cor.  xv.  1.  Doubtless  this  had 
been  known  to  them  before,  but  he 
now  assures  th*em  of  it,  and  goes  into 
an  extended  illustration  to  show  them 
that  he  had  not  received  his  authority 
from  man  to  preach  the  gospel.  To 
state  and  prove  this  is  the  main  design 
of  this  chapter.  1  Is  not  after  man. 
Gr.  Not  according  to  man.  See  ver.  1. 
That  is,  he  was  not  appointed  by  man, 
nor  had  he  any  human  instructor  to 
make  known  to  him  what  the  gospel 
was.  He  had  neither  received  it  from 
man,  nor  had  it  been  debased  or  adul- 
terated by  any  human  admixtures.  He 
had  received  it  directly  from  the  Lord 
Jesus. 

1 2.  For  I  neither  received  it  of  man. 
This  is  very  probably  said  in  reply  to 
his  opponents,  who  had  maintained  that 
Paul  had  derived  his  knowledge  of  the 
gospel  from  other  men,  as  he  had  not 
been  personally  known  to  the  Lord 
Jesus,  or  been  of  the  number  of  those" 
whom  he  called  to  be  his  apostles.  In 
reply  to  this,  he  says,  that  he  did  not 
receive  his  gospel  in  any  way  from 
man.  f  Neither  was  I  taught  it. 
That  is,  by  man.  He  was  not  taught 
it  by  any  written  account  of  it,  or  by 
the  instruction  of  man  in  any  way. 
The  only  plausible  objection  to  this 
statement  which  could  be  urged  would 


294 


GALATIANS. 


[A.D.  58. 


13  For  ye  have  heard  of  my  I  measure  I  persecuted  the  church 
conversation  in  time  past  in  the    a  of  God,  and  wasted  it. 
Jews'  religion,  how  that  beyond  I       14  And  profited  in  the  Jews' 

a  Ac.  8.  1,3;  9.  1,  2;  26.  9. 

derstood  in  the  time  when  he  was 
educated.  It  was  not  merely  in  the 
religion  of  Moses,  but  it  was  in  that 
religion  as  understood  and  practised  by 
the  Jews  in  his  time,  when  opposition  to 
Christianity  constituted  a  very  material 
part  of  it.  In  that  religion  Paul  pro- 
ceeds to  show  that  he  had  been  more 
distinguished  than  most  persons  of  his 
time.  %  How  that  beyond  measure. 
In  the  highest  possible  degree  ;  beyond 
all  limits  or  bounds;  exceedingly.  The 
phrase  which  Paul  here  uses  (**3-* 
vTrs^fi-.hYiv),  by  hyperbole,  is  one  which 
he  frequently  employs  to  denote  any 
thing  that  is  excessive,  or  that  cannot 
be  expressed  by  ordinary  language. 
See  the  Greek  in  Rom.  vii.  13.  1  Cor. 
xii.  31.  2  Cor.  i.  8;  iv.  7.  17.  1  / 
persecuted  the  church.  See  Acts  viii. 
3  ;  ix.  1,  seq.  %  And  wasted  it.  De- 
stroyed it.  The  word  which  is  here 
used,  means  properly  to  waste  or  destroy, 
as  when  a  city  or  country  is  ravaged  by 
an  army  or  by  wild  beasts.  His  pur- 
pose was  utterly  to  root  out  and  destroy 
the  Christian  religion. 

14.  And  profited.  Made  advances 
and  attainments.  He  made  advances 
not  only  in  the  knowledge  of  the  Jewish 
religion,  but  also  he  surpassed  others  in 
his  zeal  in  defending  its  interests.  He  had 
had  better  advantages  than  most  of  his 
countrymen ;  and  by  his  great  zeal  and 
characteristic  ardour,  he  had  been  able 
to  make  higher  attainments  than  most 
others  had  done.  Tf  Above  many  my 
equals.  Marg.  Equal  in  years.  This 
is  the  true  sense  of  the  original.  It 
means  that  he  surpassed  those  of  the 
same  age  with  himself.  Possibly  there 
may  be  a  reference  here  to  those  of  the 
same  age  who  attended  with  him  on 
the  instructions  of  Gamaliel.  %  Being 
more  exceedingly  zealous.  More  stu- 
dious of;  more  ardently  attached  to 
them  ;  more  anxious  to  distinguish  him- 
self in  attainments  in  the  religion  in 
which  he  was  brought  up.     All  this  is 


be  the  fact  that  Paul  had  an  interview 
with  Ananias  (Acts  ix.  17)  before  his 
baptism,  and  that  he  would  probably 
receive  instructions  from  him.  But  to 
this  it  may  be  replied,  (1.)  That  there  is 
no  evidence  that  Ananias  went  into 
an  explanation  of  the  nature  of  the 
Christian  religion  in  his  interview  with 
Paul ;  (2.)  Paul  had  before  this  been 
taught  what  Christianity  was  by  his 
interview  with  the  Lord  Jesus  on  the 
way  to  Damascus  (Acts  ix.  5 ;  xxvi. 
14—18)  ;  (3.)  The  purpose  for  which 
Ananias  was  sent  to  him  in  Damascus 
was  that  he  might  receive  his  sight, 
and  be  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Acts  ix.  17.  Whatever  instructions  he 
may  have  received  through  Ananias,  it 
is  still  true  that  his  call  was  d'recily 
from  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  his  informa- 
tion of  the  nature  of  Christianity  from 
his  revelation.  %  But  by  the  revela- 
tion of  Jesus  Christ.  On  his  way  to 
Damascus,  and  subsequently  in  the 
temple.  Acts  xxii.  17 — 21.  Doubtless 
he  received  communications  at  various 
times  from  the  Lord  Jesus  with  regard 
to  the  nature  of  the  gospel  and  his 
duty.  The  sense  here  is,  that  he  was 
not  indebted  to  men  for  his  knowledge 
of  the  gospel,  but  had  derived  it  entirely 
from  the  Saviour. 

13.  For  ye  have  heard  of  my  con- 
versation. My  conduct,  my  mode  of 
life,  my  deportment.  See  Note  on  2 
Cor.  i.  12.  Probably  Paul  had  himself 
made  them  acquainted  with  the  events 
of  his  early  years.  The  reason  why  he 
refers  to  this  is,  to  show  them  that  he 
had  not  derived  his  knowledge  of  the 
Christian  religion  from  any  instruction 
which  he  had  received  in  his  early 
years,  or  any  acquaintance  which  he 
had  formed  with  the  apostles.  He  had 
at  first  been  decidedly  opposed  to  the 
Lord  Jesus,  and  had  been  converted 
only  by  his  wonderful  grace.  *J  In  the 
Jews'  religion.  In  the  belief  and  prac- 
tice of  Judaism ;  that  is,  as  it  was  un- 


A.D.  53.] 


CHAPTER  I. 


295 


religion  above  many  my  *  equals 
in  mine  own  nation,  being  a  more 
exceedingly  zealous  of  the  tra- 
ditions b  of  my  fathers. 

»  equal  in  years.  a  Ac.  22.  3.  Ph.  3.  6. 

b  Mar.  7.  5—13. 

fully  sustained  by  all  that  we  know  of 
the  character  of  Paul,  as  at  all  times  a 
man  of  singular  and  eminent  zeal  in  all 
that  he  undertook,  f  Of  the  tradi- 
tions of  my  fathers.  Or  the  traditions 
of  the  Jews.  See  Note,  Matt.  xv.  2.  A 
large  part  of  the  doctrines  of  the  Phari- 
sees depended  on  mere  tradition ;  and 
Paul  doubtless  made  this  a  special  mat- 
ter of  study,  and  was  particularly  tena- 
cious in  regard  to  it.  It  was  to  be 
learned,  from  the  very  nature  of  it,  only 
by  oral  teaching,  as  there  is  no  evidence 
that  it  was  then  recorded.  Subsequently 
these  traditions  were  recorded  in  the 
Mishna,  and  are  found  in  the  Jewish 
writings.  But  in  the  time  of  Paul 
they  were  to  be  learned  as  they  were 
handed  down  from  one  to  another ;  and 
hence  the  utmost  diligence  was  requisite 
to  obtain  a  knowledge  of  them.  Paul 
does  not  here  nay  that  he  was  zealous 
then  for  the  practice  of  the  new  religion, 
nor  for  the  study  of  the  Bible.  His 
object  in  going  to  Jerusalem  and  study- 
ing at  the  feet  of  Gamaliel  was  doubt- 
less to  obtain  a  knowledge  of  the 
traditions  of  the  sect  of  the  Pharisees. 
Had  he  been  studying  the  Bible  all 
that  time,  he  would  have  kept  from  the 
fiery  zeal  which  he  evinced  in  persecut- 
ing the  church,  and  would,  if  he  had 
studied  it  right,  been  saved  from  much 
trouble  of  conscience  afterwards. 

15.  But  when  it  pleased  God.  Paul 
traced  all  his  hopes  of  eternal  life,  and 
all  the  good  influences  which  had  ever 
borne  upon  his  mind,  to  God.  \  Who 
separated  me,  <fec.  That  is,  who  destined 
me ;  or  who  purposed  from  my  very 
birth  that  I  should  be  a  preacher  and  an 
apostle.  The  meaning  is,  that  God  had 
in  his  secret  purposes  set  him  apart  to 
be  an  apostle.  It  does  not  mean  that 
he  had  actually  called  him  in  his 
infancy  to  the  work,  for  this  was  not  so, 


15  But  when  it  pleased  God, 
c  who  separated  me  from  my 
mother's  womb,  and  called  me 
by  his  grace, 

els.  49.  1.  Je.  1.5 


but  that  he  designed  him  to  be  an 
important  instrument  in  his  hands  in 
spreading  the  true  religion.  Jeremiah 
(i.  5)  was  thus  set  apart,  and  John  the 
Baptist  was  thus  early  designated  for  the 
work  which  they  afterwards  performed. 
It  follows  from  this,  (1.)  That  God  often, 
if  not  always,  has  purposes  in  regard  to 
men  from  their  very  birth.  He  designs 
them  for  some  important  field  of  labour, 
and  endows  them  at  their  creation  with 
talents  adapted  to  that.  (2.)  It  does  not 
follow  that  because  a  young  man  has 
gone  far  astray ;  and  has  become  even 
a  blasphemer  and  a  persecutor,  that 
God  has  not  destined  him  to  some  im- 
portant and  holy  work  in  his  service. 
How  many  men  have  been  called,  like 
Paul,  and  Newton,  and  Bunyan,  and 
Augustine,  from  a  life  of  sin  to  the 
service  of  God.  (3.)  God  is  often 
training  up  men  in  a  remarkable  man- 
ner for  future  usefulness.  His  eye  is 
upon  them,  and  he  watches  over  them, 
until  the  time  comes  for  their  conver- 
sion. His  providence  was  concerned 
in  the  education  and  training  of  Paul. 
It  was  by  the  divine  intention  with 
reference  to  his  future  work  that  he  had 
so  many  opportunities  of  education, 
and  was  so  well  acquainted  with  the 
"  traditions"  of  that  religion  which  he 
was  yet  to  demonstrate  to  be  unfounded 
and  false.  He  gave  him  the  opportu- 
nity to  cultivate  his  mind,  and  prepare 
to  grapple  with  the  Jew  in  argument, 
and  show  him  how  unfounded  were  his 
hopes.  So  it  is  often  now.  He  gives 
to  a  young  man  an  opportunity  of  a 
finished  education.  Perhaps  he  suffers 
him  to  fall  into  the  snares  of  infidelity, 
and  to  become  familiar  with  the  argu- 
ments of  sceptics,  that  he  may  thus 
be  better  prepared  to  meet  their  soph- 
isms, and  to  enter  into  their  feelings. 
His  eye  is  upon  them  in  their  wander- 


296 


16  To  leveal  a  his  Son  in  me, 

a  2  Co.  4.6. 


GALATIANS.  [A.  D.  58. 


that b  I  might  preach  him  among 

b  Ac.  9.  15. 


ings,   and   they  are   suffered   often   to 
wander   far;    to    range    the   fields    of 
science;    to    become    distinguished   as 
scholars,   as  Paul  was;  until  the  time 
comes  for  their  conversion,  and  then,  in 
accordance  with  the  purpose  which  set 
them  apart  from  the  world,  God  converts 
them,  and  consecrates  all  their  talents 
and  attainments   to   his  service.     (4.) 
We   should  never  despair  of  a  young 
man  who  has  wandered  far  from  God. 
If  he  has   risen  high   in  attainments ; 
if  his  whole  aim  is  ambition ;  or  if  he 
has  become  an  infidel,  still  we  are  not 
to  despair  of  him.     It  is  possible   still 
that  God  "separated"  that  talent  to  his 
service  from  the  very  birth,  and  that  he 
means  yet  to  call  it  all  to  his  service. 
How   easy   it  was  to  convert  Saul   of 
Tarsus  when  the  proper  period  arrived. 
So    it  is  of  the  now  unconverted  and 
unconsecrated,    but    cultivated     talent 
among   the   young  men   of  our  land. 
Far  as  they  may  have  wandered  from 
God  and  virtue,  yet  much  of  that  ta- 
lent has  been  devoted  to  him  in  baptism, 
and  by  parental  purposes  and  prayers  ; 
and,  it  may  be — as  is  morally  certain 
from  the  history  of  the  past — that  much 
of  it  is  consecrated  also  by  the  divine 
purpose  and   intention    for  the   noble 
cause  of  virtue  and  pure  religion.     In 
that  now  apparently  wasted  talent;  in 
that  learning  now  apparently  devoted  to 
other  aims  and  ends,  there  is  much  that 
will  yet  adorn  the  cause  of  virtue  and 
religion ;  and  how  fervently  should  we 
pray  that   it  may   be  "called"  by  the 
grace  of  God  and  actually  devoted  to 
his  service,     f  And  called  me  by  his 
grace.     On  the  way  to  Damascus.     It 
was  special  grace,  because  he  was  then 
engaged  in  bitterly  opposing  him  and 
his  cause. 

1 6.  To  reveal  his  Son  in  me.  This 
is  to  be  regarded  as  connected  with  the 
first  part  of  ver.  15.  '  When  it  pleased 
God  to  reveal  his  Son  in  me,'  i.  e.  on 
the  way  to  Damascus.  The  phrase 
evidently  means,  to  make  me  acquainted 
with  the   Lord  Jesus,  or  ta  reveal  his 


Son    to    me.     Comp.    the    Greek    in 
Matt.  x.  32.  for  a  similar  expression. 
The  revelation  here  referred  to  was  the 
miraculous    manifestation     which    was 
made  to  Paul  on  his  way  to  Damascus. 
Comp.  2  Cor.  iv.  6.     That  revelation 
was  in  order  to  convince  him  that  he 
was  the  Messiah  ;  to  acquaint  him  with 
his   nature,    rank,   and  claims;  and   to 
qualify  him    to    be   a   preacher  to    the 
heathen.     ^  That  I  might  preach  him. 
In  order  that  I  might  so   preach  him ; 
or  with  a  view  to  my  being  appointed 
to   this  work.     This   was  the    leading 
purpose  for  which  Paul  was  converted. 
Acts  ix.  15;  xxii.  21.     f  The  heathen. 
The  Gentiles  ;  the  portion  of  the  world 
that  was  not  Jewish,  or  that  was  desti- 
tute   of  the   true    religion,     t  Imme- 
diately.   Koppe  supposes  that  this  is  to 
be  connected  with,  "  I  went  into  Arabia" 
(ver.    17).     Rosenmiiller    supposes    it 
means,    "  Immediately    /    consented." 
Dr.  Wells  and  Locke   suppose  that  it 
refers  to  the  fact  that  he  immediately 
went    to   Arabia.     But   this   seems  to 
me  to   be    an    unnatural  construction. 
The  words  are  too    remote  from  each 
other    to    allow    of    it.     The    evident 
sense  is,  that  he  was  at  once  decided. 
He   did  not    take    time    to   deliberate 
whether  he  should  or  should  not  become 
a  Christian.     He  made   up  his  mind 
at  once  and  on  the  spot.  He  did  not  con- 
sult with  any  one ;  he  did  not  ask  ad- 
vice of  any  one ;  he  did  not  wait  to  be 
instructed  by  any  one.     He  was  con- 
vinced by  the  vision  in  an  overpowering 
manner  that  Jesus  was  the   Messiah, 
and  he  yielded  at  once.    The  main  idea 
is,  that  there  was  no  delay,  no  consulta- 
tion, no  deferring  it,  that  he  might  see 
and  consult  with  his  friends,  or  with 
the  friends   of  Christianity.     The   ob- 
ject for  which  he  dwells  on  this  is  to 
show  he  did  not  receive  his  views  of  the 
gospel  from  man.     f  J  conferred  not. 
I   did  not  lay  the  case  (7r£c<ru.vid-iju»v} 
before  any  man ;  I  did  not  confer  with 
any  one.     t  Flesh  and  blood.  Any  hu- 
man being,  for  so  the  phrase  properly 


A.  D.  58.  J 


CHAPTER  I. 


297 


the  heathen  ;  immediately  1  con- 
ferred not  with  flesh  and  a  blood  : 

a  2  Co.  5.  16. 

signifies.  See  Note,  Matt.  xvi.  17. 
This  does  not  mean  here,  that  Paul  did 
not  consult  his  own  ease  and  happi- 
ness ;  that  he  was  regardless  of  the 
sufferings  which  he  might  be  called  to 
endure ;  that  he  was  willing  to  suffer, 
and  was  not  careful  to  make  provision 
for  his  own  comfort — which  was  true  in 
itself — but  that  he  did  not  lay  the  case 
before  any  man,  or  any  body  of  men 
for  instruction  or  advice.  He  acted 
promptly  and  decisively.  He  was  not 
disobedient  to  the  heavenly  vision 
(Acts  xxvi.  19),  but  resolved  at  once  to 
obey.  Many  suppose  that  this  passage 
means  that  Paul  did  not  take  counsel 
of  the  evil  passions  and  suggestions  of 
his  own  heart,  or  of  the  feelings  which 
would  have  prompted  him  to  lead  a  life 
of  ambition,  or  a  life  under  the  influ- 
ence of  corrupt  desires.  But  however 
true  this  was  in  fact,  no  such  thing  is 
intended  hers.  It  means  simply  that 
he  did  not  take  counsel  of  any  human 
being.  He  resolved  at  once  to  follow 
the  command  of  the  Saviour,  and  at 
once  to  obey  him.  The  passage  shows, 
(1.)  That  when  the  Lord  Jesus  calls 
us  to  follow  him  we  should  promptly 
and  decidedly  obey.  (2.)  We  should 
not  delay  even  to  take  counsel  of 
earthly  friends,  or  wait  for  human 
advice,  or  consult  their  wishes,  but 
should  at  once  resolve  to  follow  the 
Lord  Jesus.  Most  persons,  when  they 
are  awakened  to  see  their  guilt,  and 
their  minds  are  impressed  on  the  subject 
of  religion,  are  prone  to  defer  it ;  to  re- 
solve to  think  of  it  at  some  future  time; 
or  to  engage  in  some  other  business 
before  they  become  Christians ;  or,  at 
least,  they  wish  to  finish  what  they 
have  on  hand  before  they  yield  to  God. 
Had  Paul  pursued  this  course,  he  would 
probably  never  have  become  a  Christian. 
It  follows,  therefore,  (3.)  That  when 
the  Lord  Jesus  calls  us,  we  should  at 
once  abandon  any  course  of  life,  how- 
ever pleasant,  or  any  plan  of  ambition, 


17  Neither  went  I  up  to  Jeru- 
salem to  them  which  were  apos- 
tles before  me ;  but  I  went  into 


however  brilliant,  or  any  scheme  of 
gain,  however  promising,  in  order  that 
we  may  follow  him.  What  a  brilliant 
career  of  ambition  did  Paul  abandon ! 
and  how  promptly  and  decidedly  did  he 
do  it !  He  did  not  pause  or  hesitate  a 
moment ;  but  brilliant  as  were  his  pros- 
pects, he  at  once  forsook  all ;  paused  in 
mid-career  in  his  ambition  ;  and  with- 
out consulting  a  human  being,  at  once 
gave  his  heart  to  God.  Such  a  course 
should  be  pursued  by  all.  Such  a 
promptness  and  decision  will  prepare 
one  to  become  an  eminent  Christian, 
and  to  be  eminently  useful. 

1 7.  Neither  went  I  up  to  Jerusalem. 
That  is,  I  did  not  go  there  at  once.  I 
did  not  go  to  consult  with  the  apostles 
there,  or  to  be  instructed  by  them  in  re- 
gard to  the  nature  of  the  Christie 
religion.  The  design  of  this  statement 
is,  to  show  that  in  no  sense  did 
he  derive  his  commission  from  man. 
f  To  them  which  were  apostles  before 
me.  This  implies  that  Paul  then 
regarded  himself  to  be  an  apostle. 
They  were,  he  admits,  apostles  before 
he  was ;  but  he  felt  also  that  he  had 
original  authority  with  them,  and  he 
did  not  go  to  them  to  receive  instruc- 
tion, or  to  derive  his  commission  from 
them.  Several  of  the  apostles  remained 
in  Jerusalem  for  a  considerable  time 
after  the  ascension  of  the  Lord  Jesus, 
and  it  was  regarded  as  the  principal 
place  of  authority.  See  Acts  xv. 
f  But  I  went  into  Arabia.  Arabia  was 
south  of  Damascus,  and  at  no  great 
distance.  The  line  indeed  between 
Arabia  Deserta  and  Syria  is  not  very 
definitely  marked,  but  it  is  generally 
agreed  that  Arabia  extends  to  a  consi 
derable  distance  into  the  great  Syrian 
desert.  To  what  part  of  Arabia,  and 
for  what  purpose  Paul  went,  is  wholly 
unknown.  Nothing  is  known  of  the 
circumstances  of  this  journey  ;  nor  is 
the  time  which  he  spent  there  known. 
•  It  is  known  indeed  (ver.  18)   that  he 


GAL  ATI  AN  S. 


[A.  D.  58. 


Arabia,  and  returned  again  unto 
Damascus. 


did  not  go  to  Jerusalem  until  three  years 
after  his  conversion,  hut  how  large  a 
part  of  this  time  was  spent  in  Damas- 
cus, we  have  no  means  of  ascertaining. 
Tt  is  probable  that  Paul  was  engaged 
during  these  three  years  in  preaching 
the  gospel  in  Damascus  and  the  adjacent 
regions,  and  in  Arabia.  Comp.  Acts 
ix.  20.  22.  27.  The  account  of  this 
journey  into  Arabia  is  wholly  omitted 
by  Luke  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles, 
ind  this  fact,  as  has  been  remarked  by 
Paley  (Hors  Paulina?,  ch.  v.  No.  2), 
demonstrates  that  the  Acts  and  this 
epistle  were  not  written  by  the  same 
author,  or  that  the  one  is  independent  of 
the  other ;  because,  "  if  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles  had  been  a  forged  history  made 
up  from  the  epistle,  it  is  impossible  that 
this  journey  should  have  been  passed 
oUr  in  silence  ;  if  the  epistle  had  been 
composed  out  of  what  the  author  had 
read  of  St.  Paul's  history  in  the  Acts,  it 
is  unaccountable  that  it  should  have  been 
inserted."  As  to  the  reason  why  Lake 
omitted  to  mention  the  journey  into 
Arabia,  nothing  is  known.  Various  con- 
jectures have  been  entertained,  but  they 
are  mere  conjectures.  It  is  sufficient  to 
say,  that  Luke  has  by  no  means  re- 
corded all  that  Paul  or  the  other  apos- 
tles did,  nor  has  he  pretended  to  do  it. 
He  has  given  the  leading  events  in  the 
public  labours  of  Paul;  and  it  is  not  at 
all  improbable  that  he  has  omitted  not  a 
few  short  excursions  made  by  him  for  the 
purpose  of  preaching  the  gospel.  The 
journey  into  Arabia,  probably,  did  not 
furnish  any  incidents  in  regard  to  the 
success  of  the  gospel  there  which  re- 
quired particular  record  by  the  sacred 
historian,  nor  has  Paul  himself  referred 
to  it  for  any  such  reason,  or  intimated 
that  it  furnished  any  incidents,  or  any 
facts,  that  required  particularly  the 
notice  of  the  historian.  He  has  men- 
tioned it  for  a  different  purpose  alto- 
gether," to  show  that  he  did  not  receive 
his  commission  from  the  apostles,  and 
that  he  did  not  go  at  once  to  consult 


18  Then  a  after  three  years  I 
went  *  up    to  Jerusalem  to  see 

a  Ac.  9  26.  t  or,  returned. 


them.  He  went  directly  the  other  way. 
As  Luke,  in  the  Acts,  had  no  occasion 
to  illustrate  this  ;  as  he  had  no  occasion 
to  refer  to  this  argument,  it  did  not  fall 
in  with  his  design  to  mention  the  fact. 
Nor  is  it  known  why  Paul  went  into 
Arabia.  Bloomfield  supposes  that  it 
was  in  order  to  recover  his  health  after 
the  calamity  which  he  suffered  on  the 
way  to  Damascus.  But  every  thing  in 
regard  to  this  is  mere  conjecture.  I 
should  rather  think  it  was  more  in 
accordance  with  the  general  character 
of  Paul  that  he  made  this  short  excur- 
sion for  the  purpose  of  preaching  the 
gospel.  If  And  returned  again  unto 
Damascus.  He  did  not  go  to  Jerusa- 
lem to  consult  with  the  apostles  after 
his  visit  to  Arabia,  but  returned  again 
to  the  place  where  he  was  converted 
and  preached  there,  showing  that  he 
had  not  derived  his  commission  from 
the  other  apostles. 

18.     Then  after  three  years.    Proba- 
bly  three  years  after  his  departure  from 
Jerusalem    to   Damascus,  not  after  his 
return  to  Arabia.     So  most  commenta- 
;  tors  have  understood  it.     ^  Went  up  to 
j  Jerusalem.     More  correctly,  as  in  the 
;  margin,    returned.     If   To    see    Peter. 
;  Peter  was  the  oldest  and  most  distin- 
j  guished  of  the  apostles.     In  ch.  ii.  9. 
he,  with  James  and  John,  is  called  a 
pillar.      But    why    Paul    particularly 
!  went  to  see  him  is  not  known.     It  was 
!  probably,  however,  from  the  celebrity  and 
distinction  which  he  knew  Peter   had 
j  among  the  apostles  that  he  wished  to 
J  become    particularly     acquainted     with 
j  hi  in.     The   word   which    is   here   ren- 
|  dered  to  see  (/o-T.-gaa-*/)  is  by  no  means 
i  that  which  is  commonly  employed  to 
!  denote  that  idea.     It   occurs   nowhere 
i  else  in  the  New  Testament ;  and  pro- 
|  perly   means   to  ascertain  by  personal 
j  inquiry  and  examination,  and  then  to 
narrate,  as  a  historian  was  accustomed 
j  to  do,  whence  our  word  history.     The 
notion  of  personally  seeing  and  examin- 
ing, is  one  that  belongs  essentially  to 


A.D.58.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


299 


Peter,  and  abode  with  him  fifteen 
days. 

19  But  other  of  the  apostles 

the  word,  and  the  idea  here  is  that  of 
seeing  or  visiting  Peter  in  order  to  a 
personal  acquaintance,  ^f  And  abode 
with  him  fifteen  days.  Probably,  says 
Bloom  field,  including  three  Lord's-days. 
Why  he  departed  then  is  unknown. 
Beza  supposes  that  it  was  on  account  of 
the  plots  of  the  Grecians  against  him, 
and  their  intention  to  destroy  him  (Acts 
ix.  29)  ;  but  this  is  not  assigned  by  Paul 
himself  as  a  reason.  It  is  probable  that 
the  purpose  of  his  visit  to  Peter  would 
be  accomplished  in  that  time,  and  he 
would  not  spend  more  time  than  was 
necessary  with  him.  It  is  clear  that  in 
the  short  space  of  two  weeks  he  could 
not  have  been  very  extensively  taught 
by  Peter  the  nature  of  the  Christian 
religion,  and  probably  the  time  is  men- 
tioned here  to  show  that  he  had  not 
been  under  the  teaching  of  the  apos- 
tles. 

19.  Save  James  the  Lord's  brother. 
That  the  James  here  referred  to  was 
an  apostle,  is  clear.  The  whole  con- 
struction of  the  sentence  demands  this 
supposition.  In  the  list  of  the  apostles 
in  Matt.  x.  2,  3,  two  of  this  name  are 
mentioned,  James  the  son  of  Zebedee 
and  brother  of  John,  and  James  the 
son  of  Alpheus.  From  the  Acts  of  the 
apostles,  it  is  clear  that  there  were  two 
of  this  name  in  Jerusalem.  Of  these, 
James  the  brother  of  John  was  slain  by 
Herod  (Acts  xii.  2),  and  the  other  con- 
tinued to  reside  in  Jerusalem.  Acts 
xv,  13;  xxi.  13.  This  latter  James  was 
called  James  the  Less  (Mark  xv.  40), 
to  distinguish  him  from  the  other  James, 
probably  because  he  was  the  younger. 
It  is  probable  that  this  was  the  James 
referred  to  here,  as  it  is  evident  from 
the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  that  he  was  a 
prominent  man  among  the  apostles  in 
Jerusalem.  Commentators  have  not 
been  agreed  as  to  what  is  meant  by  his 
being  the  brother  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 
Doddridge  understands  it  as  meaning  that 
he  was  "  the  near  kinsman"  or  cousin- 


saw  I  none,    save  James  B  the 
Lord's  brother. 

20  Now   the  things  which  I 


a  Mar.  6.  3. 


german  to  Jesus,  for  he  was,  says  he,  the 
son  of  Alpheus  and  Mary,  the  sister  of 
the  virgin ;  and  if  there  were  but  two 
of  this  name,  this  opinion  is  undoubt- 
edly correct.  In  the  Apostolical  Consti- 
tutions (see  Rosenmuller)  three  of  this 
name  are  mentioned  as  apostles  or 
eminent  men  in  Jerusalem ;  and  hence 
many  have  supposed  that  one  of  them 
was  the  son  of  Mary  the  mother  of  the 
Lord  Jesus.  It  is  said  (Matt.  xiii.  55) 
that  the  brothers  of  Jesus  were  James, 
and  Joses,  and  Simon,  and  Judas ;  and  it 
is  remarkable  that  three  of  the  apostles 
bear  the  same  names;  James  the  son 
of  Alpheus,  Simon  Zelotes,  and  Judas. 
John  xiv.  22.  It  is  indeed  possible, 
as  Bloomfield  remarks,  that  three  bro- 
thers of  our  Lord  and  three  of  his 
apostles  might  bear  the  same  names, 
and  yet  be  different  persons ;  but  such 
a  coincidence  would  be  very  remark- 
able, and  not  easily  explained.  But 
if  it  were  not  so,  then  the  James 
here  was  the  son  of  Alpheus,  and  con- 
sequently a  cousin  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 
The  word  brother  may,  according  to 
Scripture  usage,  be  understood  as  de- 
noting a  near  kinsman.  See  Schleus- 
ner  (Lex.  2)  on  the  word  iiJ«\<j>oc.  After 
all,  however,  it  is  not  quite  certain  who 
is  intended.  Some  have  supposed  that 
neither  of  the  apostles  of  the  name  of 
James  is  intended,  but  another  James 
who  was  the  son  of  Mary  the  mother 
of  Jesus.  See  Koppe  in  loc.  But  it 
is  clear,  I  think,  that  one  of  the  apos- 
tles is  intended.  Why  James  is  par- 
ticularly mentioned  here  is  unknown. 
As,  however,  he  was  a  prominent  man 
in  Jerusalem,  Paul  would  naturally 
seek  his  acquaintance.  It  is  possible 
that  the  other  apostles  were  absent  from 
Jerusalem  during  the  fifteen  days  when 
he  was  there. 

20.  Behold,  before  God,  1  lie  not. 
This  is  an  oath,  or  a  solemn  appeal  to 
God.  See  Note,  Rom.  ix.  1.  The  de- 
sign of  this  oath  here  is  to  prevent  all 


300 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.  58. 


write  unto  you,   behold,  before 
God,  I  lie  not. 

21  Afterwards  I  a  came    into 
the  regions  of  Syria  and  Cilicia; 

o  Ac.  9.  30. 


suspicion  of  falsehood.  It  may  seem 
to  be  remarkable  that  Paul  should  make 
this  solemn  appeal  to  God  in  this  argu- 
ment, and  in  the  narrative  of  a  plain 
fact,  when  his  statement  could  hardly 
be  called  in  question  by  any  one.  But 
we  may  remark,  (1.)  That  the  oath 
here  refers  not  only  to  the  fact  that  he 
was  with  Peter  and  James  but  fifteen 
days,  but  to  the  entire  group  of  facts 
to  which  he  had  referred  in  this  chap- 
ter. "The  things  which  I  wrote  unto 
you."  It  included,  therefore,  the  nar- 
rative about  his  conversion,  and  the 
direct  revelation  which  he  had  from 
the  Lord  Jesus.  (2.)  There  were  no 
witnesses  which  he  could  appeal  to  in 
this  case,  and  he  could,  therefore,  only 
appeal  to  God.  It  was  probably  not 
practicable  for  him  to  appeal  to  Peter 
or  James,  as  neither  of  them  were  in 
Galatia,  and  a  considerable  part  of  the 
transactions  here  referred  to  occurred 
where  there  were  no  witnesses.  It  per- 
tained to  the  direct  revelation  of  truth 
from  the  Lord  Jesus.  The  only  way, 
therefore,  was  for  Paul  to  appeal  di- 
rectly to  God  for  the  truth  of  what  he 
said.  (3.)  The  importance  of  the  truth 
here  affirmed  was  such  as  to  justify 
this  solemn  appeal  to  God.  It  was  an 
extraordinary  and  miraculous  revela- 
tion of  the  truth  by  Jesus  Christ  him- 
self. He  received  information  of  the 
truth  of  Christianity  from  no  human 
being.  He  had  consulted  no  one  in 
regard  to  its  nature.  That  fact  was  so 
extraordinary,  and  it  was  so  remarkable 
that  the  system  thus  communicated  to 
him  should  harmonize  so  entirely  with 
that  taught  by  the  other  apostles  with 
whom  he  had  had  no  intercourse,  that  it 
was  not  improper  to  appeal  to  God  in 
this  solemn  manner.  It  was,  therefore, 
no  trifling  matter  in  which  Paul  ap- 
pealed to  God ;  and  a  solemn  appeal  of 
the  same  nature  and  in  the  same  circum- 
stances can  never  be  improper. 


22  And  was  unknown  by  face 
unto  the  churches  b  of  Judea 
which  were  in  Christ: 

23  But  they  had  heard  c  only, 


b  1  Th.  2.  14. 


c  Ac.  9.  13,  26. 


21.  Afterwards  I  came,  &c.  In  this 
account  he  has  omitted  a  circumstance 
recorded  by  Luke  (Acts  ix.  29),  of  the 
controversy  which  he  had  with  the 
Grecians  or  Hellenists.  It  was  not  ma- 
terial to  the  purpose  which  he  has  here 
in  view,  which  is  to  state  that  he  was 
not  indebted  to  the  apostles  for  his 
knowledge  of  the  doctrines  of  Chris- 
tianity. He  therefore  merely  states 
that  he  left  Jerusalem  soon  after  he 
went  there,  and  travelled  to  other  places. 
^  The  regions  of  Syria.  Syria  was 
between  Jerusalem  and  Cilicia.  An- 
tioch  was  the  capital  of  Syria,  and  in 
that  city  and  the  adjacent  places  he 
spent  considerable  time.  Comp.  Acts 
xv.  23.  41.  |  Cilicia.  This  was  a 
province  of  Asia  Minor,  of  which  Tar 
sus,  the  native  place  of  Paul,  was  the 
capital.     See  Note  on  Acts  vi.  9. 

22.  And  was  tin  known  by  face,  &c. 
Paul  had  visited  Jerusalem  only,  and 
he  had  formed  no  acquaintance  with 
any  of  the  churches  in  the  other  parts 
of  Judea.  He  regarded  himself  at  the 
first  as  called  to  preach  particularly  to 
the  Gentiles,  and  he  did  not  remain  even 
to  form  an  acquaintance  with  the  Chris- 
tians in  Judea.  1  The  churches  of 
Judea.  Those  which  were  out  of 
Jerusalem.  Even  at  the  early  period  of 
the  conversion  of  Paul  there  were 
doubtless  many  churches  in  various 
parts  of  the  land.  Tf  Which  were  in 
Christ.  United  to  Christ ;  or  which 
were  Christian  churches.  The  design 
of  mentioning  this  is,  to  show  that 
he  had  not  derived  his  views  of  the 
gospel  from  any  of  them.  He  had 
neither  been  instructed  by  the  apostles, 
nor  was  he  indebted  to  the  Christians 
in  Judea  for  his  knowledge  of  the  Chris- 
tian religion. 

23.  But  they  had  heard  only,  &c. 
They  had  not  seen  me;  but  the  re- 
markable fact  of  my  conversion  had 
been  reported  to  them.     It  was  a  fac* 


A..P.58.] 


CHAPTER  1. 


I 


That  he  which  persecuted  us  in 
limes  past,  now  preacheth  the 
faith  which  once  he  destroyed. 

vhat  could  hardly  be  concealed.  See 
Note,  Acts  xxvi.  26. 

24.  And  they  glorified  God  in  me. 
They  praised  God  on  my  account. 
They  regarded  me  as  a  true  convert 
and  a  sincere  Christian  ;  and  they 
praised  God  that  he  had  converted  such 
a  persecutor,  and  had  made  him  a 
preacher  of  the  gospel.  The  design 
lor  which  this  is  mentioned  is,  to  show 
that  though  he  was  personally  unknown 
to  them,  and  had  not  derived  his  views 
of  the  gospel  from  them,  yet  that  he 
had  their  entire  confidence.  They  re- 
garded him  as  a  convert  and  an  apostle, 
and  they  were  disposed  to  praise  God 
for  his  conversion.  This  fact  would  do 
much  to  conciliate  the  favour  of  the 
Galatians,  by  showing  them  that  he  had 
the  confidence  of  the  churches  in  the 
very  land  where  the  gospel  was  first 
planted,  and  which  was  regarded  as  the 
source  of  ecclesiastical  authority.  In 
view  of  this  we  may  remark,  (1.)  That 
it  is  the  duty  of  Christians  kindly  and 
yfFectionately  to  receive  among  their 
number  those  who  have  been  converted 
from  a  career  of  persecution  or  of  sin  in 
any  form.  And  it  is  always  done  by 
true  Christians.  It  is  easy  to  forgive  a 
man  who  has  been  actively  engaged  in 
persecuting  the  church,  or  a  man  who 
has  been  profane,  intemperate,  disho- 
nest, or  licentious,  if  he  becomes  a  true 
penitent,  and  confesses  and  forsakes  his 
sins.  No  matter  what  his  life  has  been  ; 
no  matter  how  abandoned,  sensual,  or 
devilish ;  if  he  manifests  true  sorrow  arid 
gives  evidence  of  a  change  of  heart,  he 
is  cordially  received  into  any  church, 
and  welcomed  as  a  fellow-labourer  in 
the  cause  which  he  once  destroyed. 
Here,  at  least,  is  one  place  where  for- 
giveness is  cordial  and  perfect.  His 
former  life  is  not  remembered,  except  to 
praise  God  for  his  grace  in  recovering  a 
sinner  from  such  a  course;  the  evils 
that  he  has  done  are  forgotten ;  and 
he  is  henceforward  regarded  as  entitled 
26 


24  And   they   glorified 
in  me. 

a  Ac.  21.  19,  20. 


301 
God 


to  all  the  privileges  and  immunities  of  a 
member  of  the  household  of  faith, 
There  is  not  on  earth  an  infuriated 
persecutor  or  blasphemer  who  woukl 
not  be  cordially  welcomed  to  any 
Christian  church  on  the  evidence  of 
his  repentance ;  not  a  man  so  debased 
and  vile  that  the  most  pure,  and  ele- 
vated, and  learned,  and  wealthy  Chris- 
tians would  not  rejoice  to  sit  down  with 
him  at  the  same  communion  table  on 
the  evidence  of  his  conversion  to  God. 
(2.)  We  should  "glorify"  or  praise 
God  for  all  such  instances  of  convex 
sion.  We  should  do  it  because,  (a)  Of 
the  abstraction  of  the  talents  of  the 
persecutor  from  the  cause  of  evil.  Paul 
could  have  done,  and  would  have  done 
immense  service  to  the  enemies  of 
Christianity  if  he  had  pursued  the 
career  which  he  had  commenced.  But 
when  he  was  converted,  all  that  bad 
influence  ceased.  So  when  an  infidel 
or  a  profligate  man  is  converted  now. 
(b)  Because  now  his  talents  will  be 
consecrated  to  a  better  service.  They 
will  be  employed  in  the  cause  of  truth 
and  salvation.  All  the  power  of  the 
matured  and  educated  talent  will  now 
be  devoted  to  the  interests  of  religion ; 
and  it  is  a  fact  for  which  we  should 
thank  God,  that  he  often  takes  educated 
talent,  and  commanding  influence,  and 
an  established  reputation  for  ability, 
learning,  and  zeal,  and  devotes  it  to 
his  own  service,  (c)  Because  there 
will  be  a  change  of  destiny ;  because 
the  enemy  of  the  Redeemer  will  now 
be  saved.  The  moment  when  Saul  of 
Tarsus  was  converted,  was  the  moment 
which  determined  a  change  in  his 
eternal  destiny.  Before,  he  was  in  the 
broad  way  to  hell;  henceforward  he 
walked  in  the  path  of  life  and  salvation. 
Thus  we  should  always  rejoice  over  a 
sinner  returning  from  the  error  of  his 
ways;  and  should  praise  God  that  he 
whu  was  in  danger  of  eternal  ruin  is 
now  an  heir  of  glory.     Christians  are 


302 


GALATIANS. 


[A.D.58. 


CHAPTER  II. 
rpiIEN,  fourteen  years  after,  l 
■*■  I  went  up  again  to  Jerusalem 


not  jealous  in  regard  to  the  numbers 
who  shall  enter  heaven.  They  feel 
thi*,  there  is  "  room"  for  all ;  that  the 
feast  is  ample  for  all ;  and  they  rejoice 
when  any  can  be  induced  to  come  with 
them  and  partake  of  the  happiness  of 
heaven.  (3.)  We  may  still  glorify  and 
praise  God  for  the  grace  manifested  in 
the  conversion  of  Saul  of  Tarsus. 
What  does  not  the  world  owe  to  him  ! 
What  do  we  not  owe  to  him  !  No  man 
did  as  much  in  establishing  the  Chris- 
tian religion  as  he  did ;  no  one  among 
the  apostles  was  the  means  of  convert- 
ing and  saving  so  many  souls  ;  no  one 
has  left  so  many  and  so  valuable  writ- 
ings for  the  edification  of  the  church. 
To  him  we  owe  the  invaluable  epistles — 
so  full  of  truth,  and  eloquence,  and 
promises,  and  consolations — on  which  we 
are  commenting ;  and  to  him  the  church 
owes,  under  God,  some  of  its  most  ele- 
vated and  ennobling  views  of  the 
nature  of  Christian  doctrine  and  duty. 
After  the  lapse,  therefore,  of  eighteen 
hundred  years,  we  should  not  cease  to 
glorify  God  for  the  conversion  of  this 
wonderful  man,  and  should  feel  that  we 
have  cause  of  thankfulness  that  he 
changed  the  infuriated  persecutor  to  a 
holy  and  devoted  apostle.  (4.)  Let  us 
remember  that  God  has  the  same  power 
now.  There  is  not  a  persecutor  whom 
he  could  not  convert  with  the  same 
ease  with  which  he  changed  Saul  of 
Tarsus.  There  is  not  a  vile  and  sen- 
sual man  that  he  could  not  make  pure ; 
not  a  dishonest  man  that  his  grace 
could  not  make  honest;  not  a  blas- 
phemer that  he  could  not  teach  to  ven- 
erate his  name;  not  a  lost  and  aban- 
doned sinner  that  he  cannot  receive  to 
himself.  Let  us  then  without  ceasing 
cry  unto  him  that  his  grace  may  be  con- 
tinually manifested  in  reclaiming  such 
sinners  from  the  error  of  their  ways, 
and  bringing  them  to  the  knowledge  of 
the  truth,  and  to  a  consecration  of  their 
lives  to  his  service. 


with  Barnabas,    and  took  Titus 
with  we  also. 

a  Ac.  15.  2,  &c. 


CHAPTER  II. 

ANALYSIS. 

The  second  chapter  is  closely  con- 
nected in  sense  with  the  first,  and  is 
indeed  a  part  of  the  same  argument. 
Injury  has  been  done  by  the  division 
which  is  made.  The  proper  division 
would  have  been  at  the  close  of  the 
10th  verse  of  this  chapter.  The  gene- 
ral scope  of  the  chapter,  like  the  first, 
is  to  show  that  he  did  not  receive  the 
gospel  from  man ;  that  he  had  not 
derived  it  from  the  apostles ;  that  he 
did  not  acknowledge  his  indebtedness 
to  them  for  his  views  of  the  Christian 
religion  ;  that  they  had  not  even  set  up 
authority  over  him ;  but  that  they  had 
welcomed  him  as  a  fellow-labourer,  and 
acknowledged  him  as  a  coadjutor  in  the 
work  of  the  apostleship.  In  confirma- 
tion of  this  he  states  (ver.  1)  that  he 
had  indeed  gone  to  Jerusalem,  but  that 
he  had  done  it  by  express  revelation 
(ver.  2)  ;  that  he  was  cordially  received 
by  the  apostles  there — especially  by 
those  who  were  pillars  in  the  church; 
and  that  so  far  from  regarding  himself 
as  inferior  to  the  other  apostles,  he  had 
resisted  Peter  to  his  face  at  Antioch  on 
a  most  important  and  vital  doctrine. 

The  chapter,  therefore,  may  be  re- 
garded as  divided  into  two  portions, 
viz. : — 

1.  The  account  of  his  visit  to  Jeru- 
salem and  of  what  occurred  there, 
ver.  1—10. 

(a)  He  had  gone  up  fourteen  years 
after  his  conversion,  after  having  la- 
boured long  among  the  Gentiles  in  his 
own  way,  and  without  having  felt  his 
dependence  on  the  apostles  at  Jerusa- 
lem, ver.  1,  2. 

(b)  When  he  was  there,  there  was 
no  attempt  made  to  compel  him  to  sub- 
mit to  the  Jewish  rites  and  customs; 
and  what  was  conclusive  in  the  case 
was,  that  they  had  not  even  required 
Titus  to  be  circumcised,  thus  proving 
that   they  did   not  assert   jurisdiction 


A.  D.  58.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


303 


over  Paul,  and  that  they  did  not  in- 
end  to  impose  the  Mosaic  rites  on 
the  converts  from  among  the  Gentiles, 
ver.  3—5. 

(c)  The  most  distinguished  persons 
among  the  apostles  at  Jerusalem,  he 
says,  received  him  kindly,  and  admitted 
him  to  their  conlidence  and  favour 
without  hesitation.  They  added  no 
heavy  burdens  to  him  (ver.  6)  ;  they 
saw  evidence  that  he  had  been  ap- 
pointed to  bear  the  gospel  to  the  Gen- 
tiles (ver.  7,  8)  ;  they  gave  to  him  and 
Barnabas  the  right  hand  of  fellowship 
(ver.  9) ;  and  they  asked  only  that 
they  should  remember  and  show  kind- 
ness to  the  poor  saints  in  Judea,  and 
thus  manifest  an  interest  in  those  who 
had  been  converted  from  Judaism,  or 
contribute  their  proper  proportion  to 
the  maintenance  of  all,  and  show  that 
they  were  not  disposed  to  abandon  their 
own  countrymen,  ver.  10.  In  this  way 
they  gave  the  fullest  proof  that  they 
approved  the  course  of  Paul,  and  ad- 
mitted him  into  entire  fellowship  with 
them  as  an  apostle. 

II.  The  scene  at  Antioch,  where  Paul 
rebuked  Peter  for  his  dissimulation. 
ver.  1 1 — 21.  The  main  object  of  men- 
tioning this  seems  to  be  to  show,  first, 
that  he  did  not  regard  himself  as  in- 
ferior to  the  other  apostles,  or  that  he 
had  not  derived  his  views  of  the  gospel 
from  them ;  and,  secondly,  to  state  that 
the  observance  of  the  Jewish  rites  was 
not  necessary  to  salvation,  and  that  he 
had  maintained  that  from  the  beginning. 
He  had  strongly  urged  it  in  a  contro- 
versy with  Peter,  and  in  a  case  where 
Peter  was  manifestly  wrong;  and  it 
was  no  new  doctrine  on  the  subject  ot 
justification  which  he  had  preached  to 
the  Galatians.     He  states,  therefore, 

(a)  That  he  had  opposed  Peter  at 
Antioch,  because  he  had  dissembled 
there,  and  that  even  Barnabas  had  been 
carried  away  with  the  course  which 
Peter  had  practised,  ver.  11 — 14. 

(b)  That  the  Jews  must  be  justified 
by  faith,  and  not  by  dependence  on 
their  own  law.  ver.  15,  16. 

(c)  That  they  who  are  justified  by 
faith  should  act  consistently,  and  not 


attempt  to  build  again  the  things  which 
they  had  destroyed,  ver.  17,  18. 

(d)  That  the  effect  of  justification 
by  faith  was  to  make  one  dead  to  the 
law  that  he  might  live  unto  God ;  that 
the  effect  of  it  was  to  make  one  truly 
alive  and  devoted  to  the  cause  of  true 
religion ;  and  to  show  this,  he  appeals 
to  the  effect  on  his  own  heart  and  life 
(ver.  19,  20)  ; 

(e)  And  that  if  justification  could 
be  obtained  by  the  law,  then  Christ 
had  died  in  vain.  ver.  21.  He  thus 
shows  that  the  effect  of  teaching  the 
necessity  of  the  observance  of  the  Jew- 
ish rites  was  to  destroy  the  gospel,  and 
to  render  it  vain  and  useless. 

1.  Then  fourteen  years  after.  That 
is,  fourteen  years  after  his  first  visit 
there  subsequent  to  his  conversion. 
Some  commentators,  however,  suppose 
that  date  of  the  fourteen  years  are  to 
be  reckoned  from  his  conversion.  But 
the  more  obvious  construction  is,  to 
refer  it  to  the  time  of  his  visit  there,  as 
recorded  in  the  previous  chapter,  ver.  18. 
This  time  was  spent  in  Asia  Minor 
chiefly  in  preaching  the  gospel.  %  I 
went  up  again  to  Jerusalem.  It  is 
commonly  supposed  that  Paul  here  re- 
fers to  the  visit  which  he  made  as 
recorded  in  Acts  xv.  The  circum- 
stances mentioned  are  substantially  the 
same ;  and  the  object  which  he  had 
at  that  time  in  going  up  was  one  whose 
mention  was  entirely  pertinent  to  the 
argument  here.  He  went  up  with 
Barnabas  to  submit  a  question  to  the 
assembled  apostles  and  elders  at  Jerusa- 
lem in  regard  to  the  necessity  of  the 
observance  of  the  laws  of  Moses.  Some 
persons  who  had  come  among  the  Gen- 
tile converts  from  Judea  had  insisted  on 
the  necessity  of  being  circumcised  in 
order  to  be  saved.  Paul  and  Barnabas 
had  opposed  them  ;  and  the  dispute  had 
become  so  warm  that  it  was  agreed  to 
submit  the  subject  to  the  apostles  and 
elders  at  Jerusalem.  For  that  purpose 
Paul  and  Barnabas  had  been  sent,  with 
certain  others,  to  lay  the  case  before  all 
the  apostles.  As  the  question  which 
Paul  was  discussing  in  this  epistle  was 
about  the  necessity  of  the  observance  ot 


304 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.  58 


2  And  I  went  up  by  revela- 


the  laws  of  Moses  in  order  to  justifica- 
tion, it  was  exactly  in  point  to  refer  to 
a  journey  when  this  very  question  had 
been  submitted  to  the  apostles.  Paul 
indeed  had  made  another  journey  to 
Jerusalem  before  this  witb  the  collection 
for  the  poor  saints  in  Judea  (Acts  xi. 
29,  30  ;  xii.  25),  but  he  does  not  men- 
tion that  here,  probably  because  he  did 
not  then  see  the  other  apostles,  or  more 
prpbably  because  that  journey  furnished 
no  illustration  of  the  point  now  under 
debate.  On  the  occasion  here  referred 
to  (Acts  xv.),  the  very  point  under  dis- 
cussion here  constituted  the  main  sub- 
ject of  inquiry,  and  was  definitely 
settled.  *f  And  took  Titus  with  me 
also.  Luke,  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apos- 
tles (xv.  2),  says,  that  there  were 
others  with  Paul  and  Barnabas  on  that 
journey  to  Jerusalem.  But  who  they 
were  he  does  not  mention.  It  is  by 
no  means  certain  that  Titus  was  ap- 
pointed by  the  church  to  go  to  Jerusa- 
lem ;  but  the  contrary  is  more  probable. 
Paul  seems  to  have  taken  him  with 
him  as  a  private  affair ;  but  the  reason 
is  not  mentioned.  It  may  have  been  to 
show  his  Christian  liberty,  and  his 
sense  of  what  he  had  a  right  to  do ;  or 
it  may  have  been  to  furnish  a  case  on 
the  subject  of  inquiry,  and  submit  the 
matter  to  them  whether  Titus  was  to  be 
circumcised.  He  was  a  Greek  ;  but  he 
had  been  converted  to  Christianity. 
Paul  had  not  circumcised  him  ;  but  had 
admitted  him  to  the  full  privileges  of 
the  Christian  church.  Here  then  was 
a  case  in  point  ,•  and  it  may  have  been 
important  to  have  had  such  a  case 
before  them  that  they  might  fully  under- 
stand it.  This,  as  Doddridge  properly 
remarks,  is  the  first  mention  which 
occurs  of  Titus.  He  is  not  mentioned 
by  Luke  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles, 
and  though  his  name  occurs  several 
times  in  the  second  epistle  to  the 
Corinthians  (ii.  13;  vii.  6;  viii.  6.  16.  23; 
xii.  18),  yet  it  is  to  be  remembered  that 
that  epistle  was  written  a  considerable 
time  after  this  to  the  Galatians.  Titus 
was  a  Greek,  and  was  doubtless  con- 


tion,    and    communicated    unto 

verted  by  the  labours  of  Paul,  for  he 
calls  him  his  own  son.  Tit.  i.  4.  He  at- 
tended Paul  frequently  in  his  travels ; 
was  employed  by  him  in  important 
services  (see  2  Cor.  in  the  places  referred 
to  above)  ;  was  left  by  him  in  Crete 
to  set  in  order  the  things  that  were 
wanting,  and  to  ordain  elders  there 
(Tit.  i.  5) ;  subsequently  he  went 
into  Dalmatia  (2  Tim.  iv.  10),  and  is 
supposed  to  have  returned  again  to 
Crete,  whence  it  is  said  he  propagated 
the  gospel  in  the  neighbouring  islands, 
and  died  at  the  age  of  94. — Calmet. 

2.  And  I  ivent  up  by  revelation. 
Not  for  the  purpose  of  receiving  in- 
struction  from  the  apostles  there  in 
regard  to  the  nature  of  the  Christian 
religion.  It  is  to  be  remembered  that 
the  design  for  which  Paul  states  this  is, 
to  show  that  he  had  not  received  the  gos- 
pel from  men.  He  is  careful,  therefore, 
to  state  that  he  went  up  by  the  express 
command  of  God.  He  did  not  go  up 
to  receive  instructions  from  the  apostles 
there  in  regard  to  his  own  work,  or  to 
be  confirmed  by  them  in  his  apostolic 
office,  but  he  went  to  submit  an  im- 
portant question  pertaining  to  the 
church  at  large.  In  Acts  xv.  2,  it  is 
said  that  Paul  and  Barnabas  went  up 
by  the  appointment  of  the  church  at 
Antioch.  But  there  is  no  discrepancy 
between  that  account  and  this,  for 
though  he  was  designated  by  the  church 
there,  there  is  no  improbability  in  sup- 
posing that  he  was  directed  by  a  special 
revelation  to  comply  with  their  request 
The  reason  why  he  says  that  he  went 
up  by  direct  revelation  seems  to  be,  to 
show  that  he  did  not  seek  instruction 
from  the  apostles ;  he  did  not  go  of  his 
own  accord  to  consult  with  them  as  if 
he  were  dependent  on  them ;  but  even 
in  a  case  when  he  went  to  advise  with 
them  he  was  under  the  influence  of 
express  and  direct  revelation,  proving 
that  he  was  as  much  commissioned  by 
God  as  they  were.  ^  And  communi- 
cated unto  them  that  gospel,  &c.  Made 
them  acquainted  with  the  doctrines 
which  he  preached  among  the  heathen. 


A.  D.  58.]  CHAPTER  II. 


30& 


them  that  gospel  which  I  preach 


He  stated  fully  the  principles  on  which 
he  acted;  the  nature  of  the  gospel 
which  he  taught ;  and  his  doctrine  about 
the  exemption  of  the  Gentiles  from  the 
obligations  of  the  law  of  Moses.  He 
thus  satisfied  them  in  regard  to  his 
views  of  the  gospel ;  and  showed  them 
that  he  understood  the  system  of  Chris- 
tianity which  had  been  revealed.  The 
result  was,  that  they  had  entire  confi- 
dence in  him,  and  admitted  him  to 
entire  fellowship  with  them.  ver.  9. 
"|  But  privately.  Marg.  Several!//. 
Gr.  x.ut  iSictv.  The  phrase  means  that 
he  did  it  not  in  a  public  manner;  not 
before  a  promiscuous  assembly ;  not 
even  before  all  the  apostles  collected 
together,  but  in  a  private  manner  to  a 
few  of  the  leaders  and  chief  persons. 
He  made  a  private  explanation  of  his 
motives  and  views,  that  they  might  un- 
derstand it  before  it  became  a  matter  of 
public  discussion.  The  point  on  which 
Paul  made  this  private  explanation  was 
not  whether  the  gospel  was  to  be 
preached  to  the  Gentiles,  for  on  that 
they  had  no  doubt  after  the  revelation 
to  Peter  (Acts  x.)  ;  but  whether  the 
rites  of  the  Jews  were  to  be  imposed  on 
the  Gentile  converts.  Paul  explained 
his  views  and  his  practice  on  that  point, 
which  were  that  he  did  not  impose  those 
rites  on  the  Gentiles;  that  he  taught 
that  men  might  be  justified  without 
their  observance;  and  that  they  were 
not  necessary  in  order  to  salvation. 
The  reasons  why  he  sought  this  private 
interview  with  the  leading  men  in  Jeru- 
salem he  has  not  stated.  But  we  may 
suppose  that  they  were  something  like 
the  following.  (1.)  The  Jews  in  ge- 
neral had  very  strong  attachment  to 
their  own  customs,  and  this  attachment 
was  found  in  a  high,  degree  among 
those  who  were  converted  from  among 
them  to  the  Christian  faith.  They 
would  be  strongly  excited,  therefore,  by 
the  doctrine  that  those  customs  were 
not  necessary  to  be  observed.  (2.)  If 
the  matter  were  submitted  to  a  promis- 
cuous assembly  of  converts  from  Juda- 
26* 


among   the    Gentiles ;  but  *  pri- 

*  or,  severally. 


ism,  it  could  not  not  fail  to  produce 
great  excitement.  They  could  not  be 
made  readily  to  understand  the  reasons 
why  Paul  acted  in  this  manner;  there 
would  be  no  possibility  in  an  excited 
assemblage  to  offer  the  explanations 
which  might  be  desirable;  and  after 
every  explanation  which  could  be  given 
in  this  manner,  they  might  have  been 
unable  to  understand  all  the  circum- 
stances of  the  case.  (3.)  If  a  few  of 
the  principal  men  were  made  to  under- 
stand it,  Paul  felt  assured  that  their 
influence  would  be  such  as  to  prevent 
any  great  difficulty.  He  therefore 
sought  an  early  opportunity  to  lay  the 
case  before  them  in  private,  and  to  se- 
cure their  favour;  and  this  course  con- 
tributed to  the  happy  issue  of  the  whole 
affair.  See  Acts  xv.  There  was  indeed 
much  disputation  when  the  question 
came  to  be  submitted  to  "  the  apostles 
and  elders"  (Acts  xv.  7) ;  many  of  the 
sect  of  the  Pharisees  in  that  assembly 
maintained  that  it  was  needful  to  teach 
the  Gentiles  that  the  law  of  Moses  was 
to  be  kept  (Acts  xv.  5)  ;  and  no  one 
can  tell  what  would  have  been  the  issue 
of  that  discussion  among  the  excitable 
minds  of  the  converts  from  Judaism, 
had  not  Paul  taken  the  precaution,  as 
he  here  says,  to  have  submitted  the  case 
in  private  to  those  who  were  of  "  repu- 
tation," and  if  Peter  and  James  had  not 
in  this  manner  been  satisfied,  and  had 
not  submitted  the  views  which  they  did, 
as  recorded  in  Acts  xv.  7 — 21,  and 
which  terminated  the  whole  contro- 
versy. We  may  just  remark  here  that 
this  fact  furnishes  an  argument  such  as 
Paley  has  dwelt  so  much  on  in  his 
Horse  PaulintE — though  he  has  not  re- 
ferred to  this — of  what  he  calls  unde- 
signed coincidences.  The  affair  in  Acts 
xv.  and  the  course  of  the  debate,  looks 
very  much  as  if  Peter  and  James  had 
had  some  conference  with  Paul  in  pri- 
vate, and  had  had  an  opportunity  of 
understanding  fully  his  views  on  the 
subject  before  the  matter  came  before  the 
"  apostles  and  elders"  in  public,  though 


306 


GALATIANS. 


[A.D  58. 


vately  to  them   which  were  of 
reputation,  lest  by  any  means  I 


no  such  private  conference  is  there  re- 
ferred to  by  Luke.  But  on  turning  to 
the  epistle  to  the  Galatians,  we  find  in 
fact  that  he  had  on  one  occasion  be- 
fore seen  the  same  Peter  and  James 
(ch.  i.  18.  19)  ;  and  that  he  had  had  a 
private  interview  with  those  "  of  reputa- 
tion" on  these  very  points,  and  particu- 
larly that  James,  Peter,  and  John  had 
approved  his  course,  and  given  to  him 
and  Barnabas  the  right-hand  of  fellow- 
ship, ch.  ii.  9.  Thus  understood,  the 
case  here  referred  to  was  one  of  the 
most  consummate  instances  of  prudence 
that  occurred  in  the  life  of  Paul ;  and 
from  this  case  we  may  learn,  (1.)  That 
when  a  difficulty  is  to  be  settled  involv- 
ing great  principles,  and  embracing  a 
great  many  points,  it  is  better  to  seek  an 
opportunity  of  private  explanation  than 
to  submit  it  to  a  promiscuous  multitude 
or  to  public  debate.  It  is  not  well  to 
attempt  to  settle  important  points  when 
the  passions  of  a  promiscuous  assembly 
may  be  excited,  and  where  prejudices 
are  strong.  It  is  better  to  do  it  by  pri- 
vate explanations,  when  there  is  an 
opportunity  coolly  to  ask  questions  and 
to  state  the  facts  just  as  they  are.  (2.) 
The  importance  of  securing  the  coun- 
tenance of  influential  men  in  a  popular 
assembly  ;  of  having  men  in  the  assem- 
bly who  would  understand  the  whole 
case.  It  was  moraliy  certain  that  if 
such  men  as  Peter  and  James  were  made 
to  understand  the  case,  there  would  be 
little  difficulty  in  arriving  at  an  amica- 
ble adjustment  of  the  difficulty.  (3.) 
Though  this  passage  does  not  refer  to 
preaching  the  gospel  in  general,  since 
the  gospel  here  submitted  to  the  men  of 
reputation  was  the  question  referred  to 
above,  yet  we  may  remark,  that  great 
prudence  should  be  used  in  preaching  ; 
in  stating  truths  that  may  excite  preju- 
dices, or  when  we  have  reason  to  appre- 
hend prejudices;  and  that  it  is  often  best 
to  preach  the  gospel  to  men  of  reputa- 
tion {k*t  Uijlv)  separately,  or  pri- 
vately.    In  this  way  the  truth  can  be 


a  should   run,    or    had    run,   in 
vain. 

a  Ph.  2.  16. 


made  to  bear  on  the  conscience ;  it  may 
be  better  adapted  to  the  character  of  the 
individual ;  he  may  put  himself  less  in 
a  state  of  defence,  and  guard  himself 
less  against  the  proper  influences  of 
truth.  And  especially  is  this  true  in 
conversing  with  persons  on  the  subject 
of  religion.  It  should  be  if  possible 
alone,  or  privately.  Almost  any  man 
may  be  approached  on  the  subject  of 
religion  if  it  be  done  when  he  is  alone , 
when  he  is  at  leisure,  and  if  it  be  done 
in  a  kind  spirit.  Almost  any  man  will 
become  irritated  if  you  address  him 
personally  in  a  promiscuous  assembly, 
or  even  with  his  family  around  him.  I 
have  never  in  more  than  in  one  or  two 
instances  been  unkindly  treated  when  I 
have  addressed  an  individual  on  the 
subject  of  religion  if  he  was  alone ;  and 
though  a  minister  should  never  shrink 
from  stating  the  truth,  and  should  never 
be  afraid  of  man,  however  exalted  his 
rank,  or  great  his  talents,  or  vast  his 
wealth,  yet  he  will  probably  meet  with 
most  success  when  he  discourses  pri- 
vately to  "  them  which  are  of  reputa- 
tion." ^  To  them  which  were  of  re- 
putation. Meaning  here  the  leading 
men  among  the  apostles.  Tindal  ren- 
ders this,  "  which  are  counted  chefe." 
Doddridge,  "  those  of  greatest  note  in 
the  church."  The  Greek  is,  literally, 
"  those  who  seem,"  more  fully  in  ver.  G ; 
"who  seem  to  be  something,"  i.  e. 
who  are  persons  of  note,  or  who  are  dis- 
tinguished, t  Lest  by  any  means  I 
should  run,  or  had  run  in  vain.  Lest 
the  effects  of  my  labours  and  journeys 
should  be  lost  Paul  feared  that  if  he 
did  not  take  this  method  of  laying  the 
case  before  them  privately,  they  would 
not  understand  it.  Others  might  mis- 
represent him,  or  their  prejudices  might 
be  excited,  and  when  the  case  came  be- 
fore the  assembled  apostles  and  elders,  a 
decision  might  be  adopted  which  would 
go  to  prove  that  he  had  been  entirely 
wrong  in  his  views,  or  which  would 
lead  those  whom  he  had  taught,  to  be- 


A.D.  58.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


307 


3  But  neither  Titns,  who  was 
with  me,  being  a  Greek,  was 
compelled  to  be  circumcised  : 


lieve  that  he  was,  and  which  would 
greatly  hinder  and  embarrass  him  in 
his  future  movements.  In  order  to  pre- 
vent this,  therefore,  and  to  secure  a  just 
decision,  and  one  which  would  not 
hinder  his  future  usefulness,  he  had 
sought  this  private  interview,  and  thus 
his  object  was  gained. 

3.  But  neither  Titus,  who  was  with 
me.  Paul  introduces  this  case  of  Titus 
undoubtedly  to  show  that  circumcision 
was  not  necessary  to  salvation.  It  was 
a  case  just  in  point.  He  had  gone  up 
to  Jerusalem  with  express  reference  to 
this  question.  Here  was  a  man  whom 
he  had  admitted  to  the  Christian  church 
without  circumcising  him.  He  claimed 
that  he  had  a  right  to  do  so ;  and  that 
circumcision  was  not  necessary  in  order 
to  salvation.  If  it  were  necessary,  it 
would  have  been  proper  that  Titus 
should  have  been  compelled  to  submit 
to  it.  But  Paul  says  this  was  not  de- 
manded ;  or  if  demanded  by  any,  the 
point  was  yielded,  and  he  was  not  com- 
pelled to  be  circumcised.  It  is  to  be 
remembered  that  this  was  at  Jerusalem ; 
that  it  was  a  case  submitted  to  the  apos- 
tles there ;  and  that  consequently  the 
determination  of  this  case  settled  the 
whole  controversy  about  the  obligation 
of  the  Mosaic  laws  on  the  Gentile  con- 
verts. It.  is  quite  evident  from  the 
whole  statement  here,  that  Paul  did  not 
intend  that  Titus  should  be  circumcised  ; 
that  he  maintained  that  it  was  not  neces- 
sary ;  and  that  he  resisted  it  when  it 
was  demanded,  ver.  4,  5.  Yet  on  another 
occasion  he  himself  performed  the  act 
of  circumcision  on  Timothy.  Acts  xvi. 
3.  But  there  is  no  inconsistency  in 
his  conduct.  In  the  case  of  Titus  it 
was  demanded  as  a  matter  of  right  and 
as  obligatory  on  him,  and  he  resisted 
the  principle  as  dangerous.  In  the 
case  of  Timothy,  it  was  a  voluntary 
compliance  on  his  part  with  the  usual 
customs  of  the  Jews,  where  it  was  not 
pressed  as  a  matter  of  obligation,  and 
where  it  would  not  be  understood  as 


4  And    that   because  of  false 
a  brethren  unawares  brought  in, 

a  Ac.  15.  1,  24. 

indispensable  to  salvation.  No  danger 
would  follow  from  compliance  with  the 
custom,  and  it  might  do  much  to  con- 
ciliate the  favour  of  the  Jews,  and  he 
therefore  submitted  to  it.  Paul  would 
not  have  hesitated  to  have  circumcised 
Titus  in  the  same  circumstances  in 
which  it  was  done  to  Timothy ;  but 
the  circumstances  were  different ;  and 
when  it  was  insisted  on  as  a  matter  of 
principle  and  of  obligation,  it  became  a 
matter  of  principle  and  of  obligation 
with  him  to  oppose  it.  ^  Being  a 
Greek.  Born  of  Gentile  parents,  of 
course  he  had  not  been  circumcised. 
Probably  both  his  parents  were  Greeks. 
The  case  with  Timothy  was  somewhat 
different.  His  mother  was  a  Jewess, 
but  his  father  was  a  Greek.  Acts  xvi.  3. 
1  Was  compelled  to  be  circumcised.  I 
think  it  is  implied  here  that  this  was 
demanded  and  insisted  on  by  some  that 
he  should  be  circumcised.  It  is  also 
implied  that  Paul  resisted  it,  and  the 
point  was  yielded,  thus  settling  the 
great  and  important  principle  that  it 
was  not  necessary  in  order  to  salvation. 
See  ver.  5. 

4.  And  that  because  of  false  bre- 
thren. Who  these  false  brethren  were 
is  not  certainly  known,  nor  is  it  known 
whether  he  refers  to  those  who  were  at 
Jerusalem  or  to  those  who  were  at  An- 
tioch.  It  is  probable  that  he  refers  to 
Judaizing  Christians,  or  persons  who 
claimed  to  be  Christians  and  to  have 
been  converted  from  Judaism.  Whether 
they  were  dissemblers  and  hypocrite*, 
or  whether  they  were  so  imperfectly 
acquainted  with  Christianity,  and  so 
obstinate,  opinionated,  and  perverse, 
though  really  in  some  respects  good 
men,  that  they  were  conscientious  in 
this,  it  is  not  easy  to  determine.  It  is 
clear,  however,  that  they  opposed  the 
apostle  Paul ;  that  they  regarded  him  as 
teaching  dangerous  doctrines ;  that  they 
perverted  and  misstated  his  views ;  and 
that  they  claimed  to  have  clearer  views 
of  the  nature  of  the  true  religion  than 


308 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.  58. 


who  came  in  privily  to  spy  out 
our   liberty  a  which   we  have  in 

ac.  5.1,  13. 

he  had.  Such  adversaries  he  met  every- 
where (2  Cor.  xi.  26)  ;  and  it  required 
ail  his  tact  and  skill  to  meet  their  plausi- 
ble representations.  It  is  evident  here 
that  Paul  is  assigning  a  reason  for 
something  which  he  had  done,  and  that 
reason  was  to  counteract  the  influence  of 
the  "  false  brethren"  in  the  case.  But 
what  is  the  thing  concerning  which  he 
assigns  a  reason?  It  is  commonly  sup- 
posed to  have  been  on  account  of  the 
fact  that  he  did  not  submit  to  the  cir- 
cumcision of  Titus,  and  that  he  means 
to  say  that  he  resisted  that  in  order  to 
counteract  their  influence,  and  defeat 
their  designs.  But  I  would  submit 
whether  ver.  3  is  not  to  be  regarded  as 
a  parenthesis,  and  whether  the  fact  for 
which  he  assigns  a  reason  is  not  that  he 
sought  a  private  interview  with  the 
leading  men  among  the  apostles  ]  ver.  2. 
The  reason  of  his  doing  that  would  be 
obvious.  In  this  way  he  could  more 
easily  counteract  the  influence  of  the 
false  brethren.  He  could  make  a  full 
statement  of  his  doctrines.  He  could 
meet  their  inquiries,  and  anticipate  the 
objections  of  his  enemies.  He  could 
thus  secure  the  influence  of  the  leading 
apostles  in  his  favour,  and  effectually 
prevent  all  the  efforts  of  the  false 
brethren  to  impose  the  Jewish  rites  on 
Gentile  converts.  \  Unawares  brought 
in.  The  word  rendered  "unawares 
(fl-atgyjrcutTsuj)  is  derived  from  a  verb 
meaning  to  lead  in  by  the  side  of  others, 
to  introduce  along  with  others;  and 
then  to  lead  or  bring  in  by  stealth,  to 
smuggle  in. — Robinson,  Lex.  The  verb 
occurs  nowhere  in  the  New  Testament 
but  in  2  Pet.  ii.  1,  where  it  is  applied 
to  heresies,  and  is  rendered  "Who 
privily  shall  bring  in."  Here  it  refers 
probably  to  men  who  had  been  artfully 
introduced  into  the  ministry,  who 
made  pretensions  to  piety,  but  who 
were  either  strangers  to  it,  or  who  were 
greatly  ignorant  of  the  true  nature  of  the 
Christian  system ;  and  who  were  dis- 
posed to  take  every  advantage,  and  to 


Christ    Jesus,    that   they  might 
bring  us  into  bondage :  h 

6  2  Co.  11.20.  c.  4.  3,9. 

impose  on  others  the  observance  of  the 
peculiar  rites  of  the  Mosaic  economy. 
Into  what  they  were  brought,  the  apos- 
tle does  not  say.     It  may  have  been  that 
they  had  been  introduced  into  the  mi- 
nistry in  this  manner  {Doddridge) ;  or  it 
may  be  that  they  were  introduced  into 
the  "  assembly"  where  the  apostles  were 
collected  to  deliberate  on  the  subject. — 
Chandler.     I   think   it    probable    that 
Paul  refers  to  the  occurrences  in  Jerusa- 
lem, and  that  these  false  brethren  had 
been  introduced  from  Antioch  or  some 
other    place    where    Paul     had    been 
preaching,  or  that   they   were   persons 
whom  his  adversaries  had  introduced  to 
demand  that  Titus  should  be  circum- 
cised, under  the  plausible  pretence  that 
the  laws  of  Moses  required  it,  but  really 
in  order  that  there  might  be  such  proof 
as  they    desired  that  this   rite  was    to 
be  imposed  on  the  Gentile  converts.     If 
Paul  was  compelled  to  submit  to  this ; 
if  they  could  carry  this  point,  it  would 
be  just  such  an  instance  as  they  needed, 
and   would  settle   the  whole    inquiry, 
and  prove  that  the  Mosaic  laws  were  to 
be   imposed   on   the   Gentile   converts. 
This  was  the  reason  why  Paul  so  stre- 
nuously opposed  it.     1  To  spy  out  our 
liberty  which  we  have  in  Christ  Jesus. 
In  the  practice  of  the  Christian  religion. 
The  liberty  referred  to  was,  doubtless, 
the  liberty  from  the  painful,  expensive, 
and  onerous  rites  of  the  Jewish  religion. 
See  ch.  v.  1.     Their  object  in  spying 
out  the  liberty  which  Paul  and  others 
had,  was,  undoubtedly,  to  be  witnesses 
of  the  fact  that  they  did  not  observe  the 
peculiar  rites  of  the  Mosaic  system  ;  to 
make  report   of  it;  to  insist  on   their 
complying    with   those    customs,    and 
thus  to  secure  the  imposition  of  those 
rites  on   the  Gentile  converts.     Their 
first  object  was  to  satisfy  themselves  of 
the  fact  that  Paul  did  not  insist  on  the 
observance  of  their  customs ;  and  then 
to  secure,  by  the  authority  of  the  apos- 
tles, an  injunction  or  order  that  Titus 
should   be  circumcised,  and  that  Paul 


A.D.58.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


309 


5  To  whom  we  gave  place  by 
subjection,  no,  not  for  an  hour  ; 
that  the  truth  of  the  gospel  might 
continue  with  you. 

and  the  converts  made  under  his  mi- 
nistry should  be  required  to  comply  with 
those  laws.  %  That  they  might  bring 
us  into  bondage.  Into  bondage  to  the 
laws  of  Moses.  See  Note,  Acts  xv.  10. 
5.  To  whom  we  gave  place  by  sub- 
jection, no,  not  fur  an  hour.  We  did 
not  submit  to  this  at  all.  We  did  not 
yield  even  for  the  shortest  time.  We 
did  not  waver  in  our  opposition  to  their 
demands,  or  in  the  slightest  degree  be- 
come subject  to  their  wishes.  We 
steadily  opposed  their  claims,  in  order 
that  the  great  principle  might  be  forever 
settled  that  the  laws  of  Moses  were  not 
to  be  imposed  as  obligatory  on  the  Gen- 
tile converts.  This  I  take  to  be  the 
clear  and  obvious  sense  of  this  passage, 
though  there  has  been  a  great  variety  of 
opinions  on  it.  A  considerable  number 
of  MSS.  omit  the  words  tit  di£\,  '  to 
whom  neither'  (see  Mill,  Koppe,  and 
Griesbach),  and  then  the  sense  would 
be  reversed,  that  Paul  did  yield  to  then; 
for  or  after  a  short  time,  in  order  that  he 
might  in  this  way  better  consult  the 
permanent  interests  of  the  gospel. 
This  opinion  has  been  gaining  ground 
for  the  last  century,  that  the  passage 
here  has  been  corrupted  ;  but  it  is  by 
no  means  confirmed.  The  ancient  ver- 
sions, the  Syriac,  the  Vulgate,  and  the 
Arabic,  accord  with  the  usual  reading  of 
the  text.  So  also  do  by  far  the  largest 
portion  of  MSS.,  and  such,  it  seems  to 
me,  is  the  sense  demanded  by  the  con- 
nection. Paul  means,  in  the  whole 
passage,  to  say,  that  a  great  principle 
was  settled.  That  the  question  came 
op  fairly  whether  the  Mosaic  rites  were 
to  be  imposed  on  Gentile  converts. 
That  false  brethren  were  introduced 
who  demanded  it ;  and  that  he  steadily 
maintained  his  ground.  He  did  not 
yield  a  moment.  He  felt  that  a  great 
principle  was  involved  ;  and  though  on 
all  proper  occasions  he  was  willing  to 
\\~\A   and  to  become  all  things  to  all 


6  But  of  those  who  seemed  • 
to  be  somewhat,  whatsoever  they 
were,  it  maketh  no  matter  tome  : 

a  c.  6.  3. 


men,  yet  here  he  did  not  court  them,  or 
temporize  with  them  in  the  least.  The 
phrase  "  by  subjection"  here  means,  that 
he  did  not  suffer  himself  to  be  compelled 
to  yield.  The  phrase  "for  an  hour"  is 
equivalent  to  the  shortest  period  of 
time.  He  did  not  waver,  or  yield  at  all. 
\  That  the  truth  of  the  gospel  might 
continue  with  you.  That  the  great 
principle  of  the  Christian  religion  which 
had  been  taught  you  might  continue, 
and  that  you  might  enjoy  the  full  bene- 
fit of  the  pure  gospel,  without  its  being 
intermingled  with  any  false  views. 
Paul  had  defended  these  same  views 
among  the  Galatians,  and  he  now  sought 
that  the  same  views  might  be  confirmed 
by  the  clear  decision  of  the  college  of 
apostles  at  Jerusalem. 

6.  But  of  those  who  seemed  to  be 
somewhat.  See  ver.  2.  This  undoubt- 
edly refers  to  those  who  were  the  most 
eminent  among  the  apostles  at  Jerusa- 
lem. There  is  an  apparent  harshness 
in  our  common  translation  which  is 
unnecessary.  The  word  here  used 
(■fiKwvvuiv)  denotes  those  who  were 
thought  to  be,  or  who  were  of  reputa- 
tion ;  that  is,  men  who  were  of  note 
and  influence  among  the  apostles.  The 
object  of  referring  to  them  here  is,  to 
show  that  he  had  the  concurrence  and 
approbation  of  the  most  eminent  of  the 
apostles  to  the  course  which  he  had 
pursued,  ^  Whatsoever  they  were,  it 
maketh  no  matter  to  me.  Tindal  ren- 
ders this,  "  What  they  were  in  time 
passed,  it  maketh  no  matter  to  me." 
The  idea  seems  to  be  this.  Paul  means 
to  say  that  whatever  was  their  real 
rank  and  standing,  it  did  not  in  the 
least  affect  his  authority  as  an  apostle, 
or  his  argument.  While  he  rejoiced 
in  their  concurrence,  and  while  he 
sought  their  approbation,  yet  he  did  not 
admit  for  a  moment  that  he  was  in- 
ferior to  them  as  an  apostle,  or  depend- 
ent on   them   for  the    justness  of  his 


310 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.  58. 


God  a  accepteth  no  man's  per- 
son :  for  they  who  seemed  to  be 
somewhat,  in  conference  added 
nothing  to  me ; 

7  But  contrariwise,  when  they 
saw  that  the  gospel  of  the  uncir- 

a  Ac.  10.  34.  Ro.  2.  II. 

views.  What  they  were,  or  what  they 
might  be  thought  to  be,  was  immaterial 
to  his  claims  as  an  apostle,  and  imma- 
terial to  the  authority  of  his  own  views 
as  an  apostle.  He  had  derived  his  gos- 
pel from  the  Lord  Jesus;  and  he  had 
the  fullest  assurance  that  his  views  were 
just.  Paul  makes  this  remark  evi- 
dently in  keeping  with  all  that  he  had 
said,  that  he  did  not  regard  himself  as  in 
any  manner  dependent  on  them  for  his 
authority.  He  did  not  treat  them  with 
disrespect ;  but  he  did  not  regard  them 
as  having  a  right  to  claim  an  authority 
over  him.  f  God  accepteth  no  man's 
person.  See  Notes,  Acts  x.  34.  Rom. 
ii.  11.  This  is  a  general  truth,  that 
God  is  not  influenced  in  his  judgment 
by  a  regard  to  the  rank,  or  wealth,  or 
external  condition  of  any  one.  Its 
particular  meaning  here  is,  that  the 
authority  of  the  apostles  was  not  to  be 
measured  by  their  external  rank,  or  by 
the  measure  of  reputation  which  they 
had  among  men.  If,  therefore,  it  were 
to  be  admitted  that  he  himself  was 
not  in  circumstances  of  so  much  ex- 
ternal honour  as  the  other  apostles, 
or  that  they  were  esteemed  to  be  of 
more  elevated  rank  than  he  was,  still 
he  did  not  admit  that  this  gave  them 
a  claim  to  any  higher  authority.  God 
was  not  influenced  in  his  judgment 
by  any  such  consideration ;  and  Paul 
therefore  claimed  that  all  the  apos- 
tles were  in  fact  on  a  level  in  regard 
to  their  authority,  t  1>1  conference. 
When  I  conferred  with  them.  ver.  2. 
They  did  not  then  impose  on  me  any 
new  obligations ;  they  did  not  com- 
municate any  thing  to  me  of  which  I 
was  before  ignorant 

7.  The  gospel  of  the  uncircumcision. 
The  duty  of  preaching  the  gospel  to 
the  uncircumcised  part  of  the  world;  that 


cumcision  was  committed  unto 
me,  *  as  the  gospel  of  the  cir- 
cumcision was  unto  Peter; 

8  (For  he  that  wrought  effect- 
ually in  Peter  to  the  apostleship 
of  the   circumcision,    the    same 

b  1  Th.  2.  4.  1  Ti.  2.  7. 


is,  to  the  Gentiles.  Paul  had  received 
this  as  his  peculiar  office  when  he  was 
converted  and  called  to  the  ministry 
(see  Acts  ix.  15;  xxii.  21)  ;  and  they 
now  perceived  that  he  had  been  specially 
intrusted  with  this  office,  from  the  re- 
markable success  which  had  attended 
his  labours.  It  is  evidently  not  meant 
here  that  Paul  was  to  preach  only  to 
the  Gentiles  and  Peter  only  to  the 
Jews,  for  Paul  often  preached  in  the 
synagogues  of  the  Jews,  and  Peter  was 
the  first  who  preached  to  a  Gentile 
(Acts  x.)  ;  but  it  is  meant  that  it  was 
the  main  business  of  Paul  to  preach  to 
the  Gentiles,  or  that  this  was  especially 
intrusted  to  him.  ^  As  the  gospel  if 
the  circumcision.  As  the  office  of 
preaching  the  gospel  to  the  Jews. 
Tf  Was  unto  Peter.  Peter  was  to 
preach  principally  to  the  circumcised 
Jews.  It  is  evident  that  until  this  time 
Peter  had  been  principally  employed  in 
preaching  to  the  Jews.  Paul  selects 
Peter  here  particularly,  doubtless  be- 
cause he  was  the  oldest  of  the  apostles, 
and  in  order  to  show  that  he  was  him- 
self regarded  as  on  a  level  in  regard  to 
the  apostleship  with  the  most  aged  and 
venerable  of  those  who  had  been  called 
to  the  apostolic  office  by  the  personal 
ministry  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

8.  For  he  that  wrought  effectually 
in  Peter,  &c.  Or  by  the  means  or 
agency  of  Peter.  The  argument  here 
is,  that  the  same  effects  had  been  pro- 
duced under  the  ministry  of  Paul 
among  the  Gentiles  which  had  been 
under  the  preaching  of  Peter  among 
the  Jews.  It  is  inferred,  therefore,  that 
God  had  called  both  to  the  apostolic 
office.  See  this  argument  illustrated 
in  the  Notes  on  Acts  xi.  17.  Tf  The 
same  ivas  mighty  in  me.  &c.  In  ena- 
bling me  to  work  miracles,  and  in  the 


A.D.58.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


311 


was  mighty  in   me  toward  the 
Gentiles;) 

9  And  when  James,  Cephas, 
and  John,  who  seemed  to  be  pil- 
lars, a  perceived  the  grace  h  that 

a  Mat.  16.  18.  Ep.  2.20. 


success    which    attended     the    minis- 
try. 

9.  And  when  James,  Cephas,  and 
John,  ivho  seemed  to  be  pillars.  That 
is,  pillars  or  supports  in  the  church. 
The  word  rendered  pillars  (o-tvxqi) 
means  properly  firm  support;  then 
persons  of  influence  and  authority,  as 
in  a  church,  or  that  support  a  church  as 
a  pillar  or  column  does  an  edifice.  In 
regard  to  James,  see  Note  on  ch.  i.  19. 
Com  p.  Acts  xv.  13.  Cephas  or  Peter 
was  the  most  aged  of  the  apostles,  and 
regarded  as  at  the  head  of  the  apos- 
tolical college.  John  was  the  beloved 
disciple,  and  his  influence  in  the  church 
must  of  necessity  have  been  great.  Paul 
felt  that  if  he  had  the  countenance  of 
these  men,  it  would  be  an  important 
proof  to  the  churches  of  Galatia  that 
he  had  a  right  to  regard  himself  as  an 
apostle.  Their  countenance  was  ex- 
pressed in  the  most  full  and  decisive 
manner,  f  Perceived  the  grace  that  was 
given  unto  me.  That  is,  the  favour 
that  had  been  shown  to  me  by  the 
great  Head  of  the  church,  in  so  abun- 
dantly blessing  my  labours  among  the 
Gentiles.  ^  They  gave  unto  me.  and 
Barnabas  the  right-hands  of  fellow- 
ship. The  right-hand  in  token  of  fel- 
lowship or  favour.  They  thus  publicly 
acknowledged  us  as  fellow-labourers, 
and  expressed  the  utmost  confidence  in 
us.  To  give  the  right-hand  with  us  is 
a  token  of  friendly  salutation,  and  it 
seems  that  it  was  a  mode  of  salutation 
not  unknown  in  the  times  of  the  apos- 
tles. They  were  thus  recognised  as 
associated  with  the  apostles  in  the  great 
work  of  spreading  the  gospel  around 
the  world.  Whether  this  was  done  in 
a  public  manner  is  not  certainly  known ; 
but  it  was  probably  in  the  presence  of 
the  church,  or  possibly  at  the  close  of 


was  given  unto  me,  they  gave 
to  me  and  Barnabas  the  right- 
hands  of  fellowship ;  that  we 
should  go  unto  the  heathen,  and 
they  unto  the  circumcision. 

bRo.  1.5.  12.3,6. 


the  council  referred  to  in  Acts  xv. 
f  That  we  should  go  unto  the  heathen. 
To  preach  the  gospel,  and  to  establish 
churches.  In  this  way  the  whole  mat- 
ter was  settled,  and  settled  as  Paul  de- 
sired it  to  be.  A  delightful  harmony 
was  produced  between  Paul  and  the 
apostles  at  Jerusalem ;  and  the  result 
showed  the  wisdom  of  the  course  which 
he  had  adopted.  There  had  been  no 
harsh  contention  or  strife.  No  jealousies 
had  been  suffered  to  arise.  Paul  had 
sought  an  opportunity  of  a  full  state- 
ment of  his  views  to  them  in  private 
(ver.  2),  and  they  had  been  entirely 
satisfied  that  God  had  called  him  and 
Barnabas  to  the  work  of  making  known 
the  gospel  among  the  heathen.  Instead 
of  being  jealous  at  their  success,  they 
had  rejoiced  in  it;  and  instead  of 
throwing  any  obstacle  in  their  way, 
they  cordially  gave  them  the  right-hand. 
How  easy  would  it  be  always  to  pre- 
vent jealousies  and  strifes  in  the  same 
way  !  If  there  was,  on  the  one  hand, 
the  same  readiness  for  a  full  and  frank 
explanation ;  and  if,  on  the  other,  the 
same  freedom  from  envy  at  remarkable 
success,  how  many  strifes  that  have  dis- 
graced the  church  might  have  been 
avoided  !  The  true  way  to  avoid  strife  is 
just  that  which  is  here  proposed.  Let 
there  be  on  both  sides  perfect  frankness ; 
let  there  be  a  willingness  to  explain  and 
state  things  just  as  they  are ;  and  let 
there  be  a  disposition  to  rejoice  in  the 
talents,  and  zeal,  and  success  of  others, 
even  though  it  should  far  outstrip  our 
own,  and  contention  in  the  church 
would  cease,  and  every  devoted  and  suc- 
cessful minister  of  the  gospel  would  re- 
ceive the  right-hand  of  fellowship  from 
all — however  venerable  by  age  or  au- 
thority— who  love  the  cause  of  true 
religion. 


312 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.  58. 


10  Only  they  would  that  we 
should  remember  the  poor ;  the 

a  Ac.  11.30.  Ro.  15.25. 

10.  Only  they  would  that  we  should 
remember  the  poor.  That  is,  as  I  sup- 
pose, the  poor  Christians  in  Judea.  It 
can  hardly  be  supposed  that  it  would  be 
necessary  to  make  this  an  express  stipu- 
lation in  regard  to  the  converts  from 
among  the  Gentiles,  and  it  would  not 
have  been  very  pertinent  to  the  case 
before  them  to  have  done  so.  The  ob- 
ject was,  to  bind  together  the  Chris- 
tians from  among  the  heathen  and  from 
among  the  Jews,  and  to  prevent  aliena- 
tion and  unkind  feeling.  It  might 
have  been  alleged  that  Paul  was  dis- 
posed to  forget  his  own  countrymen 
altogether  ;  that  he  regarded  himself  as 
so  entirely  the  apostle  of  the  Gentiles 
that  he  would  become  wholly  alienated 
from  those  who  were  his  "  kinsmen  ac- 
cording to  the  flesh,"  and  thus  it  might 
be  apprehended  that  unpleasant  feelings 
would  be  engendered  among  those  who 
had  been  converted  from  among  the 
Jews.  Now  nothing  could  be  better 
adapted  to  allay  this  than  for  him  to 
pledge  himself  to  feel  a  deep  interest  in 
the  poor  saints  among  the  Jewish  con- 
verts ;  to  remember  them  in  his  pray- 
ers ;  and  to  endeavour  to  secure  con- 
tributions for  their  wants.  Thus  he 
would  show  that  he  was  not  alienated 
from  his  countrymen ;  and  thus  the 
whole  church  would  be  united  in  the 
closest  bonds.  It  is  probable  that  the 
Christians  in  Judea  were  at  that  time 
suffering  the  ills  of  poverty  arising 
either  from  some  public  persecution,  or 
from  the  fact  that  they  were  subject  to 
the  displeasure  of  their  countrymen. 
All  who  know  the  peculiar  feelings  of 
the  Jews  at  that  time  in  regard  to  Chris- 
tians, must  see  at  once  that  many  of  the 
followers  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth  would 
be  subjected  to  great  inconveniences 
on  account  of  their  attachment  to  him. 
Many  a  wife  might  be  disowned  by  her 
husband  ;  many  a  child  disinherited  by 
a  parent;  many  a  man  might  be  thrown 
out  of  employment  by  the  fact  that 
others   would   not  countenance    him; 


same  which  I  °  also  was  forward 
to  do. 

1 1  But  when  Peter  was  come 


and  hence  many  of  the  Christians 
would  be  poor.  It  became,  therefore, 
an  object  of  special  importance  to  pro- 
vide  for  them ;  and  hence  this  is  so  often 
referred  to  in  the  New  Testament.  In 
addition  to  this,  the  church  in  Judea 
was  afflicted  with  famine.  Comp.  Acts 
xi.  30.  Rom.  xv.  25 — 27.  1  Cor.  xvi. 
I,  2.  2  Cor.  viii.  1—7.  <f  The  same 
which  I  also  was  forward  to  do.  See 
the  passages  just  referred  to.  Paul  in- 
terested himself  much  in  the  collection 
for  the  poor  saints  at  Jerusalem,  and  in 
this  way  he  furnished  the  fullest  evi- 
dence that  he  was  not  alienated  from 
them,  but  that  he  felt  the  deepest  inte- 
rest in  those  who  were  his  kindred.  One 
of  the  proper  ways  of  securing  union 
in  the  church  is  to  have  the  poor  with 
them  and  depending  on  them  for  sup- 
port; and  hence  every  church  has  some 
poor  persons  as  one  of  the  bonds  of 
union.  The  best  way  to  unite  all  Chris- 
tians, and  to  prevent  alienation,  and 
jealousy,  and  strife,  is  to  have  a  great 
common  object  of  charity,  in  which  all 
are  interested  and  to  which  all  may  con- 
tribute. Such  a  common  object  for  all 
Christians  is  a  sinful  world.  All  who 
bear  the  Christian  name  may  unite  in 
promoting  its  salvation,  and  nothing 
would  promote  union  in  the  now  divided 
and  distracted  church  of  Christ  like  a 
deep  and  common  interest  in  the  salva- 
tion of  all  mankind. 

11.  But  when  Peter  was  come  to 
Antioch.  On  the  situation  of  Antioch, 
see  Note,  Acts  xi.  19.  The  design  for 
which  Paul  introduces  this  statement 
here  is  evident.  It  is  to  show  that  he 
regarded  himself  as  on  a  level  with  the 
chief  apostles,  and  that  he  did  not  ac- 
knowledge his  inferiority  to  any  cf 
them.  Peter  was  the  eldest,  and  proba- 
bly the  most  honoured  of  the  apostles. 
Yet  Paul  says  that  he  did  not  hesitate 
to  resist  him  in  a  case  where  Peter  was 
manifestly  wrong,  and  thus  showed  that 
he  was  as  an  apostle  of  the  same  stand- 
ing  as   the  others.     Besides,  what  he 


A.  D.  58.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


313 


to  *  Antioch,  I  withstood  him  to 
the  face,  because  he  was  to  be 
blamed. 

12  For     before    that    certain 

a  Ac.  15. JW^ 

said  to  Peter  on  that  occasion  was  ex- 
actly pertinent  to  the  strain  of  the  argu- 
ment which  he  was  pursuing  with  the 
Galatians,  and  he  therefore  introduces 
it  (ver.  14 — 2 1 )  to  show  that  he  had  held 
the  same  doctrine  all  along,  and  that  he 
had  defended  it  in  the  presence  of  Peter, 
and  in  a  case  where  Peter  did  not  reply 
to  it.  The  time  of  this  journey  of  Pe- 
ter to  Antioch  cannot  be  ascertained  ; 
nor  the  occasion  on  which  it  occurred. 
I  think  it  is  evident  that  it  was  after  this 
visit  of  Paul  to  Jerusalem,  and  the  occa- 
sion may  have  been  to  inspect  the  state 
of  the  church  at  Antioch,  and  to  com- 
pose any  differences  of  opinion  which 
may  have  existed  there.  But  every 
thing  in  regard  to  this  is  mere  conjec- 
ture ;  and  it  is  of  little  importance  to 
know  when  it  occurred.  1  I  withstood 
him  to  the  face.  I  openly  opposed  him, 
and  reproved  him.  Paul  thus  showed 
that  he  was  equal  with  Peter  in  his 
apostolical  authority  and  dignity.  The 
instance  before  us,  is  one  of  faithful 
public  reproof;  and  every  circumstance 
in  it  is  worthy  of  special  attention,  as  it 
furnishes  a  most  important  illustration 
cf  the  manner  in  which  such  reproof 
should  be  conducted.  The  first  thing 
to  be  noted  is,  that  it  was  done  openly, 
and  with  candour.  It  was  reproof  ad- 
dressed to  the  offender  himself.  Paul 
did  not  go  to  others  and  whisper  his 
suspicions ;  he  did  not  seek  to  under- 
mine the  influence  and  authority  of 
another  by  slander ;  he  did  not  calum- 
niate him  and  then  justify  himself  on 
the  ground  that  what  he  had  said  was 
no  more  than  true :  he  went  to  him  at 
once,  and  he  frankly  stated  his  views 
and  reproved  him  in  a  case  where  he 
was  manifestly  wrong.  This  too  was  a 
case  so  public  and  well  known  that 
Paul  made  his  remarks  before  the 
church  (ver.  14)  because  the  church 
was  interested  in  it,  and  because  the 
conduct  of  Peter  led  the  church  into 
27 


came  from  James,  he  did  eat 
*  with  the  Gentiles :  but  when 
they  were  come,  he  withdrew 
and  separated  himself,  fearing 
&Ac.  n.  a. 

error.  %  Because  he  was  to  be  blamed. 
The  word  used  here  may  either  mean 
because  he  had  incurred  blame,  or  be- 
cause he  deserved  blame.  The  essential 
idea  is,  that  he  had  done  wrong,  and 
that  he  was  by  his  conduct  doing  injury 
to  the  cause  of  religion. 

12.  For  before  that  certain  came. 
Some  of  the  Jews  who  had  been  con- 
verted to  Christianity.  They  evidently 
observed  in  the  strictest  manner  the 
rites  of  the  Jewish  religion.  |  Came 
from  James.  See  Note  on  ch.  i.  19. 
Whether  they  were  sent  by  James,  or 
whether  they  came  of  their  own  accord, 
is  unknown.  It  is  evident  only  that 
they  had  been  intimate  with  James  at 
Jerusalem,  and  they  doubtless  pleaded 
his  authority.  James  had  nothing  to  do 
with  the  course  which  they  pursued; 
but  the  sense  of  the  whole  passage  is, 
that  James  was  a  leading  man  at  Jeru- 
salem, and  that  the  rites  of  Moses  were 
observed  there.  When  they  came  down 
to  Antioch,  they  of  course  observed 
those  rites,  and  insisted  that  others 
should  do  it  also.  It  is  very  evident 
that  at  Jerusalem  the  peculiar  rites  of 
the  Jews  were  observed  for  a  long  time 
by  those  who  became  Christian  converts. 
They  would  not  at  once  cease  to  observe 
them,  and  thus  needlessly  shock  the 
prejudices  of  their  countrymen.  See 
Notes  on  Acts  xxi.  21—25.  t  He  did 
eat  with  the  Gentiles.  Peter  had  been 
taught  that  in  the  remarkable  vision 
which  he  saw  as  recorded  in  Acts  x. 
He  had  learned  that  God  designed  to 
break  down  the  wall  of  partition  between 
the  Jews  and  the  Gentiles,  and  ho 
familiarly  associated  with  them,  and  par- 
took with  them  of  their  food.  He  evi- 
dently disregarded  the  peculiar  laws  of 
the  Jews  about  meats  and  drinks,  and 
partook  of  the  common  food  which  was 
in  use  among  the  Gentiles.  Thus  he 
showed  his  belief  that  all  the  race  was 
henceforward  to  be  regarded  as  on  a 


314 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.  58 


them  which  were  of  the  circum- 
cision. « 

13  And  the  other  Jews  dis- 
sembled likewise  with  him ;  in- 
somuch that  Barnabas  also  was 


level,  and  that  the  peculiar  institutions 
of  the  Jews  were  not  to  be  considered 
as  binding,  or  to  be  imposed  on  others. 
^  But  when  they  were  come,  he  with- 
drew and  separated  himself.  He  with- 
drew from  the  Gentiles,  and  probably 
from  the  Gentile  converts  to  Chris- 
tianity. The  reason  why  he  did  this  is 
stated.  He  feared  those  who  were  of 
the  circumcision,  or  who  had  been  Jews. 
Whether  they  demanded  this  of  him ; 
whether  they  encountered  him  in  debate; 
or  whether  he  silently  separated  him- 
self from  the  Gentiles  without  their 
having  said  any  thing  to  him,  is  un- 
known. But  he  feared  the  effect  of 
their  opposition;  he  feared  their  re- 
proaches; he  feared  the  report  wiiich 
would  be  made  to  those  at  Jerusalem ; 
and  perhaps  he  apprehended  tint  a 
tumult  would  be  excited  and  a  persecu- 
tion commenced  at  Antioch  by  the  Jews 
who  resided  there.  This  is  a  melan- 
choly illustration  of  Peter's  character- 
istic trait  of  mind.  We  see  in  this  act 
the  same  Peter  who  trembled  when  he 
began  to  sink  in  the  waves ;  the  same 
Peter  who  denied  his  Lord.  Bold, 
ardent,  zealous,  and  forward ;  he  was  at 
the  same  time  timid  and  often  irresolute  ; 
and  he  often  had  occasion  for  the  deep- 
est humility,  and  the  most  poignant  re- 
grets at  the  errors  of  his  course.  No 
one  can  read  his  history  without  loving 
his  ardent  and  sincere  attachment  to  his 
master;  and  yet  no  one  can  read  it 
without  a  tear  of  regret  that  he  was  left 
thus  to  do  injury  to  his  cause.  No 
man  loved  the  Saviour  more  sincerely 
than  he  did,  yet  his  constitutional 
timidity  and  irresoluteness  of  character 
often  led  him  to  courses  of  life  fitted 
deeply  to  wound  his  cause. 

13.  And  the  other  Jews.  That  is, 
those  who  had  been  converted  to  Chris- 
tianity.    It  is  probable  that  they  were 


carried  away  with  their  dissimu- 
lation. 

14  But  when  I  saw  that  they 
walked  not  uprightly,  according 
to  the  truth a  of  the  gospel,  I  said 


a  ver.  5. 


induced  to  do  it  by  the  example  of 
Peter,  as  they  would  naturally  regard 
him  as  a  leader,  t  Dissembled  likewise 
with  him.  Dissembled  or  concealed 
their  true  sentiments.  That  is,  they 
attempted  to  conceal  from  those  who 
had  come  down  from  James  the  fact  that 
they  had  been  in  the  habit  of  associating 
with  tlie  Gentiles,  and  of  eating  with 
them.  From  this  it  would  appear  that 
they  intended  to  conceal  this  wholly 
from  them,  and  that  they  withdrew  from 
the  Gentiles  before  any  thing  had  been 
said  to  them  by  those  who  came  down 
from  James.  \  Insomuch  that  Barna- 
bas also  was  carried  aivay,  <fec.  Con- 
cerning Barnabas,  see  Note,  Actsiv.  36. 
Barnabas  was  the  intimate  friend  of 
Paul.  He  had  been  associated  with 
him  in  very  important  labours  ;  and  the 
fact,  therefore,  that  the  conduct  of  Peter 
was  exciting  so  unhappy  an  influence 
as  even  to  lead  so  worthy  and  good  a 
man  as  he  was  into  hypocrisy  and  error, 
made  it  the  more  proper  that  Paul  should 
publicly  notice  and  reprove  the  conduct 
of  Peter.  It  could  not  but  be  a  painful 
duty,  but  the  welfare  of  the  church  and 
the  cause  of  religion  demanded  it,  and 
Paul  did  not  shrink  from  what  was  so 
obvious  a  duty. 

14.  But  when  I  saw  that  they  walked 
not  uprightly.  To  walk,  in  the  Scrip- 
tures, is  usually  expressive  of  conduct 
or  deportment ;  and  the  idea  here  is,  that 
their  conduct  in  this  case  was  not  ho- 
nest, f  According  to  the  truth  of  the 
gospel.  According  to  the  true  spirit  and 
design  of  the  gospel.  That  requires 
perfect  honesty  and  integrity  ;  and  as 
that  was  the  rule  by  which  Paul  regu- 
lated his  life,  and  by  which  he  felt  that  all 
ought  to  regulate  their  conduct,  he  felt 
himself  called  on  openly  to  reprove  the 
principal  person  who  had  been  in  fault 
The  spirit  of  the  world  is  crafty,  cun- 


A.  D.  58.]  CHAPTER  II 

unto  Peter  b  before  them  all,  If 

a  1  Ti.  5.  20. 


ning,  and  crooked.  The  gospel  would 
correct  all  that  wily  policy,  and  would 
lead  man  in  a  path  of  entire  honesty 
and  truth.  ^  I  said  unto  Peter  before 
them  all.  That  is,  probably,  before  all 
the  church,  or  certainly  before  all  who 
had  offended  with  him  in  the  case.  Had 
this  been  a  private  affair,  Paul  would 
doubtless  have  sought  a  private  inter- 
view with  Peter,  arid  would  have  remon- 
strated with  him  in  private  on  the  sub- 
ject. But  it  was  public.  It  was  a  case 
where  many  were  involved,  and  where 
the  interests  of  the  church  were  at  stake. 
It  was  a  case  where  it  was  very  import- 
ant to  establish  some  fixed  and  just 
principles,  and  he  therefore  took  occa- 
sion to  remonstrate  with  him  in  public 
on  the  subject.  This  might  have  been 
at  the  close  of  public  worship  ;  or  it  may 
have  been  that  the  subject  came  up  for 
debate  in  some  of  their  public  meetings, 
whether  the  rites  of  the  Jews  were  to 
be  imposed  on  the  Gentile  converts. 
This  was  a  question  which  agitated  all 
the  churches  where  the  Jewish  and  Gen- 
tile converts  were  intermingled ;  and  it 
would  not  be  strange  that  it  should  be 
the  subject  of  public  debate  at  Antioch. 
The  fact  that  Paul  reproved  Peter  before 
"them  all,"  proves,  (1.)  That  he  re- 
garded himself,  and  was  so  regarded  by 
the  church,  as  on  an  equality  with  Peter, 
and  as  having  equal  authority  with  him. 
(2.)  That  public  reproof  is  right  when 
an  offence  has  been  public,  and  when 
the  church  at  large  is  interested,  or  is  in 
danger  of  being  led  into  error.  Comp. 
1  Tim.  v.  20.  "  Them  that  sin  rebuke 
before  all,  that  others  also  may  fear." 
(3.)  That  it  is  a  duty  to  reprove  those 
who  err.  It  is  a  painful  duty,  and  one 
much  neglected  ;  still  it  is  a  duty  often 
enjoined  in  the  Scriptures,  and  one  that 
is  of  the  deepest  importance  to  the 
church.  He  does  a  favour  to  another 
man  who,  in  a  kind  spirit,  admonishes 
him  of  his  error,  and  reclaims  him  from 
a  course  of  sin.  He  does  another  the 
deepest  injury,  who  suffers  sin  unre- 


315 


thou,  being  a  Jew,  livest  after  the 
manner  of  Gentiles,  and  not  as  do 


buked  to  lie  upon  him,  and  who  sees 
him  injuring  himself  and  others,  and 
who  is  at  no  pains  to  admonish  him  for 
his  faults.  (4.)  If  it  is  the  duty  of  one 
Christian  to  admonish  another  who  is 
an  offender,  and  to  do  it  in  a  kind  spirit, 
it  is  the  duty  of  him  who  has  offended 
to  receive  the  admonition  in  a  kind  spirit, 
and  with  thankfulness.  Excitable  as 
Peter  was  by  nature,  yet  there  is  no  evi- 
dence that  he  became  angry  here,  or  that 
he  did  not  receive  the  admonition  of  his 
brother  Paul  with  perfect  good  temper, 
and  with  an  acknowledgment  that  Paul 
was  right  and  that  he  was  wrong.  In- 
deed, the  case  was  so  plain, — as  it  usu- 
ally is  if  men  would  be  honest, — that  he 
seems  to  have  felt  that  it  was  right,  and 
to  have  received  the  rebuke  as  became  a 
Christian.  Peter,  unhappily,  was  ac- 
customed to  rebukes ;  and  he  was  at 
heart  too  good  a  man  to  be  offended 
when  he  was  admonished  that  he  had 
done  wrong.  A  good  man  is  willing  to 
be  reproved  when  he  has  erred,  and  it  is 
usually  proof  that  there  is  much  that  is 
wrong  when  we  become  excited  and  ir- 
ritable if  another  admonishes  us  of  our 
faults.  It  may  be  added  here,  that  no- 
thing should  be  inferred  from  this  in  re- 
gard to  the  inspiration  or  apostolic 
authority  of  Peter.  The  fault  was  not 
that  he  taught  error  of  doctrine,  but  that 
he  sinned  in  conduct.  Inspiration, 
though  it  kept  the  apostles  from  teaching 
error,  did  not  keep  them  necessarily 
from  sin.  A  man  may  always  teach  the 
truth,  and  yet  be  far  from  perfection  in 
practice.  The  case  here  proves  that 
Peter  was  not  perfect,  a  fact  proved  by 
his  whole  life ;  it  proves  that  he  was 
sometimes  timid,  and  even,  for  a  period, 
time-serving,  but  it  does  not  prove  that 
what  he  wrote  for  our  guidance  was 
false  and  erroneous.  %  If  thou,  being  a 
Jew.  A  Jew  by  birth,  f  Livest  after 
the  manner  of  the  Gentiles.  In  eating, 
•Sec,  as  he  had  done  before  the  Judaizing 
teachers  came  from  Jerusalem,  ver.  12. 
*{  And  not  as  do  the  Jews.     Observing 


BIG 


GALATIANS. 


A.  D.  68. 


the  Jews,  why  compellest  thou 
the  Gentiles  to  live  as  do  the 
Jews  ? 


their  peculiar  customs,  and  their  distinc- 
tions of  meats  and  drinks.  ^  Why 
compellest  thou  the  Gentiles,  &c.  As 
he  would  do,  if  he  insisted  that  they 
should  be  circumcised,  and  observe  the 
peculiar  Jewish  rites.  The  charge 
against  him  was  gross  inconsistency  in 
doing  this.  "Is  it  not  at  least  as  lawful 
for  them  to  neglect  the  Jewish  observ- 
ances, as  it  was  for  thee  to  do  it  but  a 
few  days  ago?" — Doddridge.  The 
word  here  rendered  "compellest,"  means 
here  moral  compulsion  or  persuasion. 
The  idea  is,  that  the  conduct  of  Peter 
was  such  as  to  lead  the  Gentiles  to  the 
belief  that  it  was  necessary  for  them  to 
be  circumcised  in  order  to  be  saved. 
For  a  similar  use  of  the  word,  see  Matt. 
xiv.  22.  Lukexiv.23.  Acts  xxviii.  19. 
15.  We  who  are  Jews  by  nature.  It 
has  long  been  a  question  whether  this 
and  the  following  verses  are  to  be  re- 
garded as  a  part  of  the  address  of  Paul 
to  Peter,  or  the  words  of  Paul  as 
a  part  of  the  epistle  to  the  Galatians. 
A  great  variety  of  opinion  has  prevailed 
in  regard  to  this.  Grotius  says,  "  Here 
the  narrative  of  Paul  being  closed,  he 
pursues  his  argument  to  the  Galatians." 
In  this  opinion  Bloomfield  and  many 
others  concur.  Rosenmiiller  and  many 
others  suppose  that  the  address  to  Peter 
is  continued  to  ver.  21.  Such  seems  to 
be  the  most  obvious  interpretation,  as 
there  is  no  break  or  change  in  the  style, 
nor  any  vestige  of  a  transfer  of  the  argu- 
ment to  the  Galatians.  But,  on  the 
other  hand,  it  may  be  urged,  (1.)  That 
Paul  in  his  writings  often  changes  his 
mode  of  address  without  indicating  it. — 
Bloomfield.  (2.)  That  it  is  rather  im- 
probable that  he  should  have  gone  into 
so  long  a  discourse  with  Peter  on  the 
subject  of  justification.  His  purpose 
was  answered  by  the  reproof  of  Peter  for 
his  dissimulation ;  and  there  is  something 
incongruous,  it  is  said,  in  his  instruct- 
ing Peter  at  such  length  on  the  subject 
of  man's  j  ustification.    Still  i  t  appea  rs  to 


15  We  who  are  Jews  by  na- 
ture, and  not  sinners  °  of  the  Gen- 
tiles, 

a  Ep.2.  3, 12. 

me  probable  that  this  is  to  be  regarded 
as  a  part  of  the  discourse  of  Paul  to 
Peter,  to  the  close  of  ver.  21.  The  fol- 
lowing reasons  seem  to  me  to  require 
this  interpretation  : — (1.)  It  is  the  most 
natural  and  obvious — usually  a  safe  rule 
of  interpretation.  The  discourse  pro- 
ceeds as  if  it  were  an  address  to  Peter. 
(2.)  There  r*  a  change  at  the  beginning 
of  the  next  chapter,  where  Paul  express- 
ly addresses  himself  to  the  Galatians. 
(3.)  As  to  the  impropriety  of  Paul's 
addressing  Peter  at  length  on  the  sub- 
ject of  justification,  we  are  to  bear  in 
mind  that  he  did  not  address  him  alone. 
The  reproof 'was  addressed  to  Peter  par- 
ticularly, but  it  was  "before  them  all" 
(ver.  14)  ;  that  is,  before  the  assembled 
church,  or  before  the  persons  who  had 
been  led  astray  by  the  conduct  of  Peter, 
and  who  were  in  danger  of  error  on  the 
subject  of  justification.  Nothing,  there- 
fore, was  more  proper  than  for  Paul  to 
continue  his  discourse  for  their  benefit, 
and  to  state  to  them  fully  the  doctrine 
of  justification.  And  nothing  was  more 
pertinent  or  proper  for  him  now  than  to 
report  this  to  the  Galatians  as  a  part  of 
his  argument  to  them,  showing  that  he 
had  always,  since  his  conversion,  held 
and  defended  the  same  doctrine  on  the 
subject  of  the  way  in  which  men  are  to 
be  justified  in  the  sight  of  God.  It  is, 
therefore,  I  apprehend,  to  be  regarded  as 
an  address  to  Peter  and  the  other  Jews 
who  were  present.  '  We  who  were  born 
Jews.'  1  By  nature.  By  birth  ;  or, 
we  were  born  Jews.  We  were  not  born 
in  the  condition  of  the  Gentiles.  1  And 
not  sinners  of  the  Gentiles.  This  can- 
not mean  that  Paul  did  not  regard  the 
Jews  as  sinners,  for  his  views  on  that 
subject  he  has  fully  expressed  in  Rom. 
ii.  iii.  But  it  must  mean  that  the  Jews 
were  not  born  under  the  disadvantages 
of  the  Gentiles  in  regard  to  the  true 
knowledge  of  the  way  of  salvation. 
They  were  not  left  wholly  in  ignorance 
about  the  way  of  justification,  as  the 


A.  D.  58.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


317 


16  Knowing  that  a  a  man  is 
not  justified  by  the  works  of  the 
law,  but  by  the  faith  b  of  Jesus 
Christ,  even  we  have  believed  in 

a  Ac.  13.  38,  39.     Ro.  3.  20. 
fcRo.  5.  1.     c.  3.  11.  24. 

Gentiles  were.  They  knew,  or  they 
might  know,  that  men  could  not  be 
saved  by  their  own  works.  It  was  also 
true  that  they  were  under  more  restraint 
than  the  Gentiles  were,  and  though  they 
were  sinners,  yet  they  were  not  aban- 
doned to  so  gross  and  open  sensuality 
as  was  the  heathen  world.  They  were 
not  idolaters,  and  wholly  ignorant  of  the 
law  of  God. 

16.  Kit  owing.  We  who  are  Jews 
by  nature,  or  by  birth.  This  cannot 
mean  that  all  the  Jews  knew  this,  or 
that  he  who  was  a  Jew  knew  it  as  a 
matter  of  course,  for  many  Jews  were 
ignorant  of  it,  and  many  opposed  it. 
But  it  means  that  the  persons  here  re- 
ferred to,  those  who  had  been  born  Jews, 
and  who  had  been  converted  to  Chris- 
tianity, had  had  an  opportunity  to  learn 
and  understand  this,  which  the  Gentiles 
had  not.  This  gospel  had  been  preached 
to  them,  and  they  had  professedly  em- 
braced it.  They  were  not  left  to  the 
gross  darkness  and  ignorance  on  this 
subject  which  pervaded  the  heathen 
world,  and  they  had  had  a  better  oppor- 
tunity to  learn  it  than  the  converts  from 
the  Gentiles.  They  ought,  therefore,  to 
act  in  a  manner  becoming  their  superior 
light,  and  to  show  in  all  their  conduct  that 
they  fully  believed  that  a  man  could  not 
be  justified  by  obedience  to  the  law  of 
Moses.  This  rendered  the  conduct  of 
Peter  and  the  other  Jews  who  "  dissem- 
bled" with  him  so  entirely  inexcusable. 
They  could  not  plead  ignorance  on  this 
vital  subject,  and  yet  they  were  pursuing 
a  course,  the  tendency  of  which  was  to 
lead  the  Gentile  converts  to  believe  that 
it  was  indispensable  to  observe  the  laws 
of  Moses,  in  order  to  be  justified  and 
saved.  J  That  a  man  is  not  justified  by 
the  works  of  the  law.  See  Notes  on 
Rom.  i.  17  ;  Hi.  20.  26  ;  iv.  5.  f  But  by 
the  faith  of  Jevus  Christ.  By  believ- 
27* 


Jesus  Christ,  that  we  might  be 
justified  by  the  faith  of  Christ, 
and  not  by  the  works  of  the  law : 
for c  by  the  works  of  the  law  shall 
no  flesh  be  justified. 

c  Ps.  143.  2.     He.  7.  18,  19. 

ing  on  Jesus  Christ.  See  Notes,  Mark 
xvi.  16.  Rom.  iii.  22.  f  Even  we 
have  believed  in  Jesus  Christ.  We  are 
therefore  justified.  The  object  of  Paul 
here  seems  to  be  to  show,  that  as  they 
had  believed  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  and 
thus  had  been  justified,  there  was  no 
necessity  of  obeying  the  law  of  Moses 
with  any  view  to  justification.  The 
thing  had  been  fully  done  without  the 
deeds  of  the  law,  and  it  was  now  un- 
reasonable and  unnecessary  to  insist  on 
the  observance  of  the  Mosaic  rites. 
Tf  For  by  the  works  of  the  law,  Sec. 
See  Notes  on  Rom.  iii.  20.  27.  In  this 
verse,  the  apostle  has  stated  in  few  words 
the  important  doctrine  of  justification  by 
faith — the  doctrine  which  Luther  so 
justly  called,  Articulus  stantis,  vel  ca* 
dent  is  ecclesise.  In  the  notes  referred 
to  above,  particularly  in  the  notes  on 
the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  I  have 
stated  in  various  places  what  I  con- 
ceive to  be  the  true  doctrine  on  this 
important  subject.  It  may  be  useful, 
however,  to  throw  together  in  one  con- 
nected view,  as  briefly  as  possible,  the 
leading  ideas  on  the  subject  of  justifica- 
tion, as  it  is  revealed  in  the  gospel.  I. 
Justification  is  properly  a  word  applica- 
ble to  courts  of  justice,  but  is  used  in  a 
similar  sense  in  common  conversation 
among  men.  An  illustration  will  show 
its  nature.  A  man  is  charged,  e.  g. 
with  an  act  of  trespass  on  his  neigh- 
bour's property.  Now  there  are  two 
ways  which  he  may  take  to  justify  him- 
self, or  to  meet  the  charge,  so  as  to  be 
regarded  and  treated  as  innocent.  He 
may,  (a)  Either  deny  that  he  performed 
the  act  charged  on  him,  or  he  may,  (Z») 
Admit  that  the  deed  was  done,  and  set 
up  as  a  defence,  that  he  had  a  right  to- 
do  it.  In  either  case,  if  the  point  be 
maJe  out,  he  will  be  just  or  innocent  in 
the  sight  of  the  law.      The  law  will 


318 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.  58. 


have  nothing  against  him,  and  he  will 
be  regarded  and  treated  in  the  premises 
as  an  innocent  man  ;  or  he  has  justified 
himself  in  regard  to  the  charge  brought 
against  him.  II.  Charges  of  a  very 
serious  nature  are  brought  against  man 
by  his  Maker.  He  is  charged  with  vio- 
lating the  law  of  God ;  with  a  want  of 
love  to  his  Maker ;  with  a  corrupt,  proud, 
sensual  heart;  with  being  entirely 
alienated  from  God  by  wicked  works ; 
in  one  word,  with  being  entirely  de- 
praved. This  charge  extends  to  all 
men  ;  and  to  the  entire  life  of  every 
unrenewed  man.  It  is  not  a  charge 
merely  affecting  the  external  conduct, 
nor  merely  affecting  the  heart ;  it  is  a 
charge  of  entire  alienation  from  God ; 
a  charge,  in  short,  of  total  depravity. 
See,  especially,  Rom.  i.,  ii.,  hi.  That  this 
charge  is  a  very  serious  one,  no  one  can 
doubt.  That  it  deeply  affects  the  human 
character  and  standing,  is  as  clear.  It 
is  a  charge  brought  in  the  Bible ;  and 
God  appeals  in  proof  of  it  to  the  history 
of  the  world,  to  every  man's  conscience, 
and  to  the  life  of  every  one  who  has 
lived;  and  on  these  facts,  and  on  his 
own  power  in  searching  the  hearts,  and 
in  knowing  what  is  in  man,  he  rests  the 
proofs  of  the  charge.  III.  It  is  impos- 
sible for  man  to  vindicate  himself  from 
this  charge.  He  can  neither  show  that 
the  thi7>gs  charged  have  not  been  com' 
mitted,  nor  that,  having  been  commit- 
ted, he  had  a  right  to  do  them.  He 
cannot  prove  that  God  is  not  right  in  all 
the  charges  which  he  has  made  against 
him  in  his  word  ;  and  he  cannot  prove 
that  it  was  right  for  him  to  do  as  he  has 
done.  The  charges  against  him  are 
facts  which  are  undeniable,  and  the  facts 
are  such  as  cannot  be  vindicated.  But 
if  he  can  do  neither  of  these  things,  then 
he  cannot  be  justified  by  the  law.  The 
law  will  not  acquit  him.  It  holds  him 
guilty.  It  condemns  him.  No  argu- 
ment which  he  can  use  will  show  that 
he  is  right,  and  that  God  is  wrong.  No 
works  that  he  can  perform  wilf  be  any 
compensation  for  what  he  has  already 
done.  No  denial  of  the  existence  of 
the  facts  charged  will  alter  the  case  ;  and 
b*A  must  stand  condemned  by  the  law 


of  God.  In  the  legal  sense  he  cannot 
be  justified  ;  and  justification,  if  it  ever 
exist  at  all,  must  be  in  a  mode  that  is  a 
departure  from  the  regular  operation  of 
law,  and  in  a  mode  which  the  law  did 
not  contemplate,  for  no  law  makes  any 
provision  for  the  pardon  of  those  who 
violate  it.  It  must  be  by  some  system 
which  is  distinct  from  the  law,  and  in 
which  man  may  be  justified  on  different 
principles  than  those  which  the  law  con- 
templates. IV.  This  other  system  of 
justification  is  that  which  is  revealed  in 
the  gospel  by  the  faith  of  the  Lord 
Jesus.  It  does  not  consist  in  either  of 
the  following  things.  (1.)  It  is  not 
a  system  or  plan  where  the  Lord 
Jesus  takes  the  part  of  the  sinner 
against  the  law  or  against  God.  He 
did  not  come  to  show  that  the  sinner 
was  right,  and  that  God  was  wrong. 
He  admitted  most  fully,  and  endeavour- 
ed constantly  to  show,  that  God  was 
right,  and  that  the  sinner  was  wrong ; 
nor  can  an  instance  be  referred  to  where 
the  Saviour  took  the  part  of  the  sinner 
against  God  in  any  such  sense  that  he 
endeavoured  to  show  that  the  sinner 
had  not  done  the  things  charged  on 
him,  or  that  he  had  a  right  to  do  them. 
(2.)  It  is  not  that  we  are  either  inno- 
cent, or  are  declared  to  be  innocent. 
God  justifies  the  u  ungodly."  Rom.  iv.  5. 
We  are  not  innocent ;  we  never  have 
been  ;  we  never  shall  be  ;  and  it  is  not 
the  design  of  the  scheme  to  declare  any 
such  untruth  as  that  we  are  not  person- 
ally undeserving.  It  will  be  always 
true  that  the  justified  sinner  has  no 
claims  to  the  mercy  and  favour  of  God. 
(3.)  It  is  not  that  we  cease  to  be  undeserv- 
ing personally.  He  that  is  justified  by 
faith,  and  that  goes  to  heaven,  will  go 
there  admitting  that  he  deserves  eternal 
death,  and  that  he  is  saved  wholly  by 
favour  and  not  by  desert.  (4.)  It  is 
not  a  declaration  on  the  part  of  God  that 
we  have  wrought  out  salvation,  or  that 
we  have  any  claim  for  what  the  Lord 
Jesus  has  done.  Such  a  declaration 
would  not  be  true,  and  would  not  be 
made.  (5.)  It  is  not  that  the  righteous- 
ness of  the  Lord  Jesus  is  transferred  to 
his  people.     Moral  character  cannot  be 


A.  D.  58.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


319 


transferred.  It  adheres  to  the  moral 
agent  as  much  as  colour  does  to  the 
rays  of  light  which  cause  it.  It  is  not 
true  that  we  died  for  sin,  and  it  cannot 
be  eo  reckoned  or  imputed.  It  is  not 
true  that  we  have  any  merit,  or  any 
claim,  and  it  cannot  be  so  reckoned  or 
imputed.  All  the  imputations  of  God 
are  according  to  truth;  and  he  will  al- 
ways reckon  us  to  be  personally  unde- 
serving and  sinful.  But  if  justification 
be  none  of  these  things,  it  may  be 
asked,  what  is  it  1  I  answer — It  is  the 
declared  purpose  of  God  to  regard  and 
treat  those  sinners  who  believe  in  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  if  they  had  not 
sinned,  on  the  ground  of  the  merits  of 
the  Saviour.  It  is  not  mere  pardon. 
The  main  difference  between  pardon 
and  justification  respects  the  sinner  con- 
templated in  regard  to  his  past  conduct, 
and  to  God's  future  dealings  with  him. 
Pardon  is  a  free  forgiveness  of  past  of- 
fences. It  has  reference  to  those  sins  as 
forgiven  and  blotted  out.  It  is  an  act 
of  remission  on  the  part  of  God.  Jus- 
tification has  respect  to  the  law,  and  to 
God's  future  dealings  with  the  sinner. 
It  is  an  act  by  which  God  determines  to 
treat  him  hereafter  as  a  righteous  man, 
or  as  if  he  had  not  sinned.  The  ground 
or  reason  of  this  is,  the  merit  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  merit  such  that  we 
can  plead  it  as  if  it  were  our  own.  The 
rationale  of  it  is,  that  the  Lord  Jesus 
has  accomplished  by  his  death  the  same 
happy  effects  in  regard  to  the  law  and 
the  government  of  God,  which  would 
be  accomplished  by  the  death  of  the 
sinner  himself.  In  other  words,  no- 
thing would  be  gained  to  the  universe  by 
the  everlasting  punishment  of  the  offend- 
er himself,  which  will  not  be  secured  by 
his  salvation  on  the  ground  of  the  death 
of  the  Lord  Jesus.  He  has  taken  our 
place,  and  died  in  our  stead;  and  he 
has  met  the  descending  stroke  of  justice, 
which  would  have  fallen  on  our  own 
head  if  he  had  not  interposed  (see  my 
Notes  on  Isa.  liii.) ;  and  now  the  great 
interests  of  justice  will  be  as  firmly  se- 
cured if  we  are  saved,  as  they  would  be 
if  we  were  lost.  The  law  has  been  fully 
obeyed  by  one  who  came  to  save  us. 


and  as  much  honour  has  been  done  to 
it  by  his  obedience  as  could  have  been 
by  our  own  ;  that  is,  it  as  much  shows 
that  the  law  is  worthy  of  obedience  to 
have  it  perfectly  obeyed  by  the  Lord 
Jesus,  as  it  would  if  it  were  obeyed  by 
us.  It  as  much  shows  that  the  law  of 
a  sovereign  is  worthy  of  obedience  to 
have  it  obeyed  by  an  only  son  and  an 
heir  to  the  crown,  as  it  does  to  have  it 
obeyed  by  his  subjects.  And  it  has  as 
much  shown  the  evil  of  the  violation  of 
the  law  to  have  the  Lord  Jesus  suffer 
death  on  the  cross,  as  it  would  if  the 
guilty  had  died  themselves.  If  trans- 
gression whelm  the  innocent  in  calamity; 
if  it  extends  to  those  who  are  perfectly 
guiltless,  and  inflicts  pain  and  wo  on 
them,  it  is  as  certainly  an  expression  of 
the  evil  of  transgression  as  if  the  guilty 
themselves  suffer.  And  an  impression 
as  deep  has  been  made  of  the  evil  of  sin 
by  the  sufferings  of  the  Lord  Jesus  in 
our  stead,  as  if  we  had  suffered  our- 
selves. He  endured  on  the  cross  as  in- 
tense agony  as  we  can  conceive  it  pos- 
sible for  a  sinner  ever  to  endure;  and 
the  dignity  of  the  person  who  suffered, 
the  incarnate  Goo,  is  more  than  an 
equivalent  for  the  more  lengthened  sor- 
rows which  the  penalty  of  the  law  ex- 
acts in  hell.  Besides,  from  the  very 
dignity  of  the  sufferer  in  our  place,  an 
impression  has  gone  abroad  on  the  uni- 
verse more  deep  and  important  than 
would  have  been  by  the  sufferings  of 
the  individual  himself  in  the  world  of 
wo.  The  sinner  who  is  lost  will  be 
unknown  to  other  worlds.  His  name 
may  be  unheard  beyond  the  gates  of 
the  prison  of  despair.  The  impression 
which  will  be  made  on  distant  worlds 
by  his  individual  sufferings  will  be  as  a 
part  of  the  aggregate  of  wo,  and  his 
individual  sorrows  may  make  no  im- 
pression on  distant  worlds.  But  not  so 
with  him  who  took  our  place.  He  stood 
in  the  centre  of  the  universe.  The  sun 
grew  dark,  and  the  dead  arose,  and  an- 
gels gazed  upon  the  scene,  and  from  his 
cross  an  impression  went  abroad  to  the 
farthest  part  of  the  universe,  showing 
the  tremendous  effects  of  the  violation 
of  law,  when  not  one  soul  could  be 


320 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.  58. 


17  But  if,  while  we  seek  to  be 
justified    by    Christ,    we  °  our- 

o  1  Jno.  3.  9, 10. 


saved  from  its  penalty  without  such 
sorrows  of  the  Son  of  God.  In  virtue 
of  all  this,  the  offender,  by  believing  on 
him,  may  be  treated  as  if  he  had  not 
sinned;  and  this  constitutes  justifica- 
tion. God  admits  him  to  favour  as  if 
he  had  himself  obeyed  the  law,  or  borne 
its  penalty,  since  as  many  good  results 
"ill  now  follow  from  his  salvation  as 
could  be  derived  from  his  punishment ; 
and  since  all  the  additional  happy  results 
will  follow  which  can  be  derived  from 
the  exercise  of  pardoning  mercy.  The 
character  of  God  is  thus  revealed.  His 
mercy  is  shown.  His  determination  to 
maintain  his  law  is  evinced.  The  truth 
is  maintained  ;  and  yet  he  shows  the 
fulness  of  his  mercy  and  the  richness  of 
his  benevolence. 

17.  But  if,  while  we  seek  to  be  justi- 
fied by  Christ.  The  connexion  here 
is  not  very  clear,  and  the  sense  of  the 
verse  is  somewhat  obscure.  Rosen- 
muller  supposes  that  this  is  an  objection 
of  a  Jew,  supposing  that  where  the  law 
of  Moses  is  not  observed  there  is  no 
rule  of  life,  and  that  therefore  there 
must  be  sin;  and  that  since  the  doctrine 
of  justification  by  faith  taught  that  there 
was  no  necessity  of  obeying  the  cere- 
monial law  of  Moses,  therefore  Christ, 
who  had  introduced  that  system,  must 
be  regarded  as  the  author  and  encou- 
rager  of  sin.  To  me  it  seems  proba- 
ble that  Paul  here  has  reference  to  an 
objection  which  has  in  all  ages  been 
brought  against  the  doctrine  of  justifi- 
cation by  faith,  and  which  seems  to 
have  existed  in  his  time,  that  the  doc- 
trine leads  to  licentiousness.  The  ob- 
jections are,  that  it  does  not  teach  the  ne- 
cessity of  the  observance  of  the  law  in 
order  to  acceptance  with  God.  That  it 
pronounces  a  man  justified  and  ac- 
cepted who  is  a  violator  of  the  law. 
That  his  acceptance  does  not  depend  on 
moral  character.  That  it  releases  him 
from  the  obligation  of  law,  and  that  it 
teaches  that  a  man  may  be  saved  though 


selves  also  are  found  sinners,  is 
therefore  Christ  the  minister  of 
sin  ?  God  forbid. 


he  does  not  conform  to  law.  These  ob- 
jections existed  early,  and  have  been 
found  everywhere  where  the  doctrine  of 
justification  by  faith  has  been  preached. 
I  regard  this  verse,  therefore,  as  refer- 
ring to  these  objections,  and  not  as  being 
peculiarly  the  objection  of  a  Jew.  The 
idea  is, '  You  seek  to  be  justified  by  faith 
without  obeying  the  law.  You  pro- 
fessedly reject  that,  and  do  not  hold  that 
it  is  necessary  to  yield  obedience  to  it 
If  now  it  shall  turn  out  that  you  are 
sinners;  that  your  lives  are  not  holy: 
that  you  are  free  from  the  wholesome  re- 
straint of  the  law,  and  are  given  up  to 
lives  of  sin,  will  it  not  follow  that  Christ 
is  the  cause  of  it ;  that  he  taught  it ;  and 
that  the  system  which  he  introduced  is 
responsible  for  it  1  And  is  not  the  gospel 
therefore  responsible  for  introducing  a 
system  that  frees  from  the  restraint  of 
the  law,  and  introduces  universal  licen- 
tiousness V  To  this  Paul  replies  by 
stating  distinctly  that  the  gospel  has  no 
such  tendency,  and  particularly  by  re- 
ferring in  the  following  verses  to  his 
own  case,  and  to  the  effect  of  the  doc- 
trine of  justification  on  his  own  heart 
and  life,  t  We  ourselves  are  found 
sinners.  If  it  turns  out  that  we  are  sin- 
ners, or  if  others  discover  by  undoubted 
demonstration  that  we  lead  lives  of  sin; 
if  they  see  us  given  up  to  a  lawless 
life,  and  find  us  practising  all  kinds  of 
evil ;  if  it  shall  be  seen  not  only  that 
we  are  not  pardoned  and  made  better  by 
the  gospel,  but  are  actually  made  worse, 
and  are  freed  from  all  moral  restraint. 
^  Is  therefore  Christ  the  minister  of 
sin  P  Is  it  to  be  traced  to  him  1  Is  it  a 
fair  and  legitimate  conclusion  that  this 
is  the  tendency  of  the  gospel  1  Is  it  to 
be  charged  on  him,  and  on  the  plan  of 
justification  through  him,  that  a  lax 
morality  prevails,  and  that  men  are 
freed  from  the  wholesome  restraints  of 
law  ?  H  God  forbid.  It  is  not  so.  This 
is  not  the  proper  effect  of  the  gospel  of 
Christ,  and  of  the  doctrine  of  justifica- 


A.  I).  58.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


321 


18  For  if  I  build  again  the 
things  which  I  destroyed,  I 
make  myself  a  transgressor. 


tion  by  faith.  The  system  is  not  fitted 
to  produce  such  a  freedom  from  restraint, 
and  if  such  a  freedom  exists,  it  is  to 
be  traced  to  something  else  than  the 
gospel. 

18.  For  if  I  build  again  the  things 
which  I  destroyed.  Paul  here  uses  the 
first  person  ;  but  he  evidently  intends  it 
as  a  general  proposition,  and  means 
that  if  any  one  does  it  he  becomes  a 
transgressor.  The  sense  is,  that  if  a 
man,  having  removed  or  destroyed  that 
which  was  evil,  again  introduces  it  or 
establishes  it,  he  does  wrong,  and  is  a 
transgressor  of  the  law  of  God.  The 
particular  application  here,  as  it  seems 
to  me,  is  to  the  subject  of  circumcision 
and  the  other  rites  of  the  Mosaic  law. 
They  had  been  virtually  abolished  by  the 
coming  of  the  Redeemer,  and  by  the 
doctrine  of  justification  by  faith.  It 
had  been  seen  that  there  was  no  neces- 
sity for  their  observance,  and  of  that 
Peter  and  the  others  had  been  fully 
aware.  Yet  they  were  lending  their 
influence  again  to  establish  them  or  to 
"  build"  them  up  again.  They  com- 
plied with  them,  and  they  insisted  on 
the  necessity  of  their  observance.  Their 
conduct,  therefore,  was  that  of  building 
up  again  that  which  had  once  been  de- 
stroyed, destroyed  by  the  ministry,  and 
toils,  and  death  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and 
by  the  fair  influence  of  his  gospel.  To 
rebuild  that  again  ;  to  re-establish  those 
customs,  was  wrong,  and  now  involved 
the  guilt  of  a  transgression  of  the  law 
of  God.  Doddridge  supposes  that  this 
is  an  address  to  the  Galatians,  and  that 
the  address  to  Peter  closed  at  the  pre- 
vious verse.  But  it  is  impossible  to  de- 
termine this  and  it  seems  to  me  more 
probable  that  this  is  all  a  part  of  the  ad- 
dress to  Peter;  or  rather  perhaps  to  the 
assembly  when  Peter  was  present.  See 
Note  on  ver.  15. 

19.  For  I  through  the  law.  £)n  this 
passage  the  commentators  are  by  no 
means  agreed.     It  is  agreed  that  in  the 


19  For  I  °  through  the  law 
am  dead  to  the  law,  that  I  might 
live  b  unto  God. 

o  Ro.  7.  4,  10;  8.  2.       b  Ro.  6.  11,  14. 


phrase  "  am  dead  to  the  law,"  the  law 
of  Moses  is  referred  to,  and  that  the 
meaning  is,  that  Paul  had  become  dead 
to  that  as  a  ground  or  means  of  justifi- 
cation. He  acted  as  though  it  were  not ; 
or  it  ceased  to  have  influence  over  him. 
A  dead  man  is  insensible  to  all  around 
him.  He  hears  nothing  ;  sees  nothing ; 
and  nothing  affects  him.  So  when  we 
are  said  to  be  dead  to  any  thing,  the 
meaning  is,  that  it  does  not  have  an  in- 
fluence over  us.  In  this  sense  Paul 
was  dead  to  the  law  of  Moses.  He 
ceased  to  observe  it  as  a  ground  of  jus 
tification.  It  ceased  to  be  the  grand 
aim  and  purpose  of  his  life,  as  it  had 
been  formerly,  to  obey  it.  He  had 
higher  purposes  than  that,  and  truly 
lived  to  God.  See  Note,  Rom.  vi.  2. 
But  on  the  meaning  of  the  phrase 
"  through  the  law"  (Sia  vi/ucu)  there  has 
been  a  great  variety  of  opinion.  Bloom- 
field,  Rosenmuller,  and  some  others 
suppose  that  he  means  the  Christian  re- 
ligion, and  that  the  meaning  is,  "  by 
one  law,  or  doctrine,  I  am  dead  to 
another;"  that  is,  the  Christian  doc- 
trine has  caused  me  to  cast  aside  the 
Mosaic  religion.  Doddridge,  Clarke, 
Chandler,  and  most  others,  however, 
suppose  that  he  here  refers  to  the  law 
of  Moses,  and  that  the  meaning  is,  that 
by  contemplating  the  true  character  of 
the  law  of  Moses  itself;  by  considering 
its  nature  and  design ;  by  understanding 
the  extent  of  its  requisitions,  he  had 
become  dead  to  it ;  that  is,  he  had  laid 
aside  all  expectations  of  being  justified 
by  it.  This  seems  to  me  to  be  the  cor- 
rect interpretation.  Paul  had  formerly 
expected  to  be  justified  by  the  law. 
He  had  endeavoured  to  obey  it.  It  had 
been  the  object  of  his  life  to  comply 
with  all  its  requisitions  in  order  to  be 
saved  by  it.  Phil.  hi.  4 — 6.  But  all 
this  while  he  had  not  fully  understood 
its  nature  ;  and  when  he  was  made  fully 
te  feel  and  comprehend  its  spiritual  re- 
quirements, then  all  his  hopes  of  justifi 


322 


GALAT1ANS, 


[A.  D.  58. 


20  I     am     crucified    °    with 
Christ :  nevertheless  I  live  ;  yet 

a  c.  5.  24 ;  6.  14. 


cation  by  it  died,  and  he  became  dead  to 
it.  See  this  sentiment  more  fully  ex- 
plained in  the  Note  on  Rom.  vii.  9. 
1  That  I  might  live  unto  God.  That 
I  might  be  truly  alive,  and  might  be 
found  engaged  in  his  service.  He  was 
dead  to  the  law,  but  not  to  every  thing. 
He  had  not  become  literally  inactive 
and  insensible  to  all  things,  like  a  dead 
man,  but  he  had  become  truly  sensible 
to  the  commands  and  appeals  of  God, 
and  had  consecrated  himself  to  his  ser- 
vice.    See  Note,  Rom.  vi.  11. 

20.  /  am  crucified  with  Christ.  In 
the  previous  verse,  Paul  had  said  that 
he  was  dead.  In  this  verse  he  states 
what  he  meant  by  it,  and  shows  that  he 
did  not  wish  to  be  understood  as  saying 
that  he  was  inactive,  or  that  he  was  li- 
terally insensible  to  the  appeals  made  to 
him  by  other  beings  and  objects.  In  re- 
spect to  one  thing  he  was  dead ;  to  all 
that  was  truly  great  and  noble  he  was 
alive.  To  understand  the  remarkable 
phrase,  "  I  am  crucified  with  Christ," 
we  may  remark,  (1.)  That  this  was  the 
way  in  which  Christ  was  put  to  death. 
He  suffered  on  a  cross,  and  thus  became 
literally  dead.  (2.)  In  a  sense  similar 
to  this,  Paul  became  dead  to  the  law, 
to  the  world,  and  to  sin.  The  Re- 
deemer by  the  death  of  the  cross  be- 
came insensible  to  all  surrounding  ob- 
jects, as  the  dead  always  are.  He  ceased 
to  see,  and  hear,  and  was  as  though 
they  were  not.  He  was  laid  in  the  cold 
grave,  and  they  did  not  affect  or  influ- 
ence him.  So  Paul  says  that  he  became 
insensible  to  the  law  as  a  means  of  jus- 
tification ;  to  the  world  ;  to  ambition 
and  the  love  of  money  ;  to  the  pride 
and  pomp  of  life,  and  to  the  dominion 
of  evil  and  hateful  passions.  They 
lost  their  power  over  him  ;  they  ceased 
to  influence  him.  (3.)  This  was  with  \ 
Christ,  or  by  Christ.  It  cannot  mean 
I  trr ally  that  he  was  put  to  death  with 
him,  for  that  is  not  true.  But  it  means  \ 
that  the  effect  of  the  death  of  Christ  on  [ 
the   cross   was    to   make   him  dead  to 


not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  b  me  : 
and  the  life  which  I  now  live  in 

b  1  Th.  5.  10.     1  Pe.  4.  2. 


these  things,  in  like  manner  as  he,  when 
he  died,  became  insensible  to  the  things 
of  this  busy  world.  This  may  include 
the  following  things,  (a)  There  was 
an  intimate  union  between  Christ  and 
his  people,  so  that  what  affected  him, 
affected  them.  See  John  xv.  5,  6.  (b) 
The  death  of  the  Redeemer  on  the  cross 
involved  as  a  consequence  the  death  of 
his  people  to  the  world  and  to  sin.  See 
ch.  v.  24;  vi.  14.  It  was  like  a  blow  at 
the  root  of  a  vine  or  a  tree,  which  would 
affect  every  branch  and  tendril,  or  like  a 
blow  at  the  head  which  effects  every 
member  of  the  body,  (c)  Paul  felt 
identified  with  the  Lord  Jesus ;  and  he 
was  willing  to  share  in  all  the  ignominy 
and  contempt  which  was  connected 
with  the  idea  of  the  crucifixion.  He 
was  willing  to  regard  himself  as  one 
with  the  Redeemer.  If  there  was  dis» 
grace  attached  to  the  manner  in  which 
he  died,  he  was  willing  to  share  it  with 
him.  He  regarded  it  as  a  matter  to  be 
greatly  desired  to  be  made  just  like 
Christ  in  all  things,  and  even  in  the 
manner  of  his  death.  This  idea  he  has 
more  fully  expressed  in  Phil.  iii.  10. 
"  That  I  may  know  him,  [i.  e.  I  desire 
earnestly  to  know  him,]  and  the  powei 
of  his  resurrection,  and  the  fellowship 
of  his  sufferings,  being  made  conforma- 
ble unto  his  death."  See  also  Col.  i.  24. 
Comp.  1  Pet.  iv.  13.  ^  Nevertheless  1 
live.  This  expression  is  added,  as  in 
ver.  19,  to  prevent  the  possibility  of 
mistake.  Paul,  though  he  was  cruci* 
fied  with  Christ,  did  not  wish  to  be  un- 
derstood that  he  felt  himself  to  be  dead. 
He  was  not  inactive ;  not  insensible,  aa 
the  dead  are,  to  the  appeals  which  are 
made  from  God,  or  to  the  great  objecte 
which  ought  to  interest  an  immortal 
mind.  He  was  still  actively  employed, 
and  the  more  so  from  the  fact  that  he 
was  crucified  with  Christ.  The  object 
of  all  such  expressions  as  this  is,  to 
show  that  it  was  no  design  of  the  gospel 
to  make  men  inactive,  or  to  annihilate 
their  energies.     It  was  not  to  cause  r*"»s 


A..  D.  58.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


the  flesh,  I    live    by    the    faith 
of  the  Son  of  God,  who  loved 

«Jno.  10.  11.    Ep.  5.  2. 


to  do  nothing.  It  was  not  to  paralyze 
their  powers,  or  stifle  their  own  efforts. 
Paul,  therefore,  says,  '  I  am  not  dead.  I 
am  tiuly  alive;  and  I  live  a  better  life 
than  I  did  before.'  Paul  was  as  active 
efter  conversion  as  he  was  before.  Be- 
fore, he  was  engaged  in  persecution; 
now,  he  devoted  his  great  talents  with  as 
much  energy,  and  with  as  untiring  zeal, 
to  the  cause  of  the  great  Redeemer.  In- 
deed the  whole  narrative  would  lead  us 
to  suppose  that  he  was  more  active  and 
zealous  after  his  conversion  than  he 
was  before.  The  effect  of  religion  is 
not  to  make  one  dead  in  regard  to  the 
putting  forth  of  the  energies  of  the 
soul.  True  religion  never  made  one 
lazy  man ;  it  has  converted  many  a 
man  of  indolence,  and  effeminacy,  and 
self-indulgence  to  a  man  actively  en- 
gaged in  doing  good.  If  a  professor  of 
religion  is  less  active  in  the  service  of 
God  than  he  was  in  the  service  of  the 
world ;  less  laborious,  and  zealous,  and 
ardent  than  he  was  before  his  supposed 
conversion,  he  ought  to  set  it  down  as 
full  proof  that  he  is  an  utter  stranger 
to  true  religion.  •(  Yet  not  I.  This 
also  is  designed  to  prevent  misapprehen- 
sion. In  the  previous  clause  he  had 
said  that  he  lived,  or  was  actively  en- 
gaged. But  lest  this  should  be  misun- 
derstood, and  it  should  be  inferred  that 
he  meant  to  say  it  was  by  his  own 
energy  or  powers,  he  guards  it,  and 
says  it  was  not  at  all  from  himself.  It 
was  by  no  native  tendency  ;  no  power 
of  his  own ;  nothing  tbat  could  be 
traced  to  himself.  He  assumed  no 
credit  for  any  zeal  which  he  had  shown 
in  the  true  life.  He  was  disposed  to 
trace  it  all  to  another.  He  had  ample 
proof  in  his  past  experience  that  there 
was  no  tendency  in  himself  to  a  life  of 
true  religion,  and  he  therefore  traced  it 
all  to  another.  %  Christ  lireth  in  me. 
Christ  was  the  source  of  al!  the  life 
that  he  ftad.  Of  course  this  cannot  be 
taken  literally  that  Christ  had  a  resi- 


me, 
me. 


323 

and    gave    himself   a    for 


21  I  do  not  frustrate  the  grace 

dencc  in  the  apostle,  but  it  must  mean 
that  his  grace  resided  in  him;  that  his 
principles  actuated  him ;  and  that  he 
derived  all  his  energy,  and  zeal,  and  life 
from  his  grace,  The  union  between 
the  Lord  Jesus  and  the  disciple  was  so 
close  that  it  might  be  said  the  one  lived 
in  the  other.  So  the  juices  of  the 
vine  are  in  each  branch,  and  leaf,  and 
tendril,  and  live  in  them  and  animate 
them  ;  the  vital  energy  of  the  brain  is 
in  each  delicate  nerve — no  matter  how 
small — that  is  found  in  any  part  of  the 
human  frame.  Christ  was  in  him  as  it 
were  the  vital  principle.  All  his  life 
and  energy  were  derived  from  him. 
^  And  the  life  which  I  now  live  in  the 
flesh.  As  I  now  live  on  the  earth  sur- 
rounded by  the  cares  and  anxieties  of 
this  life.  I  carry  the  life-giving  princi- 
ples of  my  religion  to  all  my  duties  and 
all  my  trials.  If  /  live  by  the  faith  of 
the.  Son  of  God.  By  confidence  in  the 
Son  of  God,  looking  to  him  for  strength, 
and  trusting  in  his  promises,  and  in  his 
grace.  Who  loved  me,  &c.  He  felt 
under  the  highest  obligation  to  him  from 
the  fact  that  he  had  loved  him,  and  given 
himself  to  the  death  of  the  cross  in  his 
behalf.  The  conviction  of  obligation 
on  this  account  Paul  often  expresses. 
Sse  Notes  on  Rom.  vi.  8 — 1 1.  Rom. 
viii.  35—39.  2  Cor.  v.  15.  There 
is  no  higher  sense  of  obligation  than 
that  which  is  felt  towards  the  Saviour ; 
and  Paul  felt  himself  bound,  as  we 
should,  to  live  entirely  to  him  who  had 
redeemed  him  by  his  blood. 

21.  1  do  not  frustrate  the  grace  of 
God.  The  word  rendered  "frustrate'* 
(&$*r&)  means  properly  to  displace, 
abrogate,  abolish ;  then  to  make  void, 
to  render  null.  Mark  vii.  9.  Luke 
vii.  30.  1  Cor.  i.  19.  The  phrase 
"  the  grace  of  God,"  here  refers  to  the 
favour  of  God  manifested  in  the  plan 
of  salvation  by  the  gospel,  and  is  another 
name  for  the  gospel.  The  sense  is,  that 
Paul  would  not  take  any  measures  or 


324 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.  58. 


of  God :  for  if  °  righteousness 
come  by  the  law,  then  Christ  is 
dead  in  vain. 

aHe.7.  11. 


pursue  any  course  that  would  render 
that  vain  or  inefficacious.  Neither  by 
his  own  life,  by  a  course  of  conduct 
which  would  show  that  it  had  no  influ- 
ence over  the  heart  and  conduct,  nor  by 
the  observance  of  Jewish  rites  and  cus- 
toms, would  he  do  any  thing  to  render 
that  inefficacious.  The  design  is  to 
show  that  he  regarded  it  as  a  great  prin- 
ciple that  the  gospel  was  efficacious  in 
renewing  and  saving  man,  and  he  would 
do  nothing  that  would  tend  to  prevent 
that  impression  on  mankind.  A  life  of 
sin,  of  open  depravity  and  licentious- 
ness would  do  that.  And  in  like  man- 
ner a  conformity  to  the  rites  of  Moses 
as  a  ground  of  justification  would  tend 
to  frustrate  the  grace  of  God,  or  to  ren- 
der the  method  of  salvation  solely  by 
the  Redeemer  nugatory.  This  is  to  be 
regarded,  therefore,  as  at  the  same  time 
a  reproof  of  Peter  for  complying  with 
customs  which  tended  to  frustrate  the 
plan,  of  the  gospel,  and  a  declaration 
that  he  intended  that  his  own  course  of 
life  should  be  such  as  to  confirm  the 
plan,  and  show  its  efficacy  in  pardoning 
the  sinner  and  rendering  him  alive  in 
the  service  of  God.  %  For  if  ri<rht- 
eousnesx  come  by  /he  laic.  If  justifica- 
tion can  be  secured  by  the  observance 
of  any  law — ceremonial  or  moral — 
then  there  was  no  need  of  the  death  of 
Christ  as  an  atonement.  This  is  plain. 
If  man  by  conformity  to  any  law  could 
be  justified  before  God,  what  need  was 
there  of  an  atonement  ?  The  work 
would  then  have  been  wholly  in  his 
own  power,  and  the  merit  would  have  [ 
been  his.  It  follows  from  this,  that  ! 
man  cannot  be  justified  by  his  own  j 
molality,  or  his  alms-deeds,  or  his  forms 
of  religion,  or  his  honesty  and  integrity,  j 
If  he  can,  he  needs  no  .Saviour,  he  can  i 
save  himself.  It  follows  also  that  when  ! 
men  depend  on  their  own  amiablencss, 
and  morality,  and  good  works,  they 
would  feel  no  need  of  a  Saviour ;  and 
this  is  the  true  reason  why  the  mass  of 


O 


CHAPTER  III. 
FOOLISH  h  Galatians,  who 
c  hath  bewitched   you,  that 

b  Mat.  7.  26.  c  c.  5.  7. 


men  reject  the  Lord  Jesus.  They  sup- 
pose they  do  not  deserve  to  be  sent  to 
hell.  They  have  no  deep  sense  of 
guilt.  They  confide  in  their  own  in- 
tegrity, and  feel  that  God  ought  to  save 
them.  Hence  they  feel  no  need  of  a 
Saviour;  for  why  should  a  man  in  health 
employ  a  physician  1  And  confiding  in 
their  own  righteousness,  they  reject  the 
grace  of  God,  and  despise  the  plan  of 
justification  through  the  Redeemer.  To 
feel  the  need  of  a  Saviour  it  is  necessary 
to  feel  that  we  are  lost  and  ruined  sin- 
ners; that  we  have  no  merit  on  which 
we  can  rely  ;  and  that  we  are  entirely 
dependent  on  the  mercy  of  God  for  sal- 
vation. Thus  feeling,  we  shall  receive 
the  salvation  of  the  gospel  with  thank- 
fulness and  joy,  and  show  that  in  re- 
gard to  us  Christ  is  not  "dead  in 
vain." 

CHAPTER  III. 

ANALYSIS. 

The  address  of  Paul  to  Peter,  as  1 
suppose,  was  closed  at  the  last  verse  of 
chapter  ii.  The  apostle  in  this  chapter, 
in  a  direct  address  to  the  Galatians, 
pursues  the  argument  on  the  subject  of 
justification  by  faith.  In  the  previous 
chapters  he  had  shown  them  fully  that 
he  had  received  his  views  of  the  gospel 
directly  from  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  that 
he  had  the  concurrence  of  the  most  emi- 
nent among  the  apostles  themselves. 
He  proceeds  to  state  more  fully  what 
his  views  were ;  to  confirm  them  by  the 
authority  of  the  Old  Testament;  and  to 
show  the  necessary  effect  of  an  observ- 
ance of  the  laws  of  Moses  on  the  great 
doctrine  of  justification  by  faith.  This 
subject  is  pursued  through  this  chapter 
and  the  following.  This  chapter  com- 
prises the  following  subjects. 

(1.)  A  severe  reproof  of  the  Gala- 
tians for  having  been  so  easily  seduced 
by  the  arts  of  cunning  men  from  the 
simplicity  of  the  gospel,  ver.  1.  He 
says  that  Christ  had  been  plainly  set 
forth  crucified  among  them,  and  it  was 


A.  D.  58.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


335 


strange  that  they  had  so  soon  been  led 
astray  from  the  glorious  doctrine  of  sal- 
vation by  faith. 

(2.)  He  appeals  to  them  to  show 
that  the  great  benefits  which  they  had  re- 
ceived had  not  been  in  consequence  of 
the  observance  of  the  Mosaic  rites,  but 
had  come  solely  by  the  hearing  of  the 
gospel,  ver.  2 — 5.  Particularly  the 
Holy  Spiiit,  with  all  his  miraculous 
and  converting  and  sanctifying  influen- 
ces, had  been  imparted  only  in  connex- 
ion with  the  gospel.  This  was  the 
most  rich  and  most  valuable  endowment 
which  they  had  ever  received ;  and  this 
was  solely  by  the  preaching  of  Christ 
and  him  crucified. 

(3.)  In  illustration  of  the  doctrine 
of  justification  by  faith,  and  in  proof 
of  the  truth  of  it,  he  refers  to  the  case 
of  Abraham,  and  shows  that  he  was 
justified  in  this  manner,  and  that  the 
Scripture  had  promised  that  others  would 
be  justified  in  the  same  way.  ver. 
6—9. 

(4.)  He  shows  that  the  law  pro- 
nounced a  curse  on  all  those  who  were 
under  it,  and  that  consequently  it  was 
impossible  to  be  justified  by  it.  But 
Christ  had  redeemed  us  from  that  curse, 
having  taken  the  curse  on  himself,  so 
that  now  we  might  be  justified  in  the 
sight  of  God.  In  this  way,  says  he,  the 
blessing  of  Abraham  might  come  on  the 
Gentiles,  and  they  all  might  be  saved  in 
the  same  manner  that  he  was.  ver. 
10—14. 

(5.)  This  view  he  confirms  by  show- 
ing that  the  promise  made  to  Abraham 
was  made  before  the  giving  of  the  law. 
It  was  a  mode  of  justification  in  exist- 
ence before  the  law  of  Moses  was  given. 
It  was  of  the  nature  of  a  solemn  com- 
pact or  covenant  on  the  part  of  God.  It 
referred  particularly  to  the  Messiah,  and 
to  the  mode  of  justification  in  him. 
And  as  it  was  of  the  nature  of  a  cove- 
nant, it  was  impossible  that  the  law 
given  many  years  after  could  disannul  it, 
or  render  it  void.    ver.  15 — 18. 

(6.)  It  might  then  be  asked,  what 
was  the  use  of  the  law  ?  Why  was  it 
given  \  It  was  added,  Paul  says,  on  ac- 
count of  transgressions,  and  was  de- 
28 


signed  to  restrain  men  from  sin,  and  to 
show  them  their  guilt.  It  was,  further, 
not  superior  to  the  promise  of  a  Media- 
tor, or  to  the  Mediator,  for  it  was  ap- 
pointed by  the  instrumentality  of  angels, 
and  it  was  in  the  hand  of  the  Mediatoi 
himself,  under  him,  and  subject  to  him. 
It  could  not  therefore  be  superior  to 
him,  and  to  the  plan  of  justification 
through  him.   ver.  19,20. 

(7.)   Yet  Paul  answers  an  important 
I  objection  here,  and  a  very  obnous  and 
J  material    inquiry.     It    is,   w'aether   he 
;  means  to  teach  that  the  law  of  God  is 
!  contradictory  to  his  promises  '   Whether 
the  law   and  the   gospel  are  rival  sys- 
!  terns  ?  Whether  it  is  necewary,  in  order 
I  to  hold  to  the  excellency  of  the  one  to 
j  hold  that  the  other  is  contradictory,  evil, 
and  worthless  ?  To  all  this  he  answers  ; 
|  and  says,  by  no  means-     He  says  the 
fault   was   not  in  the  law.     The  view 
which  he  had  taken,  and  which  was  re- 
vealed in  the  Bible,  arose  from  the  na- 
ture of  the  case.  .  The  law  was  as  good 
a  law  as  could  be  made,  and  it  answered 
aii  the  purposes  of  law.     It  was  so  ex 
cellent,  that  if  it  h»l  been  possible  that 
men  could  be  justified  by    law  at  all, 
that  was  the   law    by  which  it  would 
have  been  done.     But  it  was  not  possi- 
ble.    The  effect  of  the  law,  therefore, 
was  to  show  that  all  men  were  sinners, 
and    to    shut   them    up   to    the    plan 
of  justification  by  the   work  of  a  Re- 
deemer.     It  was  appointed,  therefore, 
not  to  justify  mon,  but  to  lead  them  ta 
the  Saviour,    ver.  21 — 24. 

(8.)  The  effect  of  the  plan  of  justifi- 
cation by  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  was  to 
make  the  mind  free.  It  was  no  longer 
under  a  schoolmaster.  They  who  are 
justified  in  this  way  become  the  children 
of  God.  They  all  become  one  in  the 
Redeemer.  There  is  neither  Jew  nor 
Greek,  but  they  constitute  one  great 
family,  and  are  the  children  of  Abra- 
ham and  heirs  according  to  the  promise, 
ver.  25—29. 

1.  0  foolish  Galatians.  That  is, 
foolish  for  having  yielded  to  the  influ- 
ence of  the  false  teachers,  and  for  hav- 
ing embraced  doctrines  that  tended  to 
subvert   the   gospel   of   the  Redeemer 


326 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.  58 


ye    should   not   obey  the  truth, 
before  whose  eyes  Jesus  Christ 

The  original  word  here  used  (dvonTct) 
denotes  void  of  understanding;  and 
they  had  shown  it  in  a  remarkable  man- 
ner in  rejecting  the  doctrine  of  the 
apostles,  and  in  embracing  the  errors 
into  which  they  had  fallen.  It  will  be 
remembered  that  this  is  an  expression 
similar  to  what  was  applied  to  them  by 
others.  See  the  Introduction,  §  I.  Thus 
Callimachus  in  his  hymns  calls  them  "a 
foolish  people,"  and  Hillary,  himself  a 
Gaul,  calls  them  Gallos  indocile*,  ex- 
pressions remarkably  in  accordance  with 
that  used  here  by  Paul.  It  is  implied 
that  they  were  without  stability  of 
character.  The  particular  thing  to 
which  Paul  refers  here  is,  that  they 
wore  so  easily  led  astray  by  the  argu- 
ments of  the  false  teachers.  1  Who 
hath  bewitched  you.  The  word  here 
used  (?/3aG-jt4ve)  properly  means,  to  prate 
about  any  one ;  and  then  to  mislead  by 
pretences,  as  if  by  magic  arts ;  to  fas- 
cinate ;  to  influence  by  a  charm.  The 
idea  here  is,  that  they  had  not  been  led 
by  reason  and  by  sober  judgment,  but 
that  there  must  have  been  some  charm 
or  fascination  to  have  taken  them  away 
in  this  manner  from  what  they  had  em- 
braced as  true,  and  what  they  bad  the 
fullest  evidence  was  true.  Paul  had 
sufficient  confidence  in  them  to  believe 
that  they  had  not  embraced  their  present 
views  under  the  unbiassed  influence  of 
judgment  and  reason,  but  that  there 
must  have  been  some  fascination  or 
charm  by  which  it  was  done.  It  was 
in  fact  accomplished  by  the  arts  and 
the  plausible  pretences  of  those  who 
came  from  among  the  Jews.  %  That 
ye  should  not  obey  the  truth.  The 
truth  of  the  gospel.  That  you  should 
yield  your  minds  to  falsehood  and  error. 
It  should  be  observed,  however,  that  this 
phrase  is  wanting  in  many  MSS.  It  is 
omitted  in  the  Syriac  version ;  and 
many  of  the  most  important  Greek  and 
Latin  Fathers  omit  it.  Mill  thinks  it 
should  be  omitted ;  and  Gricsbach  has 
omitted  it.  It  is  not  essential  to  the 
passage  in  order  to  the   sense ;  and  it 


hath   been   evidently   set   forth, 
crucified  among  you  ? 


conveys  no  truth  which  is  not  elsewhere 
taught  fully.  It  is  apparently  added  to 
show  what  was  the  effect  of  their  be- 
ing bewitched  or  enchanted,  t  Before 
whose  eyes.  In  whose  very  presence. 
That  is,  it  has  been  done  so  clearly  that 
you  may  be  said  to  have  seen  it, 
f  Jesus  Christ  hath  been  evidently  set 
forth.  By  the  preaching  of  the  gos- 
pel. He  has  been  so  fully  and  plainly 
preached  that  you  may  be  said  to  hava 
seen  him.  The  effect  of  his  being 
preached  in  the  manner  in  which  it  has 
been  done,  ought  to  have  been  as  great 
as  if  you  had  seen  him  crucified  before 
your  eyes.  The  word  rendered  "  hath 
heen  evidently  set  forth"  (rrgce}<>a'<p»), 
means  properly  to  write  before,-  and 
then  to  announce  beforehand  in  writing ; 
or  to  announce  by  posting  up  on  a 
tablet.  The  meaning  here  is,  probably, 
that  Christ  had  been  announced  among 
them  crucified,  as  if  the  doctrine  was 
set  forth  in  a  public  written  tablet. — 
Robinson's  Lex.  There  was  the  ut- 
most clearness  and  distinctness  of  view, 
so  that  they  need  not  make  any  mistake 
in  regard  to  him.  The  Syriac  renders 
it,  '  Christ  has  been  crucified  before 
your  eyes  as  if  he  had  been  represented 
by  painting.'  According  to  this,  the 
idea  is,  that  it  was  as  plain  as  if  there 
had  been  a  representation  of  him  by  a 
picture.  This  has  been  done  chiefly  by 
preaching.  I  see  no  reason,  however, 
to  doubt  that  Paul  means  also  to  include 
|  the  celebration  of  the  Lord's  supper,  in 
which  the  Lord  Jesus  is  so  clearly  ex- 
hibited as  a  crucified  Saviour,  t  Cru- 
cified among  you.  That  is,  represented 
among  you  as  crucified.  The  words 
"among  you,"  however,  are  wanting  in 
many  MsS.  and  obscure  the  sense.  If 
they  are  to  be  retained,  the  meaning  is, 
that  the  representations  of  the  Lord 
!  Jesus  as  crucified  had  been  as  clear  and 
!  impressive  among  them  as  if  they  had 
I  seen  him  with  their  own  eyes.  The 
!  argument  is,  that  they  had  so  clear  a 
'  representation  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and 
1  of  the  design  of  his  death,  that  it  was 


A.  D.  58.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


327 


2  This  only  would  I  learn  of 
you,  Received  a  ye  the  Spirit  by 

aEp  1.  13. 


strange  that  they  had  so  soon  been  per- 
verted from  the  belief  of  it.  Had  they 
seen  the  Saviour  crucified ;  had  they 
stood  by  the  cross  and  witnessed  his 
agony  in  death  on  account  of  sin,  how 
could  they  doubt  what  was  the  design  of 
his  dying,  and  how  could  they  be  se- 
duced from  faith  in  his  death,  or  be  led 
to  embrace  any  other  method  of  justifi- 
cation 1  How  could  they  now  do  it, 
when,  although  they  had  not  seen  him 
die,  they  had  the  fullest  knowledge  of 
the  object  for  which  he  gave  his  precious 
life  1  The  doctrine  taught  in  this  verse 
is,  that  a  faithful  exhibition  of  the  suf- 
ferings and  death  of  the  Saviour  ought 
to  exert  an  influence  over  our  minds 
and  hearts  as  if  we  had  seen  him  die ; 
and  that  they  to  whom  such  an  exhibi- 
tion has  been  made  should  avoid  being 
led  astray  by  the  blandishments  of 
false  doctrines,  and  by  the  arts  of  man. 
Had  we  seen  the  Saviour  expire,  we 
could  never  have  forgotten  the  scene. 
Let  us  endeavour  to  cherish  a  remem- 
brance of  his  sufferings  and  death  as  if 
we  had  seen  him  die. 

2.  This  only  would  I  learn  of  you. 
I  would  ask  this  of  you ;  retaining  still 
the  language  of  severe  reproof.  The 
design  here,  and  in  the  following  verses, 
is,  to  prove  to  them  that  the  views  which 
they  had  at  first  embraced  were  correct, 
and  that  the  views  which  they  now 
cherished  were  false.  To  show  them 
this,  he  asks  them  the  simple  question, 
by  what  means  they  had  obtained  the 
exalted  privileges  which  they  enjoyed  ] 
Whether  they  had  obtained  them  by 
the  simple  gospel,  or  whether  by  the 
observance  of  the  law?  The  word 
"  only"  here  (/uivov)  implies  that  this 
was  enough  to  settle  the  question.  The 
argument  to  which  he  was  about  to  ap- 
peal was  enough  for  his  purpose.  He 
did  not  need  to  go  any  further.  They 
had  been  converted.  They  had  received 
the  Holy  Spirit.  They  had  had  abun- 
dant evidence  of  their  acceptance  with 
God,  and  the  simple  matter  of  inquiry 


the  works  of  the  law,  or  b  by  the 
hearing:  of  faith  ? 


6Ro.  10.  17. 


now  was,  whether  this  had  occurred  as 
the  regular  effect  of  the  gospel,  or 
whether  it  had  been  by  obeying  the 
law  of  Moses  1  f  Received  ye  the 
Spirit.  The  Holy  Spirit.  He  refers 
here,  doubtless,  to  all  the  manifestations 
of  the  Spirit  which  had  been  made  to 
them,  in  renewing  the  heart,  in  sancti- 
fying the  soul,  in  comforting  them  in 
affliction,  and  in  his  miraculous  agency 
among  them.  The  Holy  Spirit  had 
been  conferred  on  them  at  their  conver- 
sion (Comp.  Acts  x.  44;  xi.  17),  and 
this  was  to  them  proof  of  the  favour  of 
God,  and  of  their  being  accepted  by 
him.  «|  By  the  worlts  of  the  law.  By 
obeying  the  law  of  Moses  or  of  any 
law.  It  was  in  no  way  connected  with 
their  obeying  the  law.  This  must  have 
been  so  clear  to  them  that  no  one  could 
have  any  doubt  on  the  subject.  The 
inestimably  rich  and  precious  gift  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  had  not  been  conferred  on 
them  in  consequence  of  their  obeying 
the  law.  Tf  Or  by  the  hearing  of  faith. 
In  connexion  with  hearing  the  gospel 
requiring  faith  as  a  condition  of  salva- 
tion. The  Holy  Spirit  was  sent  down 
only  in  connexion  with  the  preaching 
of  the  gospel.  It  was  a  matter  of  truth, 
and  which  could  not  be  denied,  that 
those  influences  had  not  been  imparted 
under  the  law,  but  had  been  connected 
with  the  gospel  of  the  Redeemer. 
Comp.  Acts  ii.  The  doctrine  taught 
in  this  verse  is,  that  the  benefits  result- 
ing to  Christians  from  the  gift  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  are  enough  to  prove  that 
the  gospel  is  from  God,  and  therefore 
true.  This  was  the  case  with  regard  to 
the  miraculous  endowments  communi- 
cated in  the  early  ages  of  the  church  by 
the  Holy  Spirit;  for  the  miracles  which 
were  wrought,  the  knowledge  of  lan- 
guages imparted,  and  the  conversion  of 
thousands  from  the  error  of  their  ways, 
proved  that  the  system  was  from  heaven; 
and  it  is  true  now.  Every  Christian 
has  had  ample  proof,  from  the  influ- 
ences of  the  Spirit  on  his  heart    and 


328 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.  58. 


3  Are  ye  so  foolish  ?   having 

a  c.  4.  9.        b  He.  9.  10. 


around  him,  that  the  system  which  is 
attended  with  such  benefits  is  from 
heaven.  His  own  renewed  heart ;  his 
elevated  and  sanctified  affections ;  his 
exalted  hopes ;  his  consolations  in  trial ; 
his  peace  in  the  prospect  of  death,  and 
the  happy  influences  of  the  system 
around  him  in  the  conversion  of  others, 
and  in  the  intelligence,  order,  and  purity 
of  the  community,  are  ample  proof  that 
the  religion  is  true.  Such  effects  do  not 
come  from  any  attempt  to  keep  the  law  ; 
they  result  from  no  other  system.  No 
system  of  infidelity  produces  them;  no 
mere  system  of  infidelity  can  produce 
them.  It  is  only  by  that  pure  system 
which  proclaims  salvation  by  the  grace 
of  God;  which  announces  salvation  by 
the  merits  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  that  such 
effects  are  produced.  The  Saviour  pro- 
mised theHoly  Spirit  todescend  after  his 
ascension  to  heaven  to  apply  his  work ; 
and  everywhere,  under  the  faithful 
preaching  of  the  simple  gospel,  that 
Spirit  keeps  up  the  evidence  of  the  truth 
of  the  system  by  his  influences  on  the 
hearts  arid  lives  of  men. 

3.  Are  ye  so  foolish  ?  Can  it  be 
that  you  are  so  unwise  1  The  idea 
is,  that  Paul  hardly  thought  it  credible 
that  they  could  have  pursued  such  a 
course.  They  had  so  cordially  embraced 
the  gospel  when  he  preached  to  them, 
they  had  given  such  evidences  that  they 
were  under  its  influence,  that  he  regard- 
ed it  as  hardly  possible  that  they  should 
have  so  far  abandoned  it  as  to  embrace 
such  a  system  as  they  had  done.  ^  Hav- 
ing begun  in  the  Spirit.  That  is,  when 
the  gospel  was  first  preached  to  them. 
They  had  commenced  their  professedly 
Christian  life  under  the  influence  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  and  with  the  pure  and  spi- 
ritual worship  of  God.  They  had 
known  the  power  and  spirituality  of  the 
glorious  gospel.  They  had  been  re- 
newed by  the  Spirit ;  sanctified  in  some 
measure  by  him ;  and  had  submitted 
themselves  to  the  spiritual  influences 
of  the  gospel.  f  Are  ye  now  made 
perfect.  Tindal  renders  this,  *  ye  would 


"begun  in  the  Spirit,  are  ye  now 
made  perfect  *  by  the  flesh  ? 


now  end."  The  word  here  used 
(i7rn(Xiu>)  means  properly,  to  bring 
through  to  an  end,  to  finish ;  and  the 
sense  here  has  probably  been  expressed 
by  Tindal.  The  idea  of  perfecting,  in 
the  sense  in  which  we  now  use  that 
word,  is  not  implied  in  the  original.  It 
is  that  of  finishing,  ending,  completing ; 
and  the  sense  is :  '  You  began  your 
Christian  career  under  the  elevated  and 
spiritual  influences  of  Christianity,  a 
system  so  pure  and  so  exalted  above  the 
carnal  ordinances  of  the  Jews.  Having 
begun  thus,  can  it  be  that  you  are  finish- 
ing your  Christian  course,  or  carrying 
it  on  to  completion  by  the  observance 
of  those  ordinances,  as  if  they  were 
more  pure  and  elevating  than  Chris- 
tianity 1  Can  it  be  that  you  regard  them 
as  an  advance  on  the  system  of  the 
gospel  !'  ^  By  the  flesh.  By  the  ob- 
servance of  the  carnal  rites  of  the  Jews, 
for  so  the  word  here  evidently  means. 
This  has  not  been  an  uncommon  thing. 
Many  have  been  professedly  converted 
by  the  Spirit,  and  have  soon  fallen  into 
the  observance  of  mere  rites  and  cere- 
monies, and  depended  mainly  on  them 
for  salvation.  Many  churches  have  com- 
menced their  career  in  an  elevated  and 
spiritual  manner,  and  have  ended  in  the 
observance  of  mere  forms.  So  many 
Christians  begin  their  course  in  a  spi- 
ritual manner,  and  end  it  "  in  the  flesh" 
in  another  sense.  They  soon  conform 
to  the  world.  They  are  brought  under 
the  influence  of  worldly  appetites  and 
propensities.  They  forget  the  spiritual 
nature  of  their  religion ;  and  they  live 
for  the  indulgence  of  ease,  and  for  the 
gratification  of  the  senses.  They  build 
them  houses,  and  they  "  plant  vine- 
yards," and  they  collect  around  them 
the  instruments  of  music,  and  the  bowl 
and  the  wine  is  in  their  feasts,  and  they 
surrender  themselves  to  the  luxury  of 
living :  and  it  seems  as  if  they  intended 
to  perfect  their  Christianity  by  drawing 
around  them  as  much  of  the  world  as 
possible.  The  beautiful  simplicity  of 
their  early  piety  is  gone.     The  blessed- 


A.  D.  53.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


329 


4  Have  ye  suffered  so  *  many- 
things  in  vain?  "  if  it  be  yet  in 
vain. 

5  He  therefore  that  minister- 
cth  *  to  you  the  Spirit,  and  work- 

*  or,  great.  a  2  Jno.  8. 

b  2  Co.  3.  8. 


ness  of  those  moments  when  they  lived 
by  simple  faith  has  fled.  The  times 
when  they  sought  all  their  consolation 
in  Got!  are  no  more ;  and  they  now 
seem  to  differ  from  the  world  only  in 
form.  I  dread  to  see  a  Christian  inhe- 
rit much  wealth,  or  even  to  be  thrown 
into  very  prosperous  business.  I  see  in 
it  a  temptation  to  build  himself  a  splen- 
did mansion,  and  to  collect  around  him 
all  that  constitutes  luxury  among  the 
people  of  the  world.  How  natural  for 
him  to  feel  that  if  he  has  wealth  like 
others,  he  should  show  it  in  a  similar 
manner  !  And  how  easy  for  the  most 
humble  and  spiritually-minded  Chris- 
tian, in  the  beginning  of  his  Christian 
life,  to  become  conformed  to  the  world 
(such  is  the  weakness  of  human  nature 
in  its  test  forms)  ;  and  having  begun 
in  the  spirit,  to  end  in  the  flesh ! 

4.  Have  ye  suffered  so  many  things 
in  vain  ?  Paul  reminds  them  of  what 
they  had  endured  on  account  of  their 
attachment  to  Christianity.  He  assures 
them,  that  if  the  opinions  on  account,  of 
which  they  had  suffered  were  false, 
then  their  sufferings  had  been  in  vain. 
They  were  of  no  use  to  them — for 
what  advantage  was  it  to  suffer  for  a 
false  opinion  1  The  opinions  for  which 
they  had  suffered  had  not  been  those 
which  they  now  embraced.  They  were 
not  those  connected  with  the  observance 
of  the  Jewish  rites.  They  had  suffered 
on  account  of  their  having  embraced 
the  gospel,  the  system  of  justification  by 
a  crucified  Redeemer ;  and  now,  if  those 
sentiments  were  wrong,  why,  their  suf- 
ferings had  been  wholly  in  vain.  See 
this  argument  pursued  at  much  greater 
length  in  1  Cor.  xv.  19,  19.  29—32. 
^  If  it  be  yet  in  vain.  That  is,  '  I  trust 
it  is  not  in  vain.  I  hope  you  have  not 
so  far  abandoned  the  gospel,  that  all 
28* 


eth  miracles  among  yon,  doeth 
he  it  by  the  works  of  the  law  or 
by  the  hearing  of  faith  ? 

6  Even  as  Abraham  c  believed 
God,  and  it  was  3  accounted  to 
him  for  righteousness. 

c  Ge.  15.  6.  a  or,  imputed. 


your  sufferings  in  its  behalf  have  been 
of  no  avail.  I  believe  the  system  is 
true ;  and  if  true,  and  you  are  sincere 
Christians,  it  will  not  be  in  vain  that 
you  have  suffered  in  its  behalf,  though 
you  have  gone  astray.  I  trust,  that  al- 
though your  principles  have  been  shaken, 
yet  they  have  not  been  wholly  over 
thrown,  and  that  you  will  yet  reap  the 
reward  of  your  having  suffered  so  much 
on  account  of  the  gospel/ 

5.  He  therefore  that  ministereth, 
&c.  This  verse  contains  substantially 
a  repetition  of  the  argument  in  ver.  2. 
The  argument  is,  that  the  gift  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  to  them  was  not  imparted 
in  consequence  of  the  observance  of  the 
law  of  Moses,  but  in  connexion  with 
the  preaching  of  the  gospel.  By  the 
word  "  he"  in  this  place,  Clarke,  Dod- 
dridge, Bioomfield,  Chandler,  Locke, 
and  many  others,  suppose  that  the  apos- 
tle means  himself.  Bioomfield  says, 
that  it  is  the  common  opinion  of  "  all 
the  ancient  commentators."  But  this 
seems  to  me  a  strange  opinion.  The 
obvious  reference,  it  seems  to  me,  is  to 
God,  who  had  furnished  or  imparted  to 
them  the  remarkable  influences  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  and  this  had  been  done 
in  connexion  with  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel,  and  not  by  the  observance  of  the 
law.  If,  however,  it  refers  to  Paul,  it 
means  that  he  had  been  made  the  agent 
or  instrument  in  imparting  to  them 
those  remarkable  endowments,  and  that 
this  had  been  done  by  one  who  had  not 
enforced  the  necessity  of  obeying  the 
law  of  Moses,  but  who  had  preached  to 
them  the  simple  gospel. 

6.  Even  as  Abraham  believed  God, 
&c.  See  this  passage  fully  explained 
in  the  Notes  on  Rom.  iv.  3.  The  pas- 
sage is  introduced  here  by  the  apostle 
to  show  that  the  most  eminent  of  t)7- 


330 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.  58 


7  Know  ye  therefore,  that 
they  which  are  of  faith,  the  same 
are  the  children  °  of  Abraham. 

a  Jno.  8.  39.    Ro.  4.  11—16. 


patriarchs  was  not  saved  by  the  deeds 
of  the  law.  He  was  saved  by  faith,  and 
this  fact  showed  that  it  was  possible  to 
be  saved  in  that  way,  and  that  it  was 
the  design  of  God  to  save  men  in  this 
manner.  Abraham  believed  God,  and 
was  justified,  before  the  law  of  Moses 
was  given.  It  could  not,  therefore,  be 
pretended  that  the  law  was  necessary  to 
justification;  for  if  it  had  been,  Abra- 
ham could  not  have  been  saved.  But 
if  not  necessary  in  his  case,  it  was  in 
no  other ;  and  this  instance  demonstrated 
that  the  false  teachers  among  the  Gala- 
tians  were  wrong  even  according  to  the 
Old  Testament 

7.  Know  ye  therefore,  &c.  Learn 
from  this  case.  It  is  an  inference  which 
follows,  that  all  they  who  believe  are  the 
children  of  Abraham.  \  They  which 
are  of  faith.  Who  believe,  and  who 
are  justified  in  this  manner.  ^  Are  the 
children  of  Abraham.  Abraham  was 
the  "  father  of  the  faithful."  The  most 
remarkable  trait  in  his  character  was  his 
unwavering  confidence  in  God.  They 
who  evinced  the  same  tFnit,  therefore, 
were  worthy  to  be  called  his  children. 
They  would  be  justified  in  the  same 
way,  and  in  the  same  manner  meet  the 
approbation  of  God.  It  is  implied  here, 
that  it  was  sufficient  for  salvation  to 
have  a  character  which  would  render  it 
proper  to  say  that  we  are  the  children 
of  Abraham.  If  we  are  like  him,  if  we 
evince  the  same  spirit  and  character,  we 
may  be  sure  of  salvation. 

8.  And  the  Scripture.  The  word 
Scripture  refers  to  the  Old  Testament. 
See  Note,  John  v.  39.  It  is  here  per- 
sonified, or  spoken  of  as  foreseeing. 
The  idea  is,  that  he  by  whom  the  Scrip- 
tures were  inspired,  foresaw  that.  It  is 
agreeable,  the  meaning  is,  to  the  account 
on  the  subject  in  the  Old  Testament. 
The  Syriac  renders  this,  "  Since  God 
foreknew  that  the  Gentiles  would  be 
justified  by  faith,  he  before  announced 


8  And  the  Scripture,  foresee- 
ing that  God  would  justify  b  the 
heathen  through  faith,  preached 

b  vet.  22. 

to  Abraham,  as  the  Scripture  saith,  in 
thee  shall  all  nations  be  blessed." 
|  Foreseeing.  That  is,  this  doctrine  is 
contained  in  the  Old  Testament.  It 
was  foreseen  and  predicted  that  the  hea- 
then would  be  justified  by  faith,  and  not 
by  the  works  of  the  law.  ^  That  God 
would  justify  the  heathen.  Gr.  The 
nations — Td  t$v» — the  Gentiles.  The 
fact  that  the  heathen,  or  the  Gentiles 
would  be  admitted  to  the  privileges  of 
the  true  religion,  and  be  interested  in 
the  benefits  of  the  coming  of  the  Me*, 
siah,  is  a  fact  which  is  everywhere 
abundantly  predicted  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment. As  an  instance,  see  Isa.  xlix.  6. 
22,  23  ;  lx.  I  do  not  know  that  it  is 
anywhere  distinctly  foretold  that  the 
heathen  would  be  justified  by  faith,  nor 
does  the  argument  of  the  apostle  require 
us  to  believe  this.  He  says  that  the 
Scriptures,  i.  e.  he  who  inspired  the 
Scriptures,  foresaw  that  fact,  and  that 
the  Scriptures  were  written  as  if  with 
the  knowledge  of  that  fact ;  but  it  is  not 
directly  affirmed.  The  whole  structure 
and  frame  of  the  Old  Testament,  how- 
ever, proceeds  on  the  supposition  that 
it  would  be  so  ;  and  this  is  all  that  the 
declaration  of  the  apostle  requires  us  to 
understand.  ^  Preached  before  the  gos- 
pel. This  translation  does  not  convey 
quite  the  idea  to  us,  which  the  language 
of  Paul,  in  the  original,  would  to  the 
people  to  whom  he  addressed  it.  We 
have  affixed  a  technical  sense  to  the 
phrase  •  to  preach  the  gospel.'  It  is 
applied  to  the  formal  and  public  annun- 
ciation of  the  truths  of  religion,  espe- 
cially the  '  good  news'  of  a  Saviour's 
birth,  and  of  redemption  by  his  blood. 
But  we  are  not  required  by  the  language 
used  here  to  suppose  that  this  was  done 
to  Abraham,  or  that  'the  gospel' was 
preached  to  him  in  the  sense  in  which 
we  all  now  use  that  phrase.  The  ex- 
pression, in  Greek  (^ck»»^smWto), 
means  merely,   '  the  joyful  news  was 


A.  D.  58.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


331 


before  the  gospel  unto  Abraham, 
saying,  a  In  thee  shall  all  nations 
be  blessed. 

9  So  then  h  they  which  be  of 

oGe.  12.3;  22.18.    Ac.  3.  25. 
b  c.  4.  28. 


announced  beforehand  to  Abraham;' 
soil,  that  in  him  should  all  the  nations 
of  the  earth  be  blessed.  It  was  implied, 
indeed,  that  it  would  be  by  the  Messiah ; 
but  the  distinct  pointof the  '  good  news' 
was  not  the  'gospel'  as  we  understand 
it,  but  it  was  that  somehow  through 
him  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  would 
be  made  happy.  Tindal  has  well  trans- 
lated it,  "  Showed  beforehand  glad 
tidings  unto  Abraham."  This  transla- 
tion should  have  been  adopted  in  our 
common  version.  %  In  thee  shall  all 
nations  be  blessed.  See  Notes  on  Acts 
iii.  25.  Rom.  iv.  13.  All  nations 
should  be  made  happy  in  him,  or  through 
him.  The  sense  is,  that  the  Messiah 
was  to  be  descended  from  him,  and  the 
religion  of  the  Messiah,  producing  peace 
and  salvation,  was  to  be  extended  to  all 
the  nations  of  the  earth.  See  Gen.  xii. 
3.  Comp.  Note  on  ver.  16  of  this 
chapter. 

9.  So  then  they  which  be  of  faith. 
They  whose  leading  characteristic  it  is 
that  they  believe.  This  was  the  leading 
trait  in  the  character  of  Abraham,  and 
this  is  the  leading  thing  required  of 
those  who  embrace  the  gospel,  and  in 
the  character  of  a  true  Christian. 
K  Are  blessed  with  faithful  Abraham. 
In  the  same  manner  they  are  interested 
in  the  promises  made  to  him,  and  they 
will  be  treated  as  he  was.  They  are 
justified  in  the  same  manner,  and  ad- 
mitted to  the  same  privileges  on  earth 
and  in  heaven. 

10.  For  as  many  as  are  of  the  works 
of  the  law.  As  many  as  are  seeking 
to  be  justified  by  yielding  obedience  to 
the  law — whether  the  moral  law,  or  the 
ceremonial  law.  The  proposition  is 
general;  and  it  is  designed  to  show  that, 
from  the  nature  of  the  case,  it  is  impos- 
sible to  be  justified  by  the  works  of  the 
law,  since,  under  all  circumstances  of 


faith    are   blessed   with   faithful 
Abraham. 

10  For  as  many  as  are  of  the 
works  of  the  law,  are  under  the 
curse :  for  it  is  written,  c  Cursed 

c  De.  27.  26. 


obedience  which  we  can  render,  we  are 
still  left  with  its  heavy  curse  resting  on 
us.  f  Are  under  the  curse.  The  curse 
which  the  law  of  God  denounces. 
Having  failed  by  all  their  efforts  to 
yield  perfect  obedience,  they  must,  of 
course,  be  exposed  to  the  curse  which 
the  law  denounces  on  the  guilty.  The 
word  rendered  curse  (*<.<rag*)  means, 
as  with  us,  properly,  imprecation,  or 
cursing.  It  is  used  in  the  Scriptures 
particularly  in  the  sense  of  the  Hebrew 
n^N,  malediction,  or  execration  (Job 
xxxi.  30.  Jer.  xxix.  18.  Dan.  ix.  11)  ; 
of  the  word  mNO  (Mai.  ii.  2.  Rev. 
iii.  33)  ;  and  especially  of  the  common 
Hebrew  word  n1?1?},  a  curse.  Gen.  xxvii. 
12,  13.  Deut.  xi.  26,  28,  29  ;  xxiii.  5; 
xxvii.  13,  et  ssepe  al.  It  is  here  used 
evidently  in  the  sense  of  devoting  to  pu- 
nishment or  destruction  ;  and  the  idea 
is,  that  all  who  attempt  to  secure  salva- 
tion by  the  works  of  the  law,  must  be 
exposed  to  its  penalty.  It  denounces  a 
curse  on  all  who  do  not  yield  entire 
obedience ;  and  no  partial  compliance 
with  its  demands  can  save  from  the  pe- 
nalty, f  For  it  is  written.  The  sub- 
stance of  these  words  is  found  in  Deut. 
xxviii.  26 :  "  Cursed  be  he  that  con- 
firmeth  not  all  the  words  of  this  law  to 
do  them."  It  is  the  solemn  close  of  a 
series  of  maledictions,  which  Moses  de- 
nounces in  that  chapter  on  the  violators 
of  the  law.  In  this  quotation,  Paul  has 
given  the  sense  of  the  passage,  but  he 
has  quoted  literally  neither  from  the 
Hebrew  nor  from  the  Septuagint.  The 
sense,  however,  is  retained.  The  word 
"  cursed"  here  means,  that  the  violator 
of  the  law  shall  be  devoted  to  punish- 
ment or  destruction.  The  phrase  "  that 
continueth  not,"  in  the  Hebrew  is  "  that 
confirmeth  not" — that  does  not  establish 
or  confirm  by  his  life.  He  would  con- 
firm it  by  continuing  to  obey  it ;  and 


332 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.  58. 


is  every  one  that  continueth  not 

in  all  things  which  are  written 

in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them. 

11  But  that  no  man  is  justified 

a  Hab.  2.  4. 

thus  the  sense  in  Paul  and  in  Moses  is 
substantially  the  same.  The  word  "all" 
is  not  expressed  in  the  Hebrew  in  Deu- 
teronomy, but  it  is  evidently  implied, 
and  has  been  inserted  by  the  English 
translators.  It  is  found,  however,  in  six 
MSS.  of  Kennicott  and  De  Rossi ;  in 
the  Samaritan  text;  in  the  Septuagint; 
and  in  several  of  the  Targums. — Clarke. 
1[  The  book  of  the  law.  That  is,  in 
the  law.  This  phrase  is  not  found  in 
the  passage  in  Dent  The  expression 
there  is,  M  the  words  of  this  law."  Paul 
gives  it  a  somewhat  larger  sense,  and 
applies  it  to  the  whole  of  the  law  of  God. 
The  meaning  is,  that  the  whole  law  must 
be  obeyed,  or  man  cannot  be  justified 
by  it,  or  will  be  exposed  to  its  penalty 
and  its  curse.  This  idea  is  expressed 
more  fully  by  James  (ii.  10)  :  "  Who- 
soever shall  keep  the  whole  law,  and 
yet  offend  in  one  point,  he  is  guilty  of 
all;"  that  is,  he  is  guilty  of  breaking 
the  law  as  a  whole,  and  must  be  held 
responsible  for  such  violation.  The 
sentiment  here  is  one  that  is  common 
to  all  law,  and  must  be,  from  the  nature 
of  the  case.  The  idea  is,  that  a  man 
who  does  not  yield  compliance  to  a 
whole  law,  is  subject  to  its  penalty,  or 
to  a  curse.  All  law  is  sustained  on  this 
principle.  A  man  who  has  been  honest, 
and  temperate,  and  industrious,  and  pa- 
triotic, if  he  commits  a  single  act  of 
murder,  is  subject  to  the  curse  of  the 
law,  and  must  meet  the  penalty.  A  man 
who  has  been  honest  and  honourable  in 
all  his  dealings,  yet  if  he  commit  a  sin- 
glo  act  of  forgery,  he  must  meet  the 
curse  denounced  by  the  laws  of  his 
country,  and  bear  the  penalty.  So,  in 
all  matters  pertaining  to  law  :  no  matter 
what  the  integrity  of  the  man  ;  no  mat- 
ter how  upright  he  has  been,  yet,  for 
the  one  offence  the  law  denounces  a  pe- 
nalty, and  he  must  bear  it.  It  is  out  of 
the  question  for  him  to  be  justified  by 


by  the  law  in  the  sight  of  God, 
it  is  evident :  for,  The  "just  shall 
live  by  faith. 

12  And  the  law   h  is  not  of 

b  Ro.  10.  5,  6. 


it.  He  cannot  plead  as  a  reason  why 
he  should  not  be  condemned  for  the  act 
of  murder  or  forgery,  that  he  has  in  all 
other  respects  obeyed  the  law,  or  even 
that  he  has  been  guilty  of  no  such  of- 
fences before.  Such  is  the  idea  of  Paul 
in  the  passage  before  us.  It  was  clear 
to  his  view  that  man  had  not  in  all  re- 
spects yielded  obedience  to  the  law  of 
God.  If  he  had  not  done  this,  it  was 
impossible  that  he  should  he  jusiified  by 
the  law,  and  he  must  bear  its  penalty. 

11.  But  that  no  man  is  justified, 
&c.  The  argument  which  Paul  has 
been  pursuing  he  proceeds  to  confirm 
by  an  express  declaration  of  the  Bible. 
The  argument  is  this :  *  It  is  impossible 
that  a  man  should  be  justified  by  the 
law,  because  God  has  appointed  another 
way  of  justification.'  But  there  cannot 
be  two  ways  of  obtaining  life,  and  as 
he  has  appointed  faith  as  the  condition 
on  which  men  shall  live,  he  has  pre- 
cluded from  them  the  possibility  of  ob- 
taining salvation  in  any  other  mode. 
■t  Fur,  The  just  shall  live  by  faith. 
This  is  quoted  from  Hab.  ii.  4.  This 
passage  is  also  quoted  by  Paul  in  Rom.  i. 
17.  See  it  explained  in  the  Note  on  that 
verse.  The  sense  here  is,  that  life  is 
promised  to  man  only  in  connexion  with 
faith.  It  is  not  by  the  works  of  the  law 
that  it  is  done.  The  condition  of  life 
is  faith :  and  he  lives  who  believes. 
The  meaning  is  not,  I  apprehend,  that 
the  man  who  is  justified  by  faith  shall 
live,  but  that  life  is  promised  and  exists 
only  in  connexion  with  faith,  and  that 
the  just  or  righteous  man  obtains  it  only 
in  this  way.  Of  course  it  cannot  be  ob- 
tained by  the  observance  of  the  law,  but 
must  be  by  some  other  scheme. 

12.  And  the  law  is  not  of  faith. 
The  law  is  not  a  matter  of  faith;  it 
does  not  relate  to  faith ;  it  does  not  re- 
quire faith  ;  it  deals  in  other  matters, 
and  it  pertains  to  another  system  than 


A.  D.  58.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


333 


faith  :  but,  The  a  man  that  doeth 
them  shall  live  in  them. 

13  Christ b  hath  redeemed  us 

aLe.  18.  5.    Eze.  20.  11. 
ft  2  Co.  5,21.    c.  4.  5. 


to  faith.  1f  But,  The  man,  &c.  This 
is  the  language  of  the  law,  and  this  is 
what  the  law  teaches.  It  does  not  make 
provision  for  faith,  but  it  requires  un- 
wavering and  perpetual  obedience,  if 
man  would  obtain  life  by  it.  See  this  pas- 
sage explained  in  the  Notes  on  Rom.  x.  5. 
13.  Christ  hath  redeemed  us.  The 
viord  used  here  (t^»yj^<r&)  is  not  that 
which  is  usually  employed  in  the  New 
Testament  to  denote  redemption.  That 
word  is  XfTgcai.  The  difference  between 
them  mainly  is,  that  the  word  used  here 
more  usually  relates  to  a  purchase  of 
any  kind  ;  the  other  is  used  strictly 
with  reference  to  a  ransom.  The  word 
here  used  is  more  general  in  its  mean- 
ing ;  the  other  is  strictly  appropriated 
to  a  ransom.  This  distinction  is 
not  observable  here,  however,  and 
the  word  here  used  is  employed  in 
the  proper  sense  of  redeem.  It  occurs 
in  the  New  Testament  only  in  this 
place,  and  in  ch.  iv.  5.  Eph.  v.  16. 
Col.  iv.  5.  It  properly  means,  to  pur- 
chase, to  buy  up ;  and  then  to  purchase 
any  one,  to  redeem,  to  set  free.  Here 
it  means,  that  Christ  had  purchased,  or 
set  us  free  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  by 
his  being  made  a  curse  for  us.  On  the 
meaning  of  the  words  redeem  and  ran- 
som, see  my  Notes  on  Rom.  iii.  25,  and 
Isa.  xliii.  3.  Comp.  2  Cor.  v.  21. 
1  From  the  curse  of  the  law.  The 
curse  which  the  lawthreatens,"and  which 
the  execution  of  the  law  would  inflict ; 
the  punishment  due  to  sin.  This  must 
mean,  that  he  has  rescued  us  from  the 
consequences  of  transgression  in  the 
world  of  wo ;  he  has  saved  us  from  the 
punishment  which  our  sins  have  de- 
served. The  word,  "  us"  here,  must 
refer  to  all  who  are  redeemed  ;  that  is, 
to  the  Gentiles  as  well  as  the  Jews. 
The  curse  of  the  law  is  a  curse  which 
is  due  to  sin,  and  cannot  be  regarded  as 
applied  particularly  to  any  one  class  of 
men      All  who  violate  the  law  of  God, 


from  the  curse  of  the  law,  being 
made  a  curse  for  us  :  for  it  is 
written,  c  Cursed  is  every  one 
that  hangeth  on  a  tree  : 

c  De.  21.  23. 


however  that  law  may  be  made  known, 
are  exposed  to  its  penalty.  The  word 
"  law"  here,  relates  to  the  law  of  God 
in  general,  to  all  the  laws  of  God  made 
known  to  man.  The  law  of  God  de- 
nounced death  as  the  wages  of  sin.  It 
threatened  punishment  in  the  future 
world  forever.  That  would  certainly 
have  been  inflicted,  but  for  the  coming 
and  death  of  Christ.  The  world  is  lying 
by  nature  under  this  curse,  and  it  is 
sweeping  the  race  on  to  ruin.  T  Being 
made  a  curse  for  us.  This  is  an  ex- 
ceedingly important  expression.  Tindal 
renders  it,  "  And  was  made  a  cursed  for 
us."  The  Greek  word  is  xato^u.,  the 
same  word  which  is  used  in  ver.  10. 
See  Note  on  that  verse.  There  is 
scarcely  any  passage  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment on  which  it  is  more  important  to 
have  correct  views  than  this;  and 
scarcely  any  one  on  which  more  erro- 
neous opinions  have  been  entertained. 
In  regard  to  it,  we  may  observe  that  it 
does  not  mean,  (1.)  That  by  being 
made  a  curse,  his  character  or  work 
were  in  any  sense  displeasing  to  God. 
He  approved  always  of  what  the  Lord 
Jesus  did,  and  he  regarded  his  whole 
character  with  love  and  approbation. 
The  passage  should  never  be  so  inter- 
preted as  to  leave  the  impression  that  he 
was  in  any  conceivable  sense  the  object 
of  the  divine  displeasure.  (2.)  He  was 
not  ill-deserving.  He  was  not  blame-wor- 
thy. He  had  done  no  wrong.  He  was 
holy,  harmless,  undefiled.  No  crime 
charged  upon  him  was  proved ;  and 
there  is  no  clearer  doctrine  in  the  Bible 
than  that  in  all  his  character  and  work 
the  Lord  Jesus  was  perfectly  holy  and 
pure.  (3.)  He  was  not  guilty  in  any 
proper  sense  of  the  word.  The  word 
guilty  means,  properly,  to  be  bound  to 
punishment  for  crime.  It  does  not 
mean  properly,  to  be  exposed  to  suffer- 
ing, but  it  always,  when  properly  used, 
implies  the  notion  of  personal  crime.    I 


S34 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.  58. 


know  that  theologians  have  used  the 
word  in  a  somewhat  different  sense,  but 
it  is  contrary  to  the  common  and  just 
apprehensions  of  men.  When  we  say 
that  a  man  is  guilty,  we  instinctively 
think  of  his  having  committed  a  crime, 
or  having  done  something  wrong.  When 
a  jury  finds  a  man  guilty,  it  implies  that 
the  man  has  committed  a  crime,  and 
ought  to  be  punished.  But  in  this 
sense,  and  in  no  conceivable  sense, 
where  the  word  is  properly  used,  was 
the  Lord  Jesus  guilty.  (4.)  It  cannot 
be  meant  that  the  Lord  Jesus  properly 
bore  the  penalty  of  the  law.  His  suf- 
ferings were  in  the  place  of  the  penalty, 
not  the  penalty  itself.  They  were  a 
substitution  for  the  penalty,  and  were, 
therefore,  strictly  and  properly  vicarious, 
and  were  not  the  identical  sufferings 
which  the  sinner  would  himself  have 
endured.  There  are  some  things  in  the 
penalty  of  the  law,  which  the  Lord 
Jesus  did  not  endure,  and  which  a  sul>- 
stitute  or  a  vicarious  victim  could  not 
endure.  Remorse  of  conscience  is  a 
part  of  the  inflicted  penalty  of  the  law, 
and  will  be  a  vital  part  of  the  sufferings 
of  the  sinner  in  hell— but  the  Lord 
Jesus  did  not  endure  that.  Eternity 
of  sufferings  is  an  essential  part  of  the 
penalty  of  the  law — but  the  Lord  Jesus 
did  not  suffer  forever.  Thus  there  are 
numerous  sorrows  connected  with  the 
consciousness  of  personal  guilt,  which 
the  Lord  Jesus  did  not  and  cannot  en- 
dure. (5.)  He  was  not  sinful,  or  a 
sinner,  in  any  sense.  He  did  not  so 
take  human  guilt  upon  him,  that  the 
words  sinful  and  sinner  could  with  any 
propriety  be  applied  to  him.  They  are 
not  applied  to  him  in  any  way  in  the 
Bible ;  but  the  language  there  is  unde- 
viating.  It  is,  that  in  all  senses  he  was 
holy  and  undefiled.  And  yet  language 
is  often  used  on  this  subject  which  is 
horrible  and  but  little  short  of  blasphe- 
my, as  if  he  was  guilty,  and  as  if  he 
was  even  the  greatest  sinner  in  the  uni- 
verse. I  have  heard  language  used 
which  sent  a  thrill  of  horror  to  my  heart; 
and  language  may  be  found  in  the  writ- 
ings of  those  who  hold  to  the  doctrine  of 
imputation  in  the  strictest  sense,  which 


is  but  little  short  of  blasphemy.  I  have 
hesitated  whether  I  should  copy  expres- 
sions here  on  this  subject  from  one  of 
the  greatest  and  best  of  men, — I  mean 
Luther, — to  show  the  nature  of  the 
views  which  men  sometimes  entertain 
on  the  subject  of  the  imputation  of  sin 
to  Christ.  But  as  Luther  deliberately 
published  them  to  the  world  in  his  fa- 
vourite book,  which  he  used  to  call  his 
"  Catharine  de  Bora,"  after  the  name  of 
his  wife ;  and  as  similar  views  are 
sometimes  entertained  now ;  and  as  it 
is  important  that  such  views  should  be 
held  up  to  universal  abhorrence, — no 
matter  how  respectable  the  source  from 
which  they  emanate, — I  will  copy  a 
few  of  his  expressions  on  this  subject. 
"  And  this,  no  doubt,  all  the  prophets 
did  foresee  in  spirit,  that  Christ  should 
become  the  greatest  transgressor,  mur 
derer,  adulterer,  thief,  rebel,  and  bias 
phemer,  that  ever  was  or  could  be 
in  the  world.  For  he  being  made  a 
sacrifice  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world,  is 
not  now  an  innocent  person  and  without 
sins ;  is  not  now  the  Son  of  God,  born  of 
the  Virgin  Mary;  but  a  sinner  which  hath 
and  carrieth  the  sin  of  Paul,  who  was  a 
blasphemer,  an  oppressor,  and  a  perse- 
cutor; of  Peter,  which  denied  Christ; 
of  David,  which  was  an  adulterer,  a 
murderer,  and  caused  the  Gentiles  to 
blaspheme  the  name  of  the  Lord  ;  and, 
briefly,  which  hath  and  beareth  all  the 
sins  of  all  men  in  his  body :  not  that 
he  himself  committed  them,  but  for  that 
he  received  them,  being  committed  or 
done  of  us,  and  laid  them  upon  his  own 
body,  that  he  might  make  satisfaction 
for  them  with  his  own  blood.  There- 
fore, this  general  sentence  of  Moses 
comprehendeth  him  also  (albeit  in  his 
own  person  he  was  innocent),  because 
it  found  him  amongst  sinners  and  trans- 
gressors ;  like  as  the  magistrate  taketh 
him  for  a  thief,  and  punisheth  him 
whom  he  findeth  among  other  thieves 
and  transgressors,  though  he  never  cam- 
mitted  any  thing  worthy  of  death. 
When  the  law,  therefore,  found  him 
among  thieves,  it  condemned  and  killed 
him  as  a  thief."  "  If  thou  wilt  deny 
him  to  be  a  sinner  and  accursed,  deny, 


A.  D.  58.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


335 


also,  that  he  was  crucified  and  dead." 
"  But  if  it  be  not  absurd  to  confess  and 
believe  that  Christ  was  crucified  between 
two  thieves,  then  it  is  not  absurd  to  say 
that  he  was  accursed,  and  of  am.  sis- 

2TERS,    THE    GREATEST."*       "  God,     OUr 

most  merciful  Father,  sent  his  only  Son 
into  the  world,  and  laid  upon  him  all 
the  sins  of  all  men,  saying,  be  thou  Pe- 
ter, that  denier;  Paul,  that  persecutor, 
olasphemer,  and  cruel  oppressor ;  David, 
that  adulterer;  that  sinner  which  did 
eat  the  apple  in  Paradise ;  that  thief 
which  handed  upon  the  cross;  and, 
briefly,  be  thou  the  person  which  hath 
committed  the  sins  of  all  men;  see, 
therefore,  that  thou  pay  and  satisfy  for 
them." — Luther  on  the  Galatians,  ch. 
iii.  13.  [pp.  213—215.  Ed.  Lond. 
1838.]  Luther  was  a  great  and  holy 
man.  He  held,  as  firmly  as  any  one 
can,  to  the  personal  holiness  of  the  Re- 
deemer. But  this  language  shows  how 
imperfect  and  erroneous  views  may 
warp  the  language  of  holy  men ;  and 
how  those  sentiments  led  him  to 
use  language  which  is  little  less  than 
blasphemy.  Indeed,  we  cannot  doubt 
that  if  Luther  had  heard  this  very  lan- 
guage used  by  one  of  the  numerous 
enemies  of  the  gospel  in  his  time,  as 
applicable  to  the  Saviour,  he  would 
have  poured  out  the  full  torrent  of  his 
burning  wrath,  and  all  the  stern  denun- 
ciations of  his  most  impassioned  elo- 
quence, on  the  head  of  the  scoffer  and 
the  blasphemer.  It  is  singular,  it  is  one 
of  the  remarkable  facts  in  the  history 
of  mind,  that  a  man  with  the  New  Tes- 
tament before  him,  and  accustomed  to 
contemplate  daily  its  language,  could 
ever  have  allowed  himself  to  use  ex- 
pressions like  these  of  the  holy  and  un- 
spotted Saviour.  But  what  is  the 
meaning  of  the  language  of  Paul,  it 
will  be  asked,  when  he  says  that  he  was 
made  a  curse  for  us  V*     In  reply,  I 


hangeth  on  a  tree."  This  passage  is 
found  in  Deut.  xxi.  23.  It  occurs  in  a 
law  respecting  one  who  was  hanged  for 
a  "  sin  worthy  of  death."  ver.  22.  The 
law  was,  that  he  should  be  buried  the 
same  day,  and  that  the  body  should  not 
remain  suspended  over  the  night,  and 
it  is  added,  as  a  reason  for  this,  that 
"  he  that  is  hanged  is  accursed  of  God  )" 
or,  as  it  is  in  the  margin,  "  the  curse  of 
God."  The  meaning  is,  that  when  one 
was  executed  for  crime  in  this  manner, 
he  was  the  object  of  the  Divine  displea- 
sure and  malediction.  Regarded  thus 
as  an  object  accursed  of  God,  there  was 
a  propriety  that  the  man  who  was  exe- 
cuted for  crime  should  be  buried  as 
soon  as  possible,  that  the  offensive  ob- 
ject should  be  hidden  from  the  view. 
In  quoting  this  passage,  Paul  leaves  out 
the  words  "  of  God,"  and  simply  says, 
that  the  one  who  was  hanged  on  a  tree 
was  held  accursed.  The  sense  of  the 
passage  before  us  is,  therefore,  that  Jesus 
was  subjected  to  what  was  regarded  as 
an  accursed  death.  He  was  treated  in 
his  death  as  if  he  had  been  a  criminal. 
He  was  put  to  death  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  he  would  have  been  if  he  had 
himself  been  guilty  of  the  violation  of 
the  law.  Had  he  been  a  thief  or  a  mur- 
derer; had  he  committed  the  grossest 
a: id  the  blackest  crimes,  this  would  have 
been  the  punishment  to  which  he  would 
have  been  subjected.  This  was  the 
mode  of  punishment  adapted  to  those 
crimes,  and  he  was  treated  as  if  all  these 
had  been  committed  by  him.  Or,  in 
other  words,  had  he  been  guilty  of  all 
these,  or  any  of  these,  he  could  not 
have  been  treated  in  a  more  shameful 
and  ignominious  manner  than  he  was; 
nor  could  he  have  been  subjected  to  a 
j  more  cruel  death.  As  has  already  been 
I  intimated,  it  does  not  mean  that  he  was 
guilty,  nor  that  he  was  not  the  object  of 
the  approbation  and  love  of  God,  but 

answer,  that  the  meaning  must  be  as-  j  that  his  death  was  the  same   that  it 

certained  from  the  passage  which  Paul  1  would  have  been  if  he  had  been  the 

quotes  in  support  of  his  assertion,  that 

Christ  was  "  made  a  curse  for  us."  That 

passage  is,  "  Cursed  is  every  one  that  j  It  was  by  such  substituted  sorrows  that 


vilest  of  malefactors,  and  that  that  death 
was  regarded  by  the  law  as  accursed. 


*  The  underscoring  ia  mine. 


we  are  saved  ;  and  he  consented  to  die 
the  most  shameful  and  painful  death, 


$36 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.  58. 


14  That  a  the  blessing  of 
Abraham  might  come  on  the 
Gentiles  through  Jesus  Christ ; 

a  Ro.  4.  9,  16. 

as  if  he  were  the  vilest  malefactor,  in 
order  that  the  most  guilty  and  vile  of 
the  human  race  might  be  saved.  In  re- 
gard to  the  way  in  which  his  death  is 
connected  with  our  justification,  see 
Note  on  ch.  ii.  16.  It  maybe  observed, 
also,  that  the  punishment  of  the  cross 
was  unknown  to  the  Hebrews  in  the 
time  of  Moses,  and  that  the  passage  in 
Deut.  xxi.  23,  did  not  refer  originally 
to  that.  Nor  is  it  known  that  hang- 
ing criminals  alive  was  practised  among 
the  Hebrews.  Those  who  were  guilty 
of  great  crimes  were  first  stoned  or 
otherwise  put  to  death,  and  then  their 
bodies  were  suspended  for  a  few  hours 
on  a  gibbet.  In  many  cases,  how- 
ever, merely  the  head  was  suspended 
after  it  had  been  severed  from  the  body. 
Gen.  xl.  17—19.  Num.  xxv.  4,  u. 
Crneifixion  was  not  known  in  the  time 
or  the  giving  of  the  law  ;  but  the  Jews 
gave  such  an  extent  to  the  law  in  Deut. 
xxi.  23,  as  to  include  this  mode  of  pu- 
nishment. See  John  xix.  31,  seq. 
The  force  of  the  argument  here,  as 
used  by  the  apostle  Paul,  is,  that  if  to 
be  suspended  on  a  gibbet  after  having 
been  put  to  death  was  regarded  as  a 
curse,  it  should  not  be  regarded  as  a 
curse  in  a  less  degree  to  be  suspended 
alive  on  a  cross,  and  to  be  put  to  death 
in  this  manner.  If  this  interpretation 
of  the  passage  be  correct,  then  it  follows 
that  this  should  never  be  used  as  im- 
plying, in  any  sense,  that  Christ  was 
guilty,  or  that  he  was  ill-deserving,  or 
that  he  was  an  object  of  the  Divine  dis- 
pleasure, or  that  he  poured  out  on  him 
all  his  wrath.  He  was,  throughout,  an 
object  of  the  Divine  love  and  approba- 
tion. God  never  loved  him  more,  or 
approved  what  he  did  more,  than  when 
he  gave  himself  to  death  on  the  cross. 
He  had  no  hatred  towards  him ;  he  had 
no  displeasure  to  express  towards  him. 
And  it  is  this  which  makes  the  atone- 
ment so  wonderful  and  so  glorious. 
Had  he  been  displeased  with  him  ;  had 


that  we  might  receive  the  pro- 
mise b  of  the  Spirit  through 
faith. 

b  Is.  44.  3.    Eze.  36.  27.    Joel  2.  28,  29. 


the  Redeemer  been  properly  an  object 
of  his  wrath  ;  had  he  in  any  sense  de- 
served those  sorrows,  there  would  have 
been  no  merit  in  his  sufferings;  there 
would  have  been  no  atonement.  What 
merit  can  there  be  when  one  suffers 
only  what  he  deserves!  But  what 
made  the  atonement  so  wonderful,  so  glo- 
rious, so  benevolent ;  what  made  it  an 
atonement  at  all,  was,  that  innocence 
was  treated  as  if  it  were  guilt ;  that  the 
most  pure,  and  holy,  and  benevolent, 
and  lovely  being  on  earth  should  consent 
to  be  treated,  and  should  be  treated  by 
God  and  man,  as  if  he  were  the  most 
vile  and  ill-deserving.  This  is  the  mys- 
tery of  the  atonement ;  this  shows  the 
wonders  of  the  Divine  benevolence ; 
this  is  the  nature  of  substituted  sorrow ; 
and  this  lays  the  foundation  for  the  offer 
of  pardon,  and  for  the  hope  of  eternal 
salvation. 

14.  That  the  blessing  of  Abraham. 
The  blessing  which  Abraham  enjoyed, 
to  wit,  that  of  being  justified  by  faith. 
^  Might  come  on  the  Gentiles.  As 
well  as  on  the  Jews.  Abraham  was 
blessed  in  this  manner  before  he  was 
circumcised  (Rom.  iv.  11),  and  the 
same  blessing  might  be  imparted  to 
others  also  who  are  not  circumcised.  See 
this  argument  illustrated  in  the  Notes 
on  Rom.  iv.  10—12.  f  Through 
Jems  Christ.  Since  he  has  been  made 
a  curse  for  all,  and  since  he  had  no  ex- 
clusive reference  to  the  Jews  or  to  any 
other  class  of  men,  all  may  come  and 
partake  alike  of  the  benefits  of  his  sal- 
vation. 1  That  we  might  receive  the 
promise  of  the  Spirit.  That  all  we 
who  are  Christian  converts.  The  pro- 
mise of  the  Spirit,  or  the  promised 
Spirit,  is  here  put  for  all  the  blessings 
connected  with  the  Christian  religion. 
It  includes  evidently  the  miraculous 
agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  all  his 
influences  in  renewing  the  heart,  in 
sanctifying  the  soul,  and  in  comforting 
the  people  of  God.     These  influences 


A.  D.  58.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


337 


15  Brethren,  I  speak  after  the 
manner  of  men  ;  Though  it  be 
but  a  man's  *  covenant,  yet  if  it 

»  testament. 

had  been  obtained  in  virtue  of  the  suf- 
ferings and  death  of  the  Lord  Jesus  in 
the  place  of  sinners,  and  these  influ- 
ences were  the  sum  of  all  the  blessings 
promised  by  the  prophets. 

15.  Brethren,  I  speak  after  the  man- 
ner of  men.  I  draw  an  illustration  from 
what  actually  occurs  among  men.  The 
illustration  is,  that  when  a  contract  or 
agreement  is  made  by  men  involving 
obligations  and  promises,  no  one  can 
add  to  it  or  take  from  it.  It  will  remain 
as  it  was  originally  made.  So  with 
God.  He  made  a  solemn  promise  to 
Abraham.  That  promise  pertained  to 
his  posterity.  The  blessing  was  con- 
nected with  that  promise,  and  it  was  of 
the  nature  of  a  compact  with  Abraham. 
But  if  so,  then  this  could  not  be  effected 
by  the  law  which  was  four  hundred 
years  after,  and  the  law  must  have  been 
given  to  secure  some  different  object 
from  that  designed  by  the  promise  made 
to  Abraham,  ver,  19.  But  the  promise 
made  to  Abraham  was  designed  to  se- 
cure the  "  inheritance,"  or  the  favour  of 
God ;  and  if  so,  then  the  same  thing 
could  not  be  secured  by  the  observance 
of  the  law,  since  there  could  not  be  two 
ways  so  unlike  each  other  of  obtaining 
the  same  thing.  God  cannot  have  two 
ways  of  justifying  and  saving  men; 
and  if  he  revealed  a  mode  to  Abraham, 
and  that  mode  was  by  faith,  then  it 
could  not  be  by  the  observance  of  the 
law  which  was  given  so  long  after. 
The  main  design  of  the  argument  and 
the  illustration  here  (ver.  15,  seq.)  is 
*o  show  that  the  promise  made  to  Abra- 
nam  was  by  no  means  made  void  by  the 
giving  of  the  law.  The  law  had  another 
design,  which  did  not  interfere  with  the 
promise  made  to  Abraham.  That  stood 
on  its  own  merits,  irrespective  of  the 
demands  and  the  design  of  the  law. 
It  is  possible,  as  Rosenmuller  suggests, 
that  Paul  may  have  had  his  eye  on  an 
objection  to  his  view.  The  objection 
may  have  been  that  there  were  import- 
29 


be  confirmed,  no  man  disannul- 
leth,  or  addeth  thereto. 

16  Now  to  Abraham  °  and  his 

aGe.  12.3,7:  17.7. 


ant  acts  of  legislation  which  succeeded 
the  promise  made  to  Abraham,  and  that 
that  promise  must  have  been  superseded 
by  the  giving  of  the  law.  To  this  he 
replies  that  the  Mosaic  law  given  at  a 
late  period  could  not  take  away  or  nullify 
a  solemn  promise  made  to  Abraham, 
but  that  it  was  intended  for  a  different 
object.  1  Though  it  be  but  a  man's 
covenant.  A  compact  -or  agreement  be- 
tween man  and  man.  Even  in  such  a 
case  no  one  can  add  to  it  or  take  from 
it.  The  argument  here  is,  that  such  a 
covenant  or  agreement  must  be  much 
less  important,  than  a  promise  made  by 
God.  But  even  that  could  not  be  an- 
nulled. How  much  less,  therefore, 
could  a  covenant  made  by  God  be 
treated  as  if  it  were  vain.  The  word 
covenant  here  (JuS-™*)  is  in  the 
margin  rendered  "  Testament ;"  i.  e. 
will.  So  Tindal  renders  it.  Its  proper 
classical  signification  is  will  or  testa- 
ment, though  in  the  Septuagint  and  in 
the  New  Testament  it  is  the  word 
which  is  used  to  denote  a  covenant  or 
compact.  See  Note,  Acts  ii*i.  25.  Here 
it  is  used  in  the  proper  sense  of  the 
word  covenant,  or  compact;  a  mutual 
agreement  between  man  and  man. 
The  idea  is,  that  where  such  a  cove- 
nant exists ;  where  the  faith  of  a  man 
is  solemnly  pledged  in  this  manner,  no 
change  can  be  made  in  the  agreement. 
It  is  ratified,  and  firm,  and  final,  f  If 
it  be  confirmed.  By  a  seal  or  other- 
wise. \  No  man  disannulleth,  &c.  It 
must  stand.  No  one  can  change  it. 
No  new  conditions  can  be  annexed ; 
nor  can  there  be  any  drawing  back 
from  its  terms.  It  binds  the  parties  to 
a  faithful  fulfilment  of  all  the  condi- 
tions. This  is  well  understood  among 
men ;  and  the  apostle  says  that  the 
same  thing  must  take  place  in  regard 
to  God. 

1 6.  Now  to  Abraham  and  his  seed. 
To  him  and  his  posterity,  f  Were  the 
promises  made.     The  promise  here  re- 


338 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.  58. 


seed    were  the  promises  made. 
He  saith  not,  And  to  seeds,  as  of 

ferred  to  was  that  which  is  recorded  in 
Gen.  xxii.  17,  18:  "In  blessing  I  will 
bless  thee,  and  in  multiplying  I  will 
multiply  thy  seed  as  the  stars  of  heaven, 
and  as  the  sand  which  is  upon  the  sea- 
shore ;  and  in  thy  seed  shall  all  the  na- 
tions of  the  earth  be  blessed."  ^  He 
saith  not,  And  to  seeds,  as  if  many,  but 
as  of  one,  &c.  He  does  not  use  the 
plural  term,  as  if  the  promise  extended 
to  many  persons,  but  he  speaks  in  the 
singular  number,  as  if  but  one  was  in- 
tended; and  that  one  must  be  the 
Messiah.  Such  is  Paul's  interpretation ; 
such  is  evidently  the  sentiment  which 
he  intends  to  convey,  and  the  argument 
which  he  intends  to  urge.  He  designs 
evidently  to  be  understood  as  affirming 
that  in  the  use  of  the  singular  number 
ff-7rtpuA  (seed),  instead  of  the  plural 
a-7ri^fA*.<rdL  (seeds),  there  is  a  fair  ground 
of  argument  to  demonstrate  that  the 
promise  related  to  Christ  or  the  Mes- 
siah, and  to  him  primarily  if  not  ex- 
clusively. Now  no  one  ever  probably 
read  this  passage  without  feeling  a 
difficulty,  and  without  asking  himself 
whether  this  argument  is  sound,  and  is 
worthy  a  man  of  candour,  and  especially 
of  an  inspired  man.  Some  of  the  diffi- 
culties in  the  passage  are  these.  (1.) 
The  promise  referred  to  in  Genesis 
seems  to  have  related  to  the  posterity  of 
Abraham  at  large,  without  any  particu- 
lar reference  to  an  individual.  It  is  to 
his  seed ;  his  descendants ;  to  all  his 
seed  or  posterity.  Such  would  be  the 
fair  and  natural  interpretation  should 
it  be  read  by  hundreds  or  thousands  of 
persons  who  had  never  heard  of  the 
interpretation  here  put  upon  it  by  Paul. 
(2.)  The  argument  of  the  apostle  seems 
to  proceed  on  the  supposition  that  the 
word  "seed"  (inri^fx'j.),  i.  e.  posterity, 
here  cannot  refer  to  more  than  one  per- 
son. If  it  had,  says  he,  it  would  have 
been  in  the  plural  number.  But  the 
fact  is,  that  the  word  is  often  used  to 
denote  posterity  at  large ;  to  refer  to 
descendants  without  limitation,  just  as 
the  word  posterity  is  with  us ;  and  it  is 


many ;  but  as  of    one,  And  to 
thy  seed,  which  is  Christ. 

a  fact,  moreover,  that  the  word  is  not 
used  in  the  plural  at  all  to  denote  a  pos- 
terity, the  singular  form  being  con- 
stantly employed  for  that  purpose.  Any 
one  who  will  open  Tromm's  Concord- 
ance to  the  Septuagint,  or  Schmids' 
on  the  New  Testament,  will  see  the 
most  ample  confirmation  of  this  remark. 
Indeed  the  plural  form  of  the  word  is 
never  used  except  in  this  place  in  Gala- 
tians.  The  difficulty,  therefore,  is,  that 
the  remark  here  of  Paul  appears  to  be 
a  trick  of  argument,  or  a  quibble  more 
worthy  of  a  trifling  Jewish  Rabbi,  than 
of  a  grave  reasoner  or  an  inspired  man. 
I  have  stated  this  difficulty  freely  just 
as  I  suppose  it  has  struck  hundreds  of 
minds,  because  I  do  not  wish  to  shrink 
from  any  real  difficulty  in  examining 
the  Bible,  but  to  see  whether  it  can  be 
fairly  met.  In  meeting  it,  expositor? 
have  resorted  to  various  explanations, 
most  of  them,  as  it  seems  to  me,  unsa- 
tisfactory, and  it  is  not  necessary  to  de- 
tail them.  Bishop  Burnet,  Doddridge, 
and  some  others  suppose  that  the  apos- 
tle means  to  say  that  the  promises  made 
to  Abraham  were  not  only  appropriated 
to  one  class  of  his  descendants,  that  is, 
to  those  by  Isaac,  but  that  they  centred 
in  one  illustrious  person,  through  whom 
all  the  rest  are  made  partakers  of  the 
blessings  of  the  Abrahamic  covenant. 
This  Doddridge  admits  the  apostle  says 
in  ubad  Greek,"  but  still  he  supposes 
that  this  is  the  true  exposition.  Noessett 
and  Rosenmuller  suppose  that  by  the 
word  c-Tj-s^*  (seed)  here,  is  not  meant 
the  Messiah,  but  Christians  in  general ; 
the  body  of  believers.  But  this  is  evi- 
dently in  contradiction  of  the  apostle, 
who  expressly  affirms  that  Christ  was 
intended.  It  is  also  liable  to  another  ob- 
jection that  is  fatal  to  the  opinion.  The 
very  point  of  the  argument  of  the  apos- 
tle is,  that  the  singular  and  not  the 
plural  form  of  the  word  is  used,  and 
that  therefore,  an  individual  and  not  a 
collective  body  or  a  number  of  indivi- 
duals is  intended.  But  according  to  this 
interpretation  the  reference  is,  in  fact,  to 


A.  D.  58.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


339 


a  numerous  body  of  individuals,  to  the 
whole  body  of  Christians.  Jerome  af- 
firms that  the  apostle  made  use  of  a 
false  argument,  which,  although  it  might 
appear  well  enough  to  the  stupid  Gala- 
tians,  would  not  be  approved  by  wise  or 
learned  men. —  Chandler.  Borger  en- 
deavours to  show  that  this  was  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  mode  of  speaking 
and  writing  among  the  Hebrews,  and 
especially  that  the  Jewish  Rabbis  were 
accustomed  to  draw  an  argument  like 
this  from  the  singular  number,  and  that 
the  Hebrew  word  (jn?)  seed  is  often 
used  by  them  in  this  manner.  See  his 
remarks  as  quoted  by  Bloomfield  in  lac. 
But  the  objection  to  this  is,  that  though 
this  might  be  common,  yet  it  is  not  the 
less  a  quibble  on  the  word,  for  certainly 
the  very  puerile  reasoning  of  the  Jewish 
Rabbis  is  no  good  authority  on  which 
to  vindicate  the  authority  of  an  apostle. 
Locke  and  Clarke  suppose  that  this  re- 
fers to  Christ  as  the  spiritual  head  of 
the  mystical  body,  and  to  all  believers 
in  him.  Le  Clerc  supposes  that  it  is  an 
allegorical  kind  of  argument,  that  was 
fitted  to  convince  the  Jews  only,  who 
were  accustomed  to  this  kind  of  reason- 
ing. I  do  not  know  but  this  solution 
may  be  satisfactory  to  many  minds,  and 
that  it  is  capable  of  vindication,  since  it 
is  not  easy  to  say  how  far  it  is  proper  to 
make  use  of  methods  of  argument  used 
by  an  adversary  in  order  to  convince 
them.  The  argumentum  ad  hominem 
is  certainly  allowable  to  a  certain  extent, 
when  designed  to  show  the  legitimate 
tendency  of  the  principles  advanced  by 
an  opponent.  But  here  there  is  no  evi- 
dence that  Paul  was  reasoning  with  an 
adversary.  He  was  showing  the  Gala- 
tians,  not  the  Jews,  what  was  the  truth, 
and  justice  to  the  character  of  the  apos- 
tle requires  us  to  suppose  that  he  would 
make  use  of  only  such  arguments  as 
are  in  accordance  with  the  eternal  prin- 
ciples of  truth,  and  such  as  may  be 
seen  to  be  true  in  all  countries  and  at 
all  times.  The  question  then  is,  whether 
the  argument  of  the  apostle  here  drawn 
from  the  use  of  the  singular  word 
a-Tti^fxa  {seed),  is  one  that  can  be  seen  to 
be  sound  !   or  is  it  a  mere  quibble,  as 


Jerome  and  Le  Clerc  suppose  1  or  is  it 
to  be  left  to  be  presumed  to  have  had  a 
force  which  we  cannot  now  trace ;  for 
this  is  possible.  Socrates  and  Plato  may 
have  used  arguments  of  a  subtle  nature, 
based  on  some  nice  distinctions  of  words 
which  were  perfectly  sound,  but  which 
we,  from  our  necessary  ignorance  of 
the  delicate  shades  of  meaning  in  the 
language,  cannot  now  understand.  Per- 
haps the  following  remarks  may  show 
that  there  is  real  force  and  propriety  in 
the  position  which  the  apostle  takes 
here.  If  not,  then  I  confess  my  inabi- 
lity to  explain  the  passage.  (1.)  There 
can  be  no  reasonable  objection  to  th6 
opinion  that  the  promise  originally 
made  to  Abraham  included  the  Messiah, 
and  the  promised  blessings  were  to  de- 
scend through  him.  This  is  so  often 
affirmed  in  the  New  Testament,  that  to 
deny  it  would  be  to  deny  the  repeated 
declarations  of  the  sacred  writers,  and 
to  make  war  on  the  whole  structure  of 
the  Bible.  See  particularly  Rom.  iv. 
Comp.  John  viii.  56.  If  this  general 
principle  be  admitted,  it  will  remove 
much  perplexity  from  the  controversy. 
(2.)  The  promise  made  to  Abraham 
(Gen.  xxii.  18),  "and  in  thy  seed 
(unta,  Sept.  w  t<o  a-Ti^unri  <rou,  where 
the  words  both  in  Heb.  and  in  Gr.  are 
in  the  singular  number)  shall  all  the 
nations  of  the  earth  be  blessed,"  cannot 
refer  to  all  the  seed  or  the  posterity  of 
Abraham  taken  collectively.  He  had 
two  sons,Isaacby  Rebecca,  and  Ishmael 
by  Hagar,  besides  numerous  descend- 
ants by  Keturah.  Gen.  xxv.  I,  seq. 
Through  a  large  part  of  these  no  par- 
ticular blessings  descended  on  the  hu- 
man family,  and  there  is  no  sense  in 
which  all  the  families  of  the  earth  are 
particularly  blessed  in  them.  On  any 
supposition,  therefore,  there  must  have 
been  some  limitation  of  the  promise ; 
j  or  the  word  "  seed"  was  intended  to  in- 
|  elude  only  some  portion  of  his  descend- 
j  ants,  whether  a  particular  branch  or  an 
j  individual,  does  not  yet  appear.  It 
must  have  referred  to  apart  only  of  the 
j  posterity  of  Abraham,  but  to  what  part 
is  to  be  learned  only  by  subsequent  re- 
I  velations.      (3.)  It   was  the   intention 


540 


GALATIANS 


[A.  D.  58. 


17  And    this    I    say,     That 
the  covenant  that  was  confirmed 


of  God  to  confine  the  blessing  to  one 
branch  of  the  family,  to  Isaac  and  his 
descendants.  The  peculiar  promised 
blessing  was  to  be  through  him,  and 
not  through  the  family  of  Ishmael. 
This  intention  is  often  expressed.  Gen. 
xvii.  19 — 21  ;  xxi.  12;  xxv.  11.  Comp. 
Rom.  ix.  7.  Heb.  xi.  18.  Thus  the 
original  promise  of  a  blessing  through  the 
posterity  of  Abraham  became  somewhat 
narrowed  down,  so  as  to  show  that  there 
was  to  be  a  limitation  of  the  promise  to 
a  particular  portion  of  his  posterity. 
(4.)  If  the  promise  had  referred  to  the 
two  branches  of  the  family  ;  if  it  had 
been  intended  to  include  Ishmael  as 
well  as  Isaac,  then  some  term  would 
have  been  used  that  would  have  ex- 
pressed this.  So  unlike  were  Isaac  and 
Ishmael;  so  different  in  the  circum- 
stances of  their  birth  and  their  future 
life;  so  dissimilar  were  the  prophecies 
respecting  them,  that  it  might  be  said 
that  their  descendants  were  two  races 
of  men  ;  and  in  Scripture  the  race  of 
Ishmael  ceased  to  be  spoken  of  as  the 
descendants  or  the  posterity  of  Abra- 
ham. There  was  a  sense  in  which  the 
posterity  of  Isaac  was  regarded  as  the 
seed  or  posterity  of  Abraham  in  which 
the  descendants  of  Ishmael  were  not ; 
and  the  term  (ttt^jj.x  or  "  seed"  there- 
fore properly  designated  the  posterity  of 
Isaac.  It  might  be  said,  then,  that  the 
promise  "to  thy  seed"  did  not  refer  to  the 
two  races,  as  if  he  had  said  <T7rifA.ct.Tx, 
"seeds,"  but  to  one  {jr7r'i^<t),  '  the  seed' 
of  Abraham,  by  way  of  eminence. 
(5.)  This  promise  was  subsequently 
narrowed  down  still  more,  so  as  to  in- 
clude only  one  portion  of  the  descend- 
ants of  Isaac.  Thus  it  was  limited  to 
the  posterity  of  Jacob,  Esau  being  ex- 
cluded ;  subsequently  the  peculiar  bless- 
ing was  promised  to  the  family  of 
Judah,  one  of  the  twelve  sons  of  Jacob 
(Gen.  xlix.  10);  in  subsequent  times 
it  was  still  further  narrowed  down  or 
limited  to  the  family  of  Jesse ;  then  to 
that  of  David ;  then  to  that  of  Solomon, 


before    of   God    in    Christ,   the 
law,  which  a  was  four  hundred 

a  Ex.  12.  40,  41 


until  it  terminated  in  the  Messiah.  The 
original  intention  of  the  promise  was 
that  there  should  be  a  limitation,  and 
that  limitation  was  made  from  age 
to  age,  until  it  terminated  in  the  Mes- 
siah, the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  By  being 
thus  narrowed  down  from  age  to  age, 
and  limited  by  successive  revelations, 
it  was  shown  that  the  Messiah  was  emi- 
nently intended, — which  is  what  Paul 
says  here.  The  promise  was  indeed  at 
first  general,  and  the  term  used  was  of 
the  most  general  nature ;  but  it  was 
shown  from  time  to  time  that  God 
intended  that  it  should  be  applied  only 
to  one  branch  or  portion  of  the  family 
of  Abraham ;  and  that  limitation  was 
finally  so  made  as  to  terminate  in  the 
Messiah.  This  I  take  to  be  the  mean- 
ing of  this  very  difficult  passage  of 
Scripture  ;  and  though  it  may  not  be 
thought  that  all  the  perplexities  are  re- 
moved by  these  remarks,  yet  I  trust  they 
will  be  seen  to  be  so  far  removed  as 
that  it  will  appear  that  there  is  real  force 
in  the  argument  of  the  apostle,  and  that 
it  is  not  a  mere  trick  of  argument,  or  a 
quibble  unworthy  of  him  as  an  apostle 
and  a  man. 

17.  The  covenant  which  was  con- 
firmed before  of  God.  By  God,  in  his 
promise  to  Abraham.  It  was  confirmed 
before  the  giving  of  the  law.  The  con- 
firmation was  the  solemn  promise  which 
God  made  to  him.  ^  In  Christ. 
With  respect  to  the  Messiah ;  a  cove- 
nant relating  to  him,  and  which  pro- 
mised that  he  should  descend  from 
Abraham.  The  word  "  in,"  in  the 
phrase  u  in  Christ,"  does  not  quite  ex 
press  the  meaning  of  the  Greek  lie 
X^ittcv.  That  means  rather  "  unto 
Christ;"  or  unto  the  Messiah;  that  is, 
the  covenant  had  respect  to  him.  This 
is  a  common  signification  of  the  propo- 
sition u'c  ^f  The  law.  The  law  given 
by  God  to  Moses  on  mount  Sinai. 
^  Which  was  four  hundred  and  thirty 
years  after.  In  regard  to  the  difficulties 
which    have    been    felt  respecting  the 


A.  D.  58.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


341 


and   thirty   years    after,    cannot  I  of   the  law,   it   is   no  more   of 


disannul,    that   it   should    make 
the  promise  of  none  effect. 
18  For  if  °  the  inheritance  be 


chronology  referred  to  here.  See  the 
Note  on  Acts  vii.  6.  The  exact  time 
here  referred  to  was  probably  when 
Abraham  was  called,  and  when  the  pro- 
mise was  first  made  to  him.  Assuming 
that  as  the  time  referred  to,  it  is  not 
difficult  to  make  out  the  period  of  four 
hundred  and  thirty  years.  That  pro- 
mise was  made  when  Abraham  was 
seventy-five  years  old.  Gen.  xii.  3, 4. 
From  that  time  to  the  birth  of  Isaac, 
when  Abraham  was  a  hundred  years 
old,  was  twenty-five  years.  Gen.  xxi.  5. 
Isaac  was  sixty  when  Jacob  was  born. 
Gen.  xxv.  26.  Jacob  went  into  Egypt 
when  he  was  one  hundred  and  thirty 
years  old.  Gen.  xlvii.  9.  And  the 
Israelites  sojourned  there,  according  to 
the  Septuagint  (Ex.  xii.  40),  two  hun- 
dred and  fifteen  years,  which  completes 
the  number.  See  Doddridge,  Whitby, 
and  Bloomfield.  This  was  doubtless 
the  common  computation  in  the  time  of 
Paul;  and  as  his  argument  did  not  de- 
pend at  all  on  the  exactness  of  the  reck- 
oning, he  took  the  estimate  which  was 
in  common  use,  without  pausing  or 
embarrassing  himself  by  an  inquiry 
whether  it  was  strictly  accurate  or  not. 
Kis  argument  was  the  same,  whether 
the  law  was  given  four  hundred  and 
thirty  years  after  the  promise,  or  only 
two  hundred  years.  The  argument  is, 
that  a  law  given  after  the  solemn  pro- 
mise which  had  been  made  and  con- 
firmed, could  not  make  that  promise 
void.  It  would  still  be  binding  accord- 
ing to  the  original  intention  ;  and  the 
law  must  have  been  given  for  some  pur- 
pose entirely  different  from  that  of  the 
promise.  No  one  can  doubt  the  sound- 
ness of  this  argument.  The  promise 
to  Abraham  was  of  the  nature  of  a 
compact.  But  no  law  given  by  one  of 
the  parties  to  a  treaty  or  compact  can 
disannul  it.  Two  nations  make  a 
treaty  of  peace,  involving  solemn  pro- 
pledges,  and  obligations.  No 
29* 


promise :     but   God   gave   it  to 
Abraham  by  promise. 

a  Ro.  4.  14. 


law  made  afterwards  by  one  of  the  na- 
tions can  disannul  or  change  that  treaty. 
Two  men  make  a  contract  with  solemn 
pledges  and  promises.  No  act  of  om 
of  the  parties  can  change  that,  or  alter 
the  conditions.  So  it  was  with  the 
covenant  between  God  and  Abraham. 
God  made  to  him  solemn  promises 
which  could  not  be  affected  by  a  future 
giving  of  a  law.  God  would  feel  him- 
self to  be  under  the  most  solemn  obli- 
gation to  fulfil  all  the  promises  which 
he  had  made  to  him. 

18.  For  if  the  inheritance.  The 
inheritance  promised  to  Abraham.  The 
sum  of  the  promise  was,  that  "  he 
should  be  the  heir  of  the  world."  See 
Rom.  iv.  13,  and  the  Note  on  that  verse. 
To  that  heirship  or  inheritance  Paul 
refers  here,  and  says  that  it  was  an  es- 
sential part  of  it  that  it  was  to  be  in 
virtue  of  the  promise  made  to  him,  and 
not  by  fulfilling  the  law.  \  Be  of  the 
law.  If  it  be  by  observing  the  law  of 
Moses ;  or  if  it  come  in  any  way  by 
the  fulfilling  of  law.  This  is  plain. 
Yet  the  Jews  contended  that  the 
blessings  of  justification  and  salvation 
were  to  be  in  virtue  of  the  observance 
of  the  law  of  Moses.  But  if  so,  says 
Paul,  then  it  could  not  be  by  the  pro- 
mise made  to  Abraham,  since  there 
could  not  be  two  ways  of  obtaining  the 
same  blessing,  ^f  But  God  gave  it  to 
Abraham  by  promise.  That,  says  Paul, 
is  a  settled  point.  It  is  perfectly  clear ; 
and  that  is  to  be  held  as  an  indisputable 
fact,  that  the  blessing  was  given  to 
Abraham  by  a  promise.  That  promise 
was  confirmed  and  ratified  hundreds  of 
years  before  the  law  was  given,  and 
the  giving  of  the  law  could  not  affect  it. 
But  that  promise  was,  that  he  would  be 
the  ancestor  of  the  Messiah,  and  that  hi 
him  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  should* 
be  blessed.  Of  course,  if  they  were  to 
be  blessed  in  this  way,  them  it  was  not 
to  be  by  the  observance  of  the  law,  and 


342 


19  Wherefore    then    serveth 
the  law  ?  a  It  was  added  because 

a  Ro.  5.  20. 


GALATIANS.  [A.  D.  58. 

of   transgressions,    till  the   seed 
b  should  come  to  whom  the  pro- 

b  ver.  16. 


the  law  must  have  been  given  for  a  dif- 
ferent purpose.  What  that  was,  he 
states  in  the  following  vt'rses. 

19.   Wherefore  then  serveth  the  law  ? 
This  is  obviously   an  objection  which 
might  be  urged  to  the  reasoning  which 
the  apostle  had  pursued.     It  was  very 
obvious  to  ask,  if  the  principles  which 
he  had  laid  down  were  correct,  of  what 
use  was  the  law  1   Why  was  it  given  at 
all?  Why  were  there  so  many  wonderful 
exhibitions  of  the  Divine  power  at  its  pro- 
mulgation 1   Why  were  there  so  many 
commendations  of  it  in  the  Scriptures  7 
And  why  were  there  so  many  injunc- 
tions to  obey  it  1  Are  all  these  to  be  re- 
garded as  nothing  ;  and  is  the  law  to  be 
esteemed  as  worthless  ?  To  all  this,  the 
apostle  replies  that  the  law  was  not  use- 
less, but  that  it  was  given  by  God  for 
great     and    important    purposes,    and 
especially   for    purposes    closely    con- 
nected with  the  fulfilment  of  the  pro- 
mise made  to  Abraham  and  the  work 
of   the    Mediator.      1  It    was    added 
(T^oa-erid-ti).    It  was  appended  to  all  the 
previous  institutions  and  promises.     It 
was  an  additional  arrangement  on  the 
part   of  God  for   great  and    important 
purposes.     It  was  an  arrangement  sub- 
sequent to  the  giving   of  the  promise, 
and  was  intended  to  secure  important 
advantages  until  the  superior  arrange- 
ment under  the  Messiah  should  be  in- 
troduced,  and   was  with   reference   to 
that.     \  Because  of  transgressions.  On 
account  of  transgressions,   or  with  re- 
ference to  them.     The  meaning  is,  that 
the  law  was  given  to  show  the  true  na- 
ture of  transgressions,  or  to  show  what 
was  sin.     It  was  not  to  reveal  a  way  of 
justification,  but  it  was  to  disclose  the 
true  nature  of  sin ;  to  deter  men  from 
committing  it;  to  declare  its  penalty  ;  to 
convince    men  of  it,   and   thus   to  be 
"  ancillary"  to,  and   preparatory  to  the 
work  of  redemption  through  the  Re- 
deemer.    This  is  the  true  account  of 
the  law  of  God  as   given  to  apostate 
man,  and  this  use  of  the  law  still  exists.  I 


|  This    effect    of     the    law    is    accom- 
plished, (I.)     By    showing    us    what 
j  God  requires,  and   what  is  duty.     It  is 
j  the  straight  rule  of  what  is  right ;  and 
!  to  depart  from  that  is  the  measure  of 
i  wrong.     (2.)    It  shows  us  the    nature 
and  extent  of  transgression  by  showing 
!  us  how  far  we  have  departed  from   it. 
,  (3.)  It  shows  what  is  the  just  penalty 
of  transgression,  and  is  thus  fitted  to  re- 
veal its  true  nature.     (4.)  It  is  fitted  to 
produce  conviction   for   sin,   and    thus 
shows  how  evil  and  bitter  a  thing  trans- 
gression is.    See  Notes  on  Rom.  iv.  15  ; 
vii.  7 — 11.     (5.)  It  thus  shows  its  own 
inability  to  justify  and  save  men,  and 
is   a  preparatory   arrangement  to  lead 
men  to  the  cross  of  the  Redeemer.    See 
Note  on  ver.  24.     At  the  same  time, 
(6.)  The  law  was  given  with  reference 
to  transgressions  in  order  to  keep  men 
from  transgression.     It  was  designed  to 
restrain  and  control  them  by  its  denun- 
ciations, and  by  the  fear  of  its  threat- 
ened penalties.     When  Paul  says  that 
the  law  was  given  on  account  of  trans- 
gressions, we  are  not  to  suppose  that 
this  was  the  sole  use  of  the  law ;  but  that 
this  was  a  main  or  leading  purpose.    It 
may  accomplish  many  other  important 
purposes  {Calvin),  but  this  is  one  lead- 
ing  design.     And   this  design   it  still 
accomplishes*      It    shows    men    their 
duty.     It  reminds  them  of  their  guilt. 
It  teaches  them    how   far    they  have 
wandered  from  God.    It  reveals  to  them 
the  penalty  of  disobedience.     It  shows 
them  that  justification    by    the  law  is 
impossible,  and  that  there  must  be  some 
other  way  by  which  men  must  be  saved. 
And  since  these  advantages  are  derived 
from   it,   it  is  of  importance  that  that 
law  should  be  still  proclaimed,  and  that 
its    high    demands   and     its  penalties 
should  be  constantly   held   up   to   the 
view  of  men.     t  Till  the  seed  should 
come,  &.c.     The  Messiah,  to  whom  the 
promise  particularly  applied.     See  ver. 
16.     It  is  not  implied  here  that  the  law 
would  be  of  no  use  after  that,  but  that 


*L.  D.  58.] 


CHAPTER  111. 


343 


mise   was    made ;    and  it  was 

a  Ac.  7. 53.     He.  2.2. 

b  Ex.  20.  19—22.     De.  5.  22—31. 


it  would  accomplish  important  purposes 
before  that.  A  large  portion  of  the 
laws  of  Moses  would  then  indeed  cease 
to  be  binding.  They  were  given  to 
accomplish  important  purposes  among 
the  Jews  until  the  Messiah  should  come, 
and  then  they  would  give  way  to  the 
more  important  institutions  of  the  gos- 
pel. But  the  moral  law  would  continue 
to  accomplish  valuable  objects  after  his 
advent,  in  showing  men  the  nature  of 
transgression  and  leading  them  to  the 
cross  of  Christ.  The  essential  idea  of 
Paul  here  is,  that  the  whole  arrangement 
of  the  Mosaic  economy,  including  all 
his  laws,  was  with  reference  to  the 
Messiah.  It  was  a  part  of  a  great  and 
glorious  whole.  It  was  not  an  inde- 
pendent thing.  It  did  not  stand  by 
itself.  It  was  incomplete  and  in  many 
respects  unintelligible  until  he  came — 
as  one  part  of  a  tally  is  unmeaning  and 
useless  until  the  other  is  found.  In 
itself  it  did  not  justify  or  save  men, 
but  it  served  to  introduce  a  system  by 
which  they  could  be  saved.  It  con- 
tained no  provisions  for  justifying  men, 
but  it  was  in  the  design  of  God  an 
essential  part  of  a  system  by  which 
they  could  be  saved.  It  was  not  a 
whole  in  itself,  but  it  was  a  part  of  a 
glorious  whole,  and  led  to  the  comple- 
tion and  fulfilment  of  the  entire  scheme 
by  which  the  race  could  be  justified 
and  brought  to  heaven.  ^  And  it  was 
ordained  by  angels.  That  is,  the  law 
was  ordained  by  angels.  The  word 
ordained  nere  (JiArzyu;)  usually  means 
to  arrange ;  to  dispose  in  order ;  and  is 
commonly  used  with  reference  to  the 
marshalling  of  an  army.  In  regard  to 
the  sentiment  here  that  the  law  was 
ordained  by  angels,  see  the  Note  on 
Acts  vii.  53.  The  Old  Testament 
makes  no  mention  of  the  presence  of 
angels  at  the  giving  of  the  law,  but  it 
was  a  common  opinion  among  the  Jews 
that  the  law  was  given  by  the  instru- 
mentality of  angels,  and  arranged  by 
them ;  and  Paul  speaks  in  accordance 
with  this  opinion.     Comp.  Heb.  ii.  2. 


ordained  by  angels  a  in  the  hand 
b  of  a  Mediator. 

The  sentiment  here  is  that  the  law  was 
prescribed,  ordered,  or  arranged  by  the 
instrumentality  of  the  angels;  an  opi- 
nion, certainly,  which  none  can  prove 
not  to  be  true.  In  itself  considered, 
there  is  no  more  absurdity  in  the  opinion 
that  the  law  of  God  should  be  given  by 
the  agency  of  angels,  than  there  is  that 
it  should  be  done  by  the  instrumentality 
of  man.  In  the  Septuagint  (Deut. 
xxxiii.  2)  there  is  an  allusion  of  the 
same  kind.  The  Hebrew  is,  "  From  his 
right  hand  went  a  fiery  law  for  them." 
The  LXX.  render  this,  "His  angels 
with  him  on  his  right-hand."  Comp.  Jo- 
seph. Ant.  xv.  5.  3.  That  angels  were 
present  at  the  giving  of  the  law  is  more 
than  implied,  it  is  believed,  in  two  pas- 
sages of  the  Old  Testament.  The  one 
is  that  which  is  referred  to  above,  and  a 
part  of  which  the  translators  of  the  Sep- 
tuagint expressly  apply  to  angels.  Deut. 
xxxiii.  2.  The  Hebrew  is,  "  Jehovah 
came  from  Sinai,  and  rose  up  from  Seir 
unto  them ;  he  shined  forth  from  mount 
Paron,  and  he  came  [literally]  with  ten 
thousands  of  holiness ;"  that  is,  with  his 
holy  ten  thousands,  or  with  his  holy 
myriads  (tvnp  roanD).  By  the  holy 
myriads  here  mentioned  what  can  be 
meant  but  the  angels?  The  word 
"  holy"  in  the  Scriptures  is  not  given  to 
storms  and  winds  and  tempests;  and 
the  natural  interpretation  is,  that  he  was 
attended  with  vast  hosts  of  intelligent 
beings.  The  same  sentiment  is  found 
in  Ps.  Ixviii.  17:  "The  chariots  of 
God  are  myriads,  thousands  repeated; 
the  Lord  is  in  the  midst  of  them,  as  in 
Sinai,  as  in  his  sanctuary."  Does  not 
this  evidently  imply  that  when  he  gave 
the  law  on  mount  Sinai  he  was  sur- 
rounded by  a  multitude  of  angels  ?  See 
Stuart  on  the  Hebrews,  Excursus  viii. 
pp.  565 — "567.  It  may  be  added,  that  in 
the  fact  itself  there  is  no  improbability. 
What  is  more  natural  than  to  suppose 
that  when  the  law  of  God  was  promul- 
gated in  such  a  solemn  manner  on 
mount  Sinai  to  a  world,  that  the  angels 
should  be  present  1  If  any  occasion  on 


344 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.  58 


earth  has  ever  occurred  where  their 
presence  was  allowable  and  proper, 
assuredly  that  was  one.  And  yet  the 
Scriptures  abound  with  assurances  that 
the  angels  are  interested  in  human 
affairs,  and  that  they  have  had  an  im- 
portant agency  in  the  concerns  of  man. 
J  In  the  hand.  That  is,  under  the 
direction,  or  control  of.  To  be  in  the 
hand  of  one  is  to  be  under  his  control ; 
and  the  idea  is,  that  while  this  was  done 
by  the  ordering  of  the  angels  or  by 
their  disposition,  it  was  under  the  con- 
trol of  a  Mediator.  Rosenmiiller,  how- 
ever, and  others  suppose  that  this  means 
simply  by  {per);  that  is,  that  it  was 
done  by  the  instrumentality  of  a  Me- 
diator. But  it  seems  to  me  to  imply 
more  than  this ;  that  the  Mediator  here 
referred  to  had  some  jurisdiction  or  con- 
trol over  the  law  thus  given  ;  or  that  it 
was  subject  to  him,  or  with  reference  to 
him.  The  interpretation  however  will 
be  affected  by  the  view  which  is  taken 
of  the  meaning  of  the  word  Mediator. 
f  Of  a  Mediator.  The  word  Mediator 
(Mw/tx?)  means  properly  one  who  in- 
tervenes between  two  parties,  either  as 
an  interpreter  or  internuncius,  or  as  an 
intercessor  or  reconciler.  In  the  New 
Testament,  in  all  the  places  where  it 
occurs,  unless  the  passage  before  us  be 
an  exception,  it  is  applied  to  the  Lord 
Jesus,  the  great  Mediator  between  God 
and  man.  1  Tim.  ii.  5.  Heb.  viii.  6  ; 
ix.  15 ;  xii.  24.  There  has  been  some 
difference  of  opinion  as  to  the  reference 
of  the  word  here.  Rosenmiiller,  Gro- 
tius,  Doddridge,  Bloomfield,  Robinson 
(Lex.),  Chandler,  and  many  others  sup- 
pose that  it  refers  to  Moses.  Calvin 
and  many  others  suppose  that  the  refer- 
ence is  to  Christ.  The  common  senti- 
ment among  expositors  undoubtedly  is, 
that  the  reference  is  to  Moses  ;  and  it  is 
by  no  means  easy  to  show  that  that  is 
not  the  correct  opinion.  But  to  me  it 
seems  that  there  are  reasons  why  it 
should  be  regarded  as  having  reference 
to  the  great  Mediator  between  God  and 
man.  Some  of  the  reasons  which 
incline  me  to  this  opinion  are,  (1.) 
That  the  name  Mediator  is  not,  so  far 
as  I  know,  applied  to  Moses  elsewhere 


in  the  Scriptures.  (2.)  The  name  is 
appropriated  to  the  Lord  Jesus.  This 
is  certainly  the  case  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, unless  the  passage  before  us  be  an 
exception  ;  and  the  name  is  not  found  in 
the  Old  Testament.  (3.)  It  is  difficult 
to  see  the  pertinency  of  the  remark 
here,  or  the  bearing  on  the  argument 
on  the  supposition  that  it  refers  to 
Moses.  How  would  it  affect  the  drift 
and  purport  of  the  apostle's  reasoning'? 
How  would  it  bear  on  the  case  ]  But 
on  the  supposition  that  it  refers  to  the 
Lord  Jesus,  that  would  be  a  material 
fact  in  the  argument.  It  would  show 
that  the  law  was  subordinate  to  the 
Messiah,  and  was  with  reference  to  him. 
It  was  not  only  subservient  by  being 
ordained  by  angels,  but  as  being  under 
the  Mediator,  and  with  reference  to  him 
until  he,  the  "  promised  seed,"  should 
come.  (4.)  It  is  only  by  such  an 
interpretation  that  the  following  "  vexed" 
verse  can  be  understood.  If  that  be 
applied  to  Moses,  I  see  not  that  any 
sense  can  be  affixed  to  it  that  shall  be 
pertinent  or  intelligible.  These  rea- 
sons may  not  appear  satisfactory  to 
others;  and  I  admit  they  are  not  as 
clear  as  would  be  desirable  that  reasons 
should  he  ill  the  exposition  of  the  Bible, 
but  they  may  be  allowed  perhaps  to 
have  some  weight.  If  they  are  of 
weight,  then  the  sentiment  of  the  pas- 
sage is,  that  the  law  was  wholly  subor- 
dinate, and  could  not  make  the  promise 
of  no  effect.  For,  (1.)  It  was  given 
hundreds  of  years  after  the  promise. 
(2.)  It  was  under  the  direction  of 
angels,  who  must  themselves  be  inferior 
to,  and  subordinate  to  the  Messiah,  the 
Mediator  between  God  and  man.  If 
given  by  their  agency  and  instrumental- 
ity, however  important  it  might  be, 
it  could  not  interfere  with  a  direct  pro- 
mise made  by  God  himself,  but  must  be 
subordinate  to  that  promise.  (3.)  It 
was  under  the  Mediator,  the  promised 
Messiah.  It  was  in  his  hand,  and  sub- 
ject to  him.  It  was  a  part  of  the  great 
plan  which  was  contemplated  in  the 
promise,  and  was  tributary  to  that,  and 
must  be  so  regarded.  It  was  not  an 
independent  scheme ;  not  a  thing  that 


A.  D.  58.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


345 


20  Now  a  mediator  is  not  a 

oDe.  6.4. 

stood  by  itself;  but  a  scheme  subordi- 
nate and  tributary,  and  wholly  under 
the  control  of  the  Mediator,  and  a  part 
of  the  plan  of  redemption,  and  of 
course  to  be  modified  or  abrogated  just 
as  that  plan  should  require,  and  to  be 
regarded  as  wholly  tributary  to  it.  This 
view  will  accord  certainly  with  the 
argument  of  Paul,  and  with  his  design 
in  showing  that  the  law  could  by 
no  means,  and  in  no  way,  interfere 
with  the  promise  made  to  Abraham,  but 
must  be  regarded  as  wholly  subordinate 
to  the  plan  of  redemption. 

20.  Now  a  mediator  is  not  a  mediator 
of  one,  &c.  This  verse  has  given  great 
perplexity  to  commentators.  "  There 
is,  unquestionably,"  says  Bloomfield, 
u  no  passage  in  the  New  Testament 
that  has  so  much,  and  to  so  little  purpose, 
exercised  the  learning  and  ingenuity 
of  commentators  as  the  present,  which 
seems  to  defy  all  attempts  to  elicit  any 
satisfactory  sense,  except  by  methods  so 
violent  as  to  be  almost  the  same  thing 
as  writing  the  passage  afresh."  In  re- 
gard, however,  to  the  truth  of  the  de- 
clarations here — that  "  a  mediator  is  not 
a  mediator  of  one,"  and  that  "  God  is 
one" — there  can  be  no  doubt,  and  no 
difficulty.  The  very  idea  of  a  mediator 
supposes  that  there  are  two  parties  or 
persons  between  whom  the  mediator 
comes  either  to  reconcile  them  or  to 
bear  some  message  from  the  one  to  the 
other;  and  it  is  abundantly  affirmed 
also  in  the  Old  Testament  that  there  is 
but  one  God.  See  Deut.  vi.  4.  But 
the  difficulty  is,  to  see  the  pertinency  or 
the  bearing  of  the  remark  on  the  argu- 
ment of  the  apostle.  What  does  he 
intend  to  illustrate  by  the  declaration  1 
and  how  do  the  truths  which  he  states, 
illustrate  the  point  before  him  1  It  is  not 
consistent  with  the  design  of  these 
Notes  to  detail  the  numerous  opinions 
which  have  been  entertained  of  the 
passage.  They  may  be  found  in  the 
larger  commentaries,  and  particularly 
may  be  seen  in  Koppe,  Excursus  vii. 
on  the  Galatians.     After  referring  to  a 


mediator  of    one,   brn  God a  is 
one. 


number  of  works  on  the  passage. 
Rosenmuller  adopts  the  following  inter- 
pretation, proposed  by  Noessett,  as  ex- 
pressing the  true  sense.  But  he  (t.  e 
Moses)  is  not  a  mediator  of  one  race 
(to  wit  the  Abrahamic),  but  God  is  the 
same  God  of  them  and  of  the  Gentiles. 
The  sense  according  to  this  is,  that 
Moses  had  not  reference  in  his  office 
as  mediator  or  as  internuncius  to  the 
descendants  of  Abraham,  or  to  that  one 
seed  or  race,  referred  to  in  the  promise. 
He  added  the  hard  conditions  of  the 
law ;  required  its  stern  and  severe  ob- 
servances ;  his  institutions  pertained  to 
the  Jews  mainly.  They  indeed  might 
obtain  the  favour  of  God,  but  by  com- 
pliance with  the  severe  laws  which  he 
had  ordained.  But  to  the  one  seed,  the 
whole  posterity  of  Abraham,  they  con- 
cerning whom  the  promise  was  made, 
the  Gentiles  as  well  as  the  Jews,  he 
had  no  reference  in  his  institutions:  all 
their  favours,  therefore,  must  depend  on 
the  fulfilment  of  the  promise  made  to 
Abraham.  But  God  is  one  and  the 
same  in  reference  to  all.  His  promise 
pertains  to  all.  He  is  the  common  God 
to  the  Jews  and  the  Gentiles.  There  is 
great  difficulty  in  embracing  this  view 
of  the  passage,  but  it  is  not  necessary 
for  me  to  state  the  difficulty,  or  to 
attempt  to  show  that  the  view  here  pro- 
posed cannot  be  defended.  Whitby 
has  expressed  substantially  the  same 
interpretation  of  this  passage.  "  But 
this  mediator  (viz.  Moses)  was  only 
the  mediator  of  the  Jews,  and  so  was 
only  the  mediator  of  one  party,  to 
whom  belonged  the  blessing  of  Abra- 
ham, ver.  8.  14.  But  God,  who  made 
the  promise,  'That  in  one  should  all 
the  families  of  the  earth  be  blessed/  is 
one ;  the  God  of  the  other  party,  the 
Gentiles  as  well  as  the  Jews,  and  so  as 
ready  to  justify  the  one  as  the  other." 
According  to  this  interpretation,  the 
sense  is,  that  Moses  was  mediator  of 
one  part  of  Abraham's  seed,  the  Israel 
ites ;  but  was  not  the  mediator  of  the 
other  part  of  that  seed,  the  Gentiles  • 


346 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.  58. 


yet  there  was  the  same  God  to  both 
parties,  who  was  equally  ready  to  justify 
both.  Locke  has  expressed  a  view  of 
the  passage  which  differs  somewhat 
from  this,  but  which  has  quite  as  much 
plausibility.  According  to  his  exposi- 
tion it  means,  that  God  was  but  one  of 
the  parties  to  the  promise.  The  Jews 
and  the  Gentiles  made  up  the  other. 
But  at  the  giving  of  the  law  Moses  was 
a  mediator  ordy  between  God  and  the 
Israelites,  and,  therefore,  could  not 
transact  any  thing  which  would  tend 
to  the  disannulling  of  the  promise 
which  was  between  God  and  the  Jews 
and  Gentiles  together,  the  other  party 
to  the  promise.  Or  in  other  words,  at 
the  covenant  made  on  mount  Sinai, 
there  was  really  present  but  one  of  the 
parties,  and  consequently  nothing  could 
be  done  that  would  affect  the  other. 
Moses  did  not  appear  in  behalf  of  the 
Gentiles.  They  had  no  representative 
there.  He  was  engaged  only  for  the 
Jews,  for  a  part  ordy  of  the  one  party, 
and  that  part  could  not  transact  any- 
thing for  the  whole.  The  giving  of  the 
law,  therefore,  could  not  affect  the  pro- 
mise which  was  made  to  Abraham,  and 
which  related  to  the  Jews  and  the  Gen- 
tiles as  together  constituting  one  party. 
This  view  is  plausible.  It  has  been 
adopted  by  Doddridge,  and  perhaps 
may  be  the  true  interpretation.  No 
one  can  deny,  however,  that  it  is  forced, 
and  that  it  is  far  from  being  obvious. 
It  seems  to  be  making  a  meaning  for 
the  apostle,  or  furnishing  him  with  an 
argument,  rather  than  explaining  the 
one  which  he  has  chosen  to  use ;  and 
it  may  be  doubted  whether  Paul  would 
have  used  an  argument  that  required  so 
much  explanation  as  this  before  it  could 
be  understood.  All  these  expositions 
proceed  on  the  supposition  that  the 
word  "  mediator"  here  refers  to  Moses, 
and  that  the  transaction  here  referred  to 
was  that  on  mount  Sinai.  I  would 
suggest  a  sense  of  the  passage  which  I 
have  found  in  none  of  the  commentaries 
which  I  have  consulted,  and  which  I 
would,  therefore,  propose  with  diffidence. 
All  that  I  can  claim  for  it  is,  that  it 
may  possibly  be  the  meaning.    Accord- 


ing to  the  view  which  I  shall  submit,  the 
words  here  are  to  be  regarded  as  used 
in  their  usual  signification ;  and  the 
simplest  interpretation  possible  is  to  be 
given  to  the  propositions  in  the  verse. 
One  proposition  is,  that  a  mediator  is 
not  appointed  with  reference  to  one  par- 
ty, but  to  two.  This  proposition  is  uni- 
versal. Wherever  there  is  a  mediator 
there  are  always  two  parties.  The 
other  proposition  is,  that  God  is  one; 
that  is,  that  he  is  the  same  one  God,  in 
whatever  form  his  will  may  be  made 
known  to  men,  whether  by  a  promise 
as  to  Abraham,  or  by  the  law  as  to 
Moses.  The  interpretation  which  I 
would  propose  embraces  the  following 
particulars.  (1.)  The  design  of  the 
apostle  is,  to  show  that  the  giving  of 
the  law  could  not  abrogate  or  affect  the 
promise  made  to  Abraham ;  and  to 
show  at  the  same  time  what  is  its  true 
object.  It  could  not  annul  the  pro- 
mises, says  Paul.  It  was  given  long 
after,  and  could  not  affect  them.  ver.  17. 
It  was  an  addition,  an  appendage,  a 
subsequent  enactment  for  a  specific 
purpose,  yet  a  part  of  the  same  general 
plan,  and  subordinate  to  the  Mediator, 
ver.  19.  It  was  to  be  shown  also  that 
the  law  was  not  against  the  promises 
of  God.  It  was  a  good  law  (ver  21) ; 
and  was  not  designed  to  be  an  opposing 
system,  or  intended  to  counteract  the 
promise,  or  the  scheme  of  salvation  by 
promise,  but  was  a  part  of  the  same 
great  plan.  (2.)  A  mediator  always 
supposes  two  parties.  In  all  the  trans- 
actions, therefore,  where  a  mediator  is 
employed,  there  is  supposed  to  be  two 
parties.  When,  therefore,  the  promise 
was  made  to  Abraham  with  reference 
to  the  Messiah,  the  great  Mediator ;  and 
when  the  law  was  given  in  the  hand 
of  the  Mediator,  and  under  his  control, 
there  is  always  supposed  to  be  two 
parties.  (3.)  The  whole  arrangement 
here  referred  to  is  under  the  Mediator, 
and  with  reference  to  him.  The  pro- 
mise made  to  Abraham  had  reference 
to  him  and  to  those  who  should  believe 
on  him;  and  the  law  given  by  Moses 
was  also  under  him,  and  with  reference 
to  him.     He  was  the  grand  object  and 


A.  D.  58.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


347 


21  Is  the  law  then  against a  the 

a  Mat.  5.  17.  b  c.  2.  21. 

agent  of  all.  He  was  the  Mediator 
with  reference  to  both.  Each  transac- 
tion had  reference  to  him,  though  in 
different  ways ;  the  transaction  with 
Abraham  relating  to  him  in  connexion 
with  a  promise ;  the  transaction  at  the 
giving  of  the  law  being  under  his  con- 
trol as  Mediator,  and  being  a  part  of 
the  one  great  plan.  There  was  an 
identity  of  plan ;  and  the  plan  had 
reference  to  the  Messiah,  the  great 
Mediator.  (4.)  God  is  one  and  the 
same.  He  is  throughout  one  of  the 
parties  ;  and  he  does  not  change.  How- 
ever the  arrangements  may  vary,  whether 
in  giving  the  law  or  imparting  a  pro- 
mise, he  is  the  same.  There  is  but  one 
God  in  all  the  transaction ;  and  he, 
throughout,  constitutes  one  of  the  par- 
ties. The  other  party  is  man,  at  first 
receiving  the  promise  from  this  one 
God  with  reference  to  the  Mediator 
through  Abraham,  and  then  receiving 
the  law  through  the  same  Mediator  on 
mount  Sinai.  He  is  still  the  one  party 
unchanged ;  and  there  is  the  same  Me- 
diator implying  ail-along  that  there  are 
two  parties.  (5.)  It  follows,  therefore, 
agreeably  to  the  argument  of  the  apos- 
tle, that  the  law  given  so  long  after  the 
promise,  could  not  abrogate  it,  because 
they  pertained  to  the  same  plan,  were 
under  the  same  one  God,  who  was  one 
unchanging  party  in  all  this  transaction, 
and  had  reference  to  the  same  Mediator 
and  were  alike  under  his  control.  It 
followed,  also,  that  the  law  was  tem- 
porary (ver.  19);  interposed  for  import- 
ant purposes  until  the  "  seed  should 
come,"  because  it  was  a  part  of  the 
same  general  arrangement,  and  was 
under  the  control  of  the  same  Mediator, 
and  directed  by  the  same  one  God,  the 
unchanging  one  party  in  all  these 
transactions.  It  followed,  further,  that 
the  one  could  not  be  against  the  other 
(ver.  21),  because  they  were  a  part  of 
the  same  plan,  under  the  control  of  the 
same  Mediator,  and  where  the  same 
God  remained  unchanged  as  the  one 
party.     All    that   is  assumed  in    this 


promises  of  God?  God  forbid: 
for   if  h  there  had   been   a  law 

interpretation  is,  (a)  That  there  was  but 
one  plan  or  arrangement ;  or  that  the 
transaction  with  Abraham  and  with 
Moses  were  parts  of  one  great  scheme ; 
and,  (b)  That  the  Mediator  here  referred 
to  was  not  Moses,  but  the  Messiah,  the 
Son  of  God.  The  following  paraphrase 
will  express  the  sense  which  I  have 
endeavoured  to  convey.  '  The  giving 
of  the  law  could  not  annul  or  abrogate 
the  promise  made  to  Abraham.  It  was 
long  after  that,  and  it  was  itself  sub- 
servient to  that.  It  was  given  by  the 
instrumentality  of  angels,  and  it  was 
entirely  under  the  control  of  the  Me- 
diator, the  Messiah.  The  plan  was 
one ;  and  all  the  parts  of  it,  in  the  pro- 
mise made  to  Abraham  and  in  the  giv- 
ing of  the  law,  were  subordinate  to 
him.  A  mediator  always  supposes  two 
parties,  and  the  reference  to  the  media- 
tor, alike  in  the  promise  to  Abraham 
and  in  the  giving  of  the  law,  supposes 
that  there  were  two  parties.  God  is 
one  party,  the  same  unchanging  God  in 
all  the  forms  of  the  promise  and  of  the 
law.  In  this  state  of  things,  it  is 
impossible  that  the  law  should  clash 
with  the  promise,  or  that  it  should 
supersede  or  modify  it.  It  was  a  part 
of  the  one  great  plan ;  appointed  with 
reference  to  the  work  which  the  Me- 
diator came  to  do  ;  and  in  accordance 
with  the  promise  made  to  Abraham; 
and  therefore  they  could  not  be  contra- 
dictory and  inconsistent.'  It  is  assumed 
in  all  this  that  the  Messiah  was  con- 
templated in  the  whole  arrangement, 
and  that  it  was  entered  into  with  refer- 
ence to  him.  That  this  may  be  as- 
sumed no  one  can  deny  who  believes* 
the  Scriptures.  The  whole  arrange- 
ment in  the  Old  Testament,  it  is  sup- 
posed, was  designed  to  be  ancillary  to 
redemption ;  and  the  interpretation 
which  has  been  submitted  above  is  based 
on  that  supposition. 

21.  Is  the  law  then  against  the  pro- 
mises  of  God  ?  Is  the  law  of  Moses  to 
be  regarded  as  opposed  to  the  promises 
made  to  Abraham  1      Does  this  follow 


348 


GALATIANS. 


[A   D.  58. 


given  which  could  have  given 
life,  verily  righteousness  should 
nave  been  by  the  law. 

22  But  the  Scripture  hath  con- 

oRo.4.  !1,  12,  16.        ft  Ro.  3.  9, 19,  23. 


from  any  view  which  can  be  taken  of 
the  subject !  The  object  of  the  apostle 
in  asking  this  question  is,  evidently,  to 
take  an  opportunity  to  deny  in  the 
most  positive  manner  that  there  can  be 
any  such  clashing  or  contradiction. 
He  shows,  therefore,  what  was  the  de- 
sign of  the  law,  and  declares  that  the 
object  was  to  further  the  plan  contem- 
plated in  the  pfomise  made  to  Abraham. 
It  was  an  auxiliary  to  that.  It  was  as 
good  as  a  law  could  be ;  and  it  was  de- 
signed to  prepare  the  way  for  the  fulfil- 
ment of  the  promise  made  to  Abraham. 
f  God  forbid.  It  cannot  be.  It  is  im- 
possible. I  do  not  hold  such  an  opinion. 
Such  a  sentiment  by  no  means  follows 
from  what  has  been  advanced.  Comp. 
Note,  Rom.  iii.  4.  T  For  if  there  had 
been  a  law  given  which  could  have 
given  life.  The  law  of  Moses  is  as 
good  as  a  law  can  be.  It  is  pure,  and 
holy,  and  good.  It  is  not  the  design  to 
insinuate  any  thing  against  the  law  in 
itself,  or  to  say  that  as  a  law  it  is  de- 
fective. But  law  could  not  give  life. 
It  is  not  its  nature  ;  and  man  cannot  be 
justified  by  obedience  to  it.  No  man 
ever  has  yielded  perfect  compliance  with 
it,  and  no  man,  therefore,  can  be  justi- 
fied by  it.  Comp.  Notes  on  ch.  ii.  16. 
iii.  10.  T  Verily  righteousness  should 
have  been  by  the  law.  Or  justification 
would  have  been  secured  by  the  law. 
The  law  of  Moses  was  as  well  adapted 
to  this  as  a  law  could  be.  No  better 
law  could  have  been  originated  for  this 
purpose,  and  if  men  were  to  attempt 
to  justify  themselves  before  God  by 
their  own  works,  the  law  of  Moses 
would  be  as  favourable  for  such  an  un- 
dertaking as  any  law  which  could  be 
revealed.  It  is  as  reasonable,  and  equal, 
and  pure.  Its  demands  are  as  just, 
and  its  terms  are  as  favourable  as  could 
be  any  of  the  terms  of  mere  law.  And 
such  a  law  has  been  given  in  part  in 
order  to  show  that  justification  by  the 


eluded  all  a  under  sin,  that  the 
promise  *  by  faith  of  Jesus 
Christ  might  be  given  to  them 
that  believe. 

23  But  before  faith  came,  we 

law  is  out  of  the  question.  If  men 
could  not  be  justified  by  a  law  so  pure, 
and  equal,  and  just;  so  reasonable  in  all 
its  requirements  and  so  perfect,  how 
could  they  expect  to  be  justified  by 
conformity  to  any  inferior  or  less  per- 
fect rule  of  life  ?  The  fact,  therefore, 
that  no  one  can  be  justified  by  the  pure 
law  revealed  on  mount  Sinai,  forever 
settles  the  question  about  the  possibility 
of  being  justified  by  law. 

22.  But  the  Scripture.  The  Old 
Testament  (Note,  John  v.  39),  contain- 
ing the  law  of  Moses.  %  Hath  con- 
cluded all  under  si?i.  Has  shut  up 
(<ruviK\ncriv)  all  under  the  condemnation 
of  sin  ;  that  is,  has  declared  all  men,  no 
matter  what  their  rank  and  external 
character,  to  be  sinners.  Of  course, 
they  cannot  be  justified  by  that  law 
which  declares  them  to  be  guilty,  and 
which  condemns  them,  any  more  than 
the  law  of  the  land  will  acquit  a  mur- 
derer, and  pronounce  him  innocent,  at 
the  same  time  that  it  holds  him  to  be 
guilty.  In  regard  to  the  meaning  of 
the  expression  here  used,  see  Note  on 
Rom.  xi.  32.  Comp.  Rom.  iii.  9.  19. 
^  That  the  promise  by  faith  of  Jesus 
Christ,  &c.  That  the  promise  referred 
to  in  the  transaction  with  Abraham,  the 
promise  of  justification  and  life  by  faith 
in  the  Messiah.  Here  we  see  one  de- 
sign of  the  law.  It  was  to  show  that 
they  could  not  be  justified  by  their  own 
works,  to  hedge  up  thtir  way  in  regard 
to  justification  by  their  own  righteous- 
ness, and  to  show  them  their  need  of  a 
better  righteousness.  The  law  accom- 
plishes the  same  end  now.  It  shows 
men  that  they  are  guilty ;  and  it  does  it 
in  order  that  they  may  be  brought  under 
the  influence  of  the  pure  system  of  the 
gospel,  and  become  interested  in  the 
promises  which  are  connected  with  eter- 
nal salvation. 

23.  But  before  faith  came.  Tha* 
is,  the  system  of  salvation  by  faith  in 


A.  D.  58.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


349 


were  kept  under  the  law,  shut  up 
unto  the  faith  which  should  after- 
wards be  revealed. 

24  Wherefore  the  law  a  was 


the  Lord  Jesus.  Faith  here  denotes  the 
Christian  religion,  because  faith  is  its 
distinguishing  characteristic.  ^  We  were 
kept  under  the  law.  We,  who  were 
sinners ;  we,  who  have  violated  the  law. 
It  is  a  general  truth,  that  before  the  gos- 
pel was  introduced,  men  were  under  the 
condemning  sentence  of  the  law.  ^  Shut 
up  unto  the  faith.  Enclosed  by  the  law 
with  reference  to  the  full  and  glorious  re- 
velation of  a  system  of  salvation  by  faith. 
The  design  and  tendency  of  the  law  was 
to  shut  us  up  to  that  as  the  only  method 
of  salvation.  AH  other  means  failed. 
The  law  condemned  every  other  mode, 
and  the  law  condemned  all  who  at- 
tempted to  be  justified  in  any  other  way. 
Man,  therefore,  was  shut  up  to  that  as 
his  last  hope ;  and  could  look  only  to 
that  for  any  possible  prospect  of  salva- 
tion. The  word  which  in  this  verse  is 
rendered  "were  kept"  (i^gcv^v/uiB-ct) , 
usually  means  to  guard  or  watch,  as  in 
a  castle,  or  as  prisoners  are  guarded  ; 
and  though  the  word  should  ""not  be 
pressed  too  far  in  the  interpretation,  yet 
it  implies  that  there  was  a  rigid  scruti- 
ny observed ;  that  the  law  guarded 
them  ;  that  there  was  no  way  of  escape ; 
and  that  they  were  shut  up,  as  prisoners 
under  sentence  of  death,  to  the  only 
hope,  which  was  that  of  pardon.  1  Unto 
the  faith,  &c.  That  was  the  only  hope. 
The  law  condemned  them,  and  offered 
no  hope  of  escape.  Their  only  hope 
was  in  that  system  which  was  to  be  re- 
vealed through  the  Messiah,  the  system 
which  extended  forgiveness  on  the 
ground  of  faith  in  his  atoning  blood. 

24.  Wherefore  the  law  was  ourscliooir 
master.  The  word  rendered  schoolmas- 
ter (jrctiixyaryk,  whence  the  word  peda- 
gogue), referred  originally  to  a  slave  or 
freed  man,  to  whose  care  boys  were  com- 
mitted, and  who  accompanied  them  to 
the  public  schools.  The  idea  here  is 
not.  that  of  instructor,  but  there  is  refer- 
ence to  the  office  and  duty  of  the  pat- 
30 


our  schoolmaster  to  bring  us 
unto  Christ,  that  we  might  be 
justified  by  faith. 

a  Col.  2.  17.    He.  9.  9,  10. 


dagogus  among  the  ancients.  The  of- 
fice was  usually  intrusted  to  slaves  or 
freed  men.  It  is  true,  that  when  the 
paedagogus  was  properly  qualified,  he 
assisted  the  children  committed  to  his 
care  in  preparing  their  lessons.  But 
still  his  main  duty  was  not  instruction, 
but  it  was  to  watch  over  the  boys;  to 
restrain  them  from  evil  and  temptation ; 
and  to  conduct  them  to  the  schools, 
where  they  might  receive  instruction. 
See,  for  illustrations  of  this,  Wetstein, 
Bloomfield,  &c.  In  the  passage  before 
us,  the  proper  notion  of  pedagogue  is 
retained.  In  our  sense  of  the  word 
schoolmaster,  Christ  is  the  schoolmaster, 
and  not  the  law.  The  law  performs  the 
office  of  the  ancient  pedagogue,  to  lead 
us  to  the  teacher  or  the  instructor.  That 
teacher  or  instructor  is  Christ.  The 
ways  in  which  the  law  does  this  may 
be  the  following  : — (1.)  It  restrains  us 
and  rebukes  us,  and  keeps  us  as  the  an- 
cient pedagogue  did  his  boys.  (2.)  The 
whole  law  was  designed  to  be  introduc- 
tory to  Christ.  The  sacrifices  and  of 
ferings  were  designed  to  shadow  forth 
the  Messiah,  and  to  introduce  him  to  the 
world.  (3.)  The  moral  law — the  law 
of  God — shows  men  their  sin  and  dan- 
ger, and  thus  leads  them  to  the  Saviour. 
It  condemns  them,  and  thus  prepares 
them  to  welcome  the  offer  of  pardon 
through  a  Redeemer.  (4.)  It  still  does 
this.  The  whole  economy  of  the  Jews 
was  designed  to  do  this  ;  and  under  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel  it  is  still  done. 
Men  see  that  they  are  condemned ;  they 
are  convinced  by  the  law  that  they  can- 
not save  themselves,  and  thus  they  are 
led  to  the  Redeemer.  The  effect  of  the 
preached  gospel  is  to  show  men  their 
sins,  and  thus  to  be  preparatory  to  the 
embracing  of  the  offer  of  pardon.  Hence 
the  importance  of  preaching  the  law 
still;  and  hence  it  is  needful  that  men 
should  be  made  to  feel  that  they  are  sin- 
ners, in  order  that  they  may  be  prepared 


350 


GALAT1ANS. 


[A,  D.  58. 


25  But  after  that  faith  is  come, 
we  are  no  longer  under  a  school- 
master. 

26  For  ye  are  all  the  children 
*  of  God  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus. 

a  Jno.  1.  12.     1  Jno.  3.  1,  2. 

to  embrace  the  offers  of  mercy.    Comp. 
Note  on  Rom.  x.  4. 

25.  But  after  that  faith  is  come. 
The  scheme  of  salvation  by  faith.  After 
that  is  revealed.  See  Note  on  ver.  23. 
"i  We  are  no  longer  under  a  schoolmas- 
ter. Under  the  paedagogus,  or  peda- 
gogue. We  are  not  kept  in  restraint, 
and  under  bondage,  and  led  along  to 
another  to  receive  instruction.  We  are 
directly  under  the  great  Teacher,  the 
Instructor  himself;  and  have  a  kind  of 
freedom  which  we  were  not  allowed  be- 
fore. The  bondage  and  servitude  have 
passed  away  ;  and  we  are  free  from  the 
burdensome  ceremonies  and  expensive 
rites  (Comp.  Note  on  Acts  xv.  10)  of 
the  Jewish  law,  and  from  the  sense  of 
condemnation  which  it  imposes.  This 
was  true  of  the  converts  from  Judaism 
to  Christianity — that  they  became  free 
from  the  burdensome  rites  of  the  law  ; 
and  it  is  true  of  all  converts  to  the 
faith  of  Christ,  that,  having  been  made 
to  see  their  sin  by  the  law,  and  having 
been  conducted  by  it  to  the  cross  of  the 
Redeemer,  they  are  now  made  free. 

26.  For  ye  are  all  the  children  of 
God,  &c.  All  who  bear  the  Christian 
name — the  converts  from  among  the 
Jews  and  Gentiles  alike.  See  Note  on 
John  i.  12.  The  idea  here  is,  that  they 
are  no  longer  under  tutors  and  govern- 
ors ;  they  are  no  longer  subject  to  the 
direction  and  will  of  the  paedagogus  ,• 
they  are  arrived  at  age,  and  are  admitted 
to  the  privileges  of  sons.  See  Note  on 
ch.  iv.  1.  The  language  here  is  derived 
from  the  fact,  that  until  the  son  arrived 
at  age,  he  was  in  many  respects  not  dif- 
ferent from  a  servant.  He  was  under 
laws  and  restraints ;  and  subject  to  the 
will  of  another.  When  of  age,  he  en- 
tered on  the  privileges  of  heirship,  and 
was  free  to  act  for  himself.  Thus,  un- 
der the  law,  men  were  under  restraints, 


27  For  h  as  many  of  you  as 
have  been  baptized  into  Christ, 
have  put  on  Christ. 

28  There  is  c  neither  Jew  nor 


b  Ro.  6.  3. 


c  Col.  3.  11. 


and  subject  to  heavy  exactions.  Undei 
the  gospel,  they  are  free,  and  admitted 
to  the  privileges  of  the  sons  of  God. 

27.  For  as  many  of  you.  Whethei 
by  nature  Jews  or  Gentiles.  *J  As  have 
been  baptized  into  Christ.  Or  unto 
(ei? — the  same  preposition  which  in  ver 
24  is  rendered  unto)  Christ.  That  is< 
they  were  baptized  with  reference  to 
him,  or  receiving  him  as  the  Saviour, 
See  this  explained  in  the  Note  on  Rom. 
vi.  3.  H  Have  put  on  Christ.  That 
is,  they  have  put  on  his  sentiments, 
opinions,  characteristic  traits,  &c,  as  a 
man  clothes  himself.  This  language 
was  common  among  the  ancient  writers. 
See  it  explained  in  the  Note  on  Rom. 
xiii.  14. 

28.  There  is  neither  Jew  nor  Greek. 
All  are  on  a  level;  all  are  saved  in  the 
same  way  ;  all  are  entitled  to  the  same 
privileges.  There  is  no  favouritism  on 
account  of  birth,  beauty,  or  blood.  All 
confess  that  they  are  sinners ;  all  are 
saved  by  the  merits  of  the  same  Saviour ; 
all  are  admitted  to  the  same  privileges 
as  children  of  God.  The  wqrd  "  Greek" 
here  is  used  to  denote  the  Gentiles  gene- 
rally; since  the  whole  world  was  di- 
vided by  the  Jews  into  'Jews  and 
Greeks' — the  Greeks  being  the  foreign 
nation  best  known  to  them.  The  Sy- 
riac  renders  it  here  '  Aramean? — using 
the  word  to  denote  the  Gentiles  gene- 
rally. The  meaning  is,  that  whatever 
was  the  birth,  or  rank,  or  nation,  or  co- 
lour, or  complexion,  all  under  the  gospel 
were  on  a  level.  They  were  admitted 
to  the  same  privileges,  and  endowed 
with  the  same  hopes  of  eternal  life. 
This  does  not  mean  that  all  the  civil 
distinctions  among  men  are  to  be  disre- 
garded. It  does  not  mean  that  no  re- 
spect is  to  be  shown  to  those  in  office, 
or  to  men  in  elevated  rank.  It  does  not 
mean  that  all  are  on  a  level  in  regard  to 


A.  D.  58.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


35i 


Greek,  there  is  neither  bond  nor 
free,  there  is  neither  male  nor 

talents,  comforts,  or  wealth;  but  it 
means  only  that  all  men  are  on  a  level 
in  regard  to  religion.  This  is  the  sole 
point  under  discussion  ;  and  the  inter- 
pretation should  be  limited  to  this.  It 
is  not  a  fact  that  men  are  on  a  level  in 
all  things,  nor  is  it  a  fact  that  the  gos- 
pel designs  to  break  down  all  the  distinc- 
tions of  society.  Paul  means  to  teach 
that  no  man  has  any  preference  or  ad- 
vantage in  the  kingdom  of  God  because 
he  is  a  rich  man,  or  because  he  is  of 
elevated  rank ;  no  one  is  under  any  dis- 
advantage because  he  is  poor,  or  because 
he  is  ignorant,  or  a  slave.  All  at  the 
foot  of  the  cross  are  sinners ;  all  at  the 
communion  table  are  saved  by  the  same 
grace ;  all  who  enter  into  heaven,  will 
enter  clothed  in  the  same  robes  of  sal- 
vation, and  arranged,  not  as  princes  and 
nobles,  and  rich  men  and  poor  men,  in 
separate  orders  and  ranks,  but  mingling 
together  as  redeemed  by  the  same  blood, 
and  arranged  in  ranks  according  to  their 
eminence  in  holiness.  Comp.  my  Notes 
on  Isa.  lvi.  8.  ^  There  is  neither  bond 
nor  free.  The  condition  of  a  free  man 
does  not  give  him  any  peculiar  claims 
or  advantages  in  regard  to  religion  ;  and 
the  condition  of  a  slave  does  not  exclude 
him  from  the  hope  of  heaven,  or  from 
being  regarded  as  a  child  of  God,  on  the 
same  terms,  and  entitled  to  the  same 
privileges  as  his  master.  In  regard  to 
religion,  they  are  on  the  same  level. 
They  are  alike  sinners,  and  are  alike 
6aved  by  grace.  They  sit  down  at  the 
same  communion  table ;  and  they  look 
forward  to  the  same  heaven.  Chris- 
tianity does  not  admit  the  one  to  favour 
because  he  is  free,  or  exclude  the  other 
because  he  is  a  slave.  Nor,  when  they 
are  admitted  to  favour,  does  it  give  the 
one  a  right  to  lord  it  over  the  other,  or 
to  feel  that  he  is  of  any  more  value  in 
the  eye  of  the  Redeemer,  or  any  nearer 
to  his  heart.  The  essential  idea  is,  that 
they  arc  on  a  level,  and  that  they  are 
admitted  to  the  favour  of  God  without 
respect  to  their  external  condition  in  so- 


female:    for   ye   are   all  one   in 

Christ  Jesus. 


ciety.  I  do  not  see  any  evidence  in  this 
passage  that  the  Christian  religion  de- 
signed to  abolish  slavery,  any  more  than 
I  do  in  the  following  phrase,  "  there  is 
neither  male  nor  female,"  that  it  was 
intended  to  abolish  the  distinction  of 
the  sexes  ;  nor  do  I  see  in  this  passage 
any  evidence  that  there  should  not  be 
proper  respect  shown  by  the  servant  to 
his  master,  though  both  of  them  are 
Christians,  any  more  than  there  is  in 
the  following  phrase,  that  suitable  re- 
spect should  not  be  shown  in  the  inter- 
course with  the  sexes.  Comp.  1  Tim. 
vi.  1 — 5.  But  the  proof  is  explicit,  that 
masters  and  slaves  may  alike  become 
Christians  on  the  same  terms,  and  are, 
in  regard  to  their  religious  privileges 
and  hopes,  on  a  level.  No  peculiar  fa- 
vour is  shown  to  the  one,  in  the  matter 
of  salvation,  because  he  is  free,  nor  is 
the  other  excluded  because  he  is  a  slave. 
And  from  this  it  follows: — (1.)  That 
they  should  sit  down  to  the  same  com- 
munion table.  There  should  be  no  in- 
vidious and  odious  distinctions  there. 
(2.)  They  should  be  regarded  alike  as 
Christian  brethren  in  the  house  of  God, 
and  should  be  addressed  and  treated  ac- 
cordingly. (3.)  The  slave  should  ex- 
cite the  interest,  and  receive  the  watch- 
ful care  of  the  pastor,  as  well  as  his 
master.  Indeed,  he  may  need  it  more  ; 
and  from  his  ignorance,  and  the  fewness 
of  his  opportunities,  it  may  be  proper 
that  special  attention  should  be  bestowed 
on  him.  In  regard  to  this  doctrine  of 
Christianity,  that  there  is  neither  '  bond 
nor  free'  among  those  who  are  saved, 
or  that  all  are  on  a  level  in  regard  to  sal- 
vation, we  may  remark  further,  (1.) 
That  it  is  peculiar  to  Christianity.  All 
other  systems  of  religion  and  philosophy 
make  different  ranks,  and  endeavour  to 
promote  the  distinctions  of  caste  among 
men.  They  teach  that  certain  men  are 
the  favourites  of  heaven,  in  virtue  of 
their  birth  or  their  rank  in  life,  or  that 
they  have  peculiar  facilities  for  salvation. 
Thus,  in  India  the  Brahmin  is  regarded 


352 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.  58 


as,  by  his  birth,  the  favourite  of  heaven, 
and  all  others  are  supposed  to  be  of  a 
degraded  rank.  The  great  effort  of  men, 
in  their  systems  of  religion  and  philoso- 
phy, has  been  to  show  that  there  are 
favoured  ranks  and  classes,  and  to  make 
permanent  distinctions  on  account  of 
birth  and  blood.  Christianity  regards 
all  men  as  made  of  one  blood  to  dwell 
on  all  the  face  of  the  earth  (see  Note, 
Acts  xvii.  26),  and  esteems  them  all  to 
be  equal  in  the  matter  of  salvation ;  and 
whatever  notions  of  equality  prevail  in 
the  world  are  to  be  traced  to  the  influence 
of  the  Christian  religion.  (2.)  If  men 
are  regarded  as  equal  before  God,  and 
as  entitled  to  the  same  privileges  of  sal- 
vation ;  if  there  is  in  the  great  work  of 
redemption  "  neither  bond  nor  free," 
and  those  who  are  in  the  church  are  on 
a  level,  then  such  a  view  will  induce  a 
master  to  treat  his  slave  with  kindness, 
when  that  relation  exists.  The  master 
who  has  any  right  feelings,  will  regard 
his  servant  as  a  Christian  brother,  re- 
deemed by  the  same  blood  as  himself, 
and  destined  to  the  same  heaven.  He 
will  esteem  him  not  as  '  a  chattel'  or  '  a 
thing,'  or  as  a  piece  '  of  property,'  but 
he  will  regard  him  as  an  immortal  be- 
ing, destined  with  himself  to  the  same 
heaven,  and  about  to  sit  down  with  him 
in  the  realms  of  glory.  How  can  he 
treat  such  a  brother  with  unkindness  or 
severity  1  How  can  he  rise  from  the 
same  communion  table  with  him,  and 
give  way  to  violent  feelings  against  him, 
and  regard  him  and  treat  him  as  if  he 
were  a  brute  1  And  Christianity,  by 
the  simple  principle  that  *  the  slave  is  a 
brother  in  the  Lord,'  will  do  more  to 
mitigate  the  horrors  of  slavery,  than  all 
the  enactments  that  men  can  make,  and 
all  the  other  views  and  doctrines  which 
can  be  made  to  prevail  in  society.  See 
Philem.  16.  (3.)  This  doctrine  would 
lead  to  universal  emancipation.  All 
are  on  a  level  before  God.  In  the  king- 
dom of  Jesus  there  is  neither  bond  nor 
free.  One  is  as  much  an  object  of  favour 
as  another.  With  this  feeling,  how 
can  a  Christian  hold  his  fellow  Chris- 
tian in  bondage  1  How  can  he  regard 
as  •  a  chattel'  or  '  a  thing,'  one  who,  like 


himself,  is  an  hei/  of  glory  ?  How  can 
he  sell  him  on  whom  the  blood  of  Jesu3 
has  been  sprinkled  ?  Let  him  feel  that 
his  slave  is  his  equal  in  the  sight  of  God  ; 
that  with  himself  he  is  an  heir  of  glory ; 
that  together  they  are  soon  to  stand  on 
Mount  Zion  above  ;  that  the  slave  is  an 
immortal  being,  and  has  been  redeemed 
by  the  blood  of  Calvary,  and  how  can 
he  hold  such  a  being  in  bondage,  and 
how  can  he  transfer  him  from  place  to 
place  and  from  hand  to  hand  for  gold  1 
If  all  masters  and  all  slaves  were  to  be- 
come Christians,  slavery  would  at  once 
cease  ;  and  the  prevalence  of  the  single 
principle  before  us  would  put  an  end  to 
all  the  ways  in  which  man  oppresses  his 
fellow-man.  Accordingly,  it  is  well 
known  that  in  about  three  centuries  the 
influence  of  Christianity  banished  slave- 
ry from  the  Roman  empire.  ^  There  is 
neither  male  nor  female.  Neither  the 
male  nor  the  female  have  any  peculiar 
advantages  for  salvation.  There  are  no 
favours  shown  on  account  of  sex.  Both 
sexes  are,  in  this  respect,  on  a  level. 
This  does  not  mean,  of  course,  that  the 
sexes  are  to  be  regarded  as  in  all  respects 
equal ;  nor  can  it  mean  that  the  two 
sexes  may  not  have  peculiar  duties  and 
privileges  in  other  respects.  It  does  not 
prove  that  one  of  the  sexes  may  not 
perform  important  offices  in  the  church, 
which  would  not  be  proper  for  the  other. 
It  does  not  prove  that  the  duties  of  the 
ministry  are  to  be  performed  by  the  fe- 
male sex,  nor  that  the  various  duties  of 
domestic  life,  nor  the  various  offices  of 
society  should  be  performed  without 
any  reference  to  the  distinction  of  sex. 
The  interpretation  should  be  confined 
to  the  matter  under  consideration  ;  and 
the  passage  proves  only  that  in  regard 
to  salvation  they  are  on  a  level.  One 
sex  is  not  to  be  regarded  as  peculiarly 
the  favourite  of  heaven,  and  the  other 
to  be  excluded.  Christianity  thus  ele- 
vates the  female  sex  to  an  equality  with 
the  male,  on  the  most  important  of  all 
interests ;  and  it  has  in  this  way  made 
most  important  changes  in  the  world 
wherever  it  has  prevailed.  Everywhere 
but  in  connexion  with  the  Christian  re- 
ligion, woman  has  been  degraded.    She 


\.  D.  58.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


353 


29  And  if  ye  be  Christ's,  then 
a  are  ye  Abraham's  seed,  and 
heirs  h  according  to  the  promise. 

a  ver.  7.  6  Ro.  8.  17. 


has  been  kept  in  ignorance.  She  has 
been  treated  as  an  inrerior  in  all  respects. 
She  has  been  doomed  to  un pitied 
drudgery,  and  ignorance,  and  toil.  So 
she  was  among  the  ancient  Greeks  and 
Romans  ;  so  she  is  among  the  savages 
of  America;  so  she  is  in  China,  and 
India,  and  in  the  islands  of  the  sea ;  so 
she. is  regarded  in  the  Koran,  and  in  all 
Mohammedan  countries.  It  is  Chris- 
tianity alone  which  nas  elevated  her; 
and  nowhere  on  earth  does  man  regard 
the  mother  of  his  children  as  an  intelli- 
gent companion  and  friend,  except 
where  the  influence  of  the  Christian  re- 
ligion has  been  felt.  At  the  commu- 
nion table,  at  the  foot  of  the  cross,  and 
in  the  hopes  of  heaven,  she  is  on  a  level 
with  man  ;  and  this  fact  diffuses  a  mild, 
and  purifying,  and  elevating  influence 
over  all  the  relations  of  life.  Woman 
has  been  raised  from  deep  degradation 
by  the  influence  of  Christianity;  and, 
let  me  add,  she  has  everywhere  acknow- 
ledged the  debt  of  gratitude,  and  devoted 
herself,  as  under  a  deep  sense  of  obli- 
gation, to  lessening  the  burdens  of  hu- 
manity, and  to  the  work  of  elevating 
the  degraded,  instructing  the  ignorant, 
and  comforting  the  afflicted,  all  over  the 
world.  Never  has  a  debt  been  better 
repaid,  or  the  advantages  of  elevating 
one  portion  of  the  race  Deen  more  appa- 
rent. %  For  ye  are  all  one  in  Christ 
Testis.  You  are  all  equally  accepted 
through  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  or  you 
are  all  on  the  same  level,  and  entitled  to 
the  same  privileges  in  your  Christian 
profession.  Bond  and  free,  male  and 
female,  Jew  and  Greek,  are  admitted  to 
equal  privileges,  and  are  equally  accept- 
able before  God.  And  the  church  of 
God,  no  matter  what  may  be  the  com- 
plexion, the  country,  the  habits,  or  the 
rank  of  its  members,  is  one.  Every  man 
on  whom  is  the  image  and  the  blood 
of  Christ,  is  a  brother  to  every  other 
30* 


CHAPTER    IV. 

IVpW  I  say,  That  the  heir,  as 
long  as  he  is  a  child,  differeth 
nothing  from  a  servant,  though 
he  be  lord  of  all ; 


one  who  bears  that  image,  and  should 
be  treated  accordingly.  What  an  in- 
fluence would  be  excited  in  the  breaking 
up  of  the  distinctions  of  rank  and  caste 
among  men  ;  what  an  effect  in  abolish- 
ing the  prejudice  on  account  of  colour 
and  country,  if  this  were  universally 
believed  and  felt! 

29.  And  if  ye  be  Christ's.  If  you 
belong  to  the  Messiah,  and  are  interest- 
ed in  his  work,  f  Then  are  ye  Abra- 
ham's seed.  The  promise  made  to 
Abraham  related  to  the  Messiah.  It 
was  a  promise  that  in  him  all  should  be 
blessed.  Abraham  believed  in  that  Mes- 
siah, and  was  distinguished  for  his  faith 
in  him  who  was  to  come.  If  they  be- 
lieved in  Christ,  therefore,  they  showed 
that  they  were  the  spiritual  descendants 
of  Abraham.  No  matter  whether  they 
were  Jews  or  Gentiles ;  whether  they 
had  been  circumcised  or  not,  they  had 
the  same  spirit  which  he  evinced,  and 
were  interested  in^he  promises  made  to 
him.  \  And  heirs  according  to  the  pro- 
mise. See  Rom.  viii.  17.  Are  heirs 
of  God.  You  inherit  the  blessings  pro- 
mised to  Abraham,  and  partake  of  the 
felicity  to  which  he  looked  forward. 
You  have  become  truly  heirs  of  God, 
and  this  is  in  accordance  with  the  pro- 
mise made  to  Abraham.  It  is  not  by 
the  obedience  of  the  law ;  it  is  by  faith— 
in  the  same  way  that  Abraham  pos- 
sessed the  blessing  ; — an  arrangement 
before  the  giving  of  the  law,  and  there- 
fore one  that  may  include  all,  whether 
Jews  or  Gentiles.  All  are  on  a  level ; 
and  all  are  alike  the  children  of  God, 
and  in  the  same  manner,  and  on  the 
same  terms  that  Abraham  was. 

CHAPTER    IV. 

ANALYSIS. 

The  design  of  this  chapter  is,  to 
show  the  effect  of  being  under  the  law, 
and  the  inconsistency  of  that  kind  of 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.  58. 


bondage  or  servitude  with  the  freedom 
which  is  vouchsafed  to  the  true  children 
of  God  by  the  gospel.  It  is,  in  accord- 
ance with  the  whole  drift  of  the  epistle, 
to  recall  the  Galatians  to  just  views  of 
the  gospel;  and  to  convince  them  of  their 
error  in  returning  to  the  practice  of  the 
Mosaic  rites  and  customs.  In  the  pre- 
vious chapter  he  had  shown  them  that 
believers  in  the  gospel  were  the  true 
children  of  Abraham;  that  they  had 
been  delivered  from  the  curse  of  the 
law  ;  that  the  law  was  a  schoolmaster 
to  lead  them  to  Christ,  and  that  they 
were  all  the  children  of  God.  To  illus- 
trate this  further,  and  to  show  them  the 
true  nature  of  the  freedom  which  they 
had  as  the  children  of  God,  is  the  de- 
sign of  the  argument  in  this  chapter. 
He  therefore  states: 

(1.)  That  it  was  under  the  gospel 
only  that  they  received  the  full  advan- 
tages of  freedom,  ver.  1-5.  Before  Christ 
came,  indeed,  there  were  true  children 
of  God,  and  heirs  of  life.  But  they 
were  in  the  condition  of  minors  ,-  they 
had  not  the  privileges  of  sons.  An  heir 
to  a  great  estate,  says  the  apostle  (ver. 
1,  2),  is  treated  substantially  as  if  he 
were  a  servant.  He  is  under  tutors  and 
governors ;  he  is  not  permitted  to  enter 
on  his  inheritance  ;  he  is  kept  under  the 
restraint  of  law.  So  it  was  with  the 
people  of  God  under  the  law  of  Moses. 
They  were  under  restraints,  and  were 
admitted  to  comparatively  few  of  the 
privileges  of  the  children  of  God.  But 
Christ  came  to  redeem  those  who  were 
under  the  law,  and  to  place  them  in  the 
elevated  condition  of  adopted  sons.  ver. 
4,  5.  They  were  no  longer  servants  ; 
and  it  was  as  unreasonable  that  they 
should  conform  again  to  the  Mosaic 
rites  and  customs,  as  it  would  be  for  the 
heir  of  full  age,  and  who  has  entered 
on  his  inheritance,  to  return  to  the  con- 
dition of  minorship,  and  to  be  placed 
igain  under  tutors  and  governors,  and 
©  be  treated  as  a  servant. 

(2.)  As  sons  of  God,  God  had  sent 
brth  the  Spirit  of  his  Son  into  their 
learts,  and  they  were  enabled  to  cry 
Abba,  Father.  They  were  no  longer 
servants,  but  heirs  of  God,  and  should 


avail  themselves  of  the  privileges  of 
heirs,  ver.  6,  7. 

(3.)  Sustaining  this  relation,  and  be- 
ing admitted  to  these  privileges,  the 
apostle  remonstrates  with  them  for  re- 
turning again  to  the  "  weak  and  beg- 
garly elements"  of  the  former  dispensa- 
tion— the  condition  of  servitude  to  rites 
and  customs  in  which  they  were  before 
they  embraced  the  gospel,  ver.  8 — 11. 
When  they  were  ignorant  of  God,  they 
served  those  who  were  no  gods,  and 
there  was  some  excuse  for  that.  ver.  8. 
But  now  they  had  known  God,  they 
were  acquainted  with  his  laws ;  they 
were  admitted  to  the  privileges  of  his 
children ;  they  were  made  free,  and 
there  could  be  no  excuse  for  returning 
again  to  the  bondage  of  those  who  had 
no  true  knowledge  of  the  liberty  which 
the  gospel  gave.  Yet  they  observed 
days  and  times  as  though  these  were 
binding,  and  they  had  never  been  freed 
from  them  (ver.  10)  ;  and  the  apostle 
says,  that  he  is  afraid  that  his  labours 
bestowed  on  them,  to  make  them  ac- 
quainted with  the  plan  of  redemption, 
had  been  in  vain. 

(4.)  To  bring  them  to  a  just  sense 
of  their  error,  he  reminds  them  of  their 
former  attachment  to  him.  ver.  1 2 — 20. 
He  had  indeed  preached  to  them  amidst 
much  infirmity,  and  much  that  was 
fitted  to  prejudice  them  against  him 
(ver.  13) ;  but  they  had  disregarded  that, 
and  had  evinced  towards  him  the  high- 
est proofs  of  attachment — so  much  so, 
that  they  had  received  him  as  an  angel 
of  God  (ver.  14),  and  had  been  ready 
to  pluck  out  their  own  eyes  to  give 
them  to  him.  ver.  15.  With  great  force, 
therefore,  he  asks  them  why  they  had 
changed  their  views  towards  him  so 
far  as  to  forsake  his  doctrines  1  Had 
he  become  their  enemy  by  telling  the 
truth  1  ver.  16.  He  tenderly  addresses 
them,  therefore,  as  little  children,  and 
says,  that  he  has  the  deepest  solicitude 
for  their  welfare,  and  the  deepest  anxiety 
on  account  of  their  danger — a  solicitude 
which  he  compares  (ver.  19)  with  the 
pains  of  child-birth. 

(5.)  In  order  to  enforce  the  whole 
subject,  and  to  show  the  true  nature  of 


A  D.  58.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


355 


the  conformity  to  the  law  compared  with 
the  liberty  of  the  gospel,  he  allegorizes 
an  interesting  part  of  the  Mosaic  his- 
tory— the  history  of  the  two  children  of 
Abraham,  ver.  21 — 31.  The  condition 
of  Hagar — a  slave — under  the  com- 
mand of  a  master — harshly  treated — cast 
out  and  disowned,  was  an  apt  illustra- 
tion of  the  condition  of  those  who  were 
under  the  servitude  of  the  law.  It 
would  strikingly  represent  Mount  Sinai, 
and  the  law  that  was  promulgated  there, 
and  the  condition  of  those  who  were 
under  the  law.  That,  too,  was  a  con- 
dition of  servitude.  The  law  was  stern, 
and  showed  no  mercy.  It  was  like  a 
master  of  a  slave,  and  would  treat  those 
who  were  under  it  with  a  rigidness 
that  might  be  compared  with  the  condi- 
tion of  Hagar  and  her  son.  ver.  24,  25. 
That  same  Mount  Sinai  also  was  a  fair 
representation  of  Jerusalem  as  it  was 
then — a  city  full  of  rites  and  ceremo- 
nies, where  the  law  reigned  with  rigour, 
where  there  was  a  burdensome  and  ex- 
pensive system  of  religion,  and  where 
there  was  none  of  the  freedom  which 
the  gospel  would  furnish,  ver.  25.  On 
the  other  hand,  the  children  of  the  free 
woman  were  an  apt  illustration  of  those 
who  were  made  free  from  the  oppressive 
ceremonies  of  the  law  by  the  gospel, 
ver.  22.  That  Jerusalem  was  free. 
The  new  system  from  heaven  was  one 
of  liberty  and  rejoicing,  ver.  26,  27. 
Christians  were,  like  Isaac,  the  children 
of  promise,  and  were  not  slaves  to  the 
law.  ver.  28.  31.  And  as  there  was  a 
command  (ver.  30)  to  cast  out  the 
bondwoman  and  her  son,  so  the  com- 
mand now  was  to  reject  all  that  would 
bring  the  mind  into  ignoble  servitude, 
and  prevent  its  enjoying  the  full  free- 
dom of  the  gospel.  The  whole  argu- 
ment is,  that  it  would  be  as  unreasona- 
ble for  those  who  were  Christians  to 
submit  again  to  the  Jewish  rites  and 
ceremonies,  as  it  would  be  for  a  freeman 
to  sell  himself  into  slavery.  And  the 
design  of  the  whole  is,  to  recall  them 
from  the  conformity  to  Jewish  rites  and 
customs,  and  from  their  regarding  them 
as  now  binding  on  Christians. 

1.  Now  I  say.    He  had  before  said 


(ch.  iii.  24,  25)  that  while  they  were 
under  the  law  they  were  in  a  state  of 
minority.  This  sentiment  he  proceeds 
further  to  illustrate  by  showing  the  true 
condition  of  one  who  was  a  minor. 
1  That  the  heir.  Any  heir  to  an  estate, 
or  one  who  has  a  prospect  of  an  inhe- 
ritance. No  matter  how  great  is  the 
estate ;  no  matter  how  wealthy  his  fa- 
ther ;  no  matter  to  how  elevated  a  rank 
he  may  be  raised  on  the  moment  that 
he  enters  on  his  inheritance,  yet  till  that 
time  he  is  in  the  condition  of  a  servant. 
*f  As  long  as  he  is  a  child.  Until  he 
arrives  at  age.  The  word  rendered 
"child"  (vwV/2?),  properly  means  an  in- 
fant,- literally,  one  not  speaking  (y» 
insep.  un,  i?ro(),  and  hence  a  child,  or 
babe,  but  without  any  definite  limita- 
tion.— Rob.  It  is  used  as  the  word  in- 
fant is  with  us  in  law,  to  denote  a  mi- 
nor, f  Differeth  nothing  from  a  ser- 
vant. That  is,  he  has  no  more  control 
of  his  property  ;  he  has  it  not  at  his 
command.  This  does  not  mean  that  he 
does  not  differ  in  any  respect,  but  only 
that  in  the  matter  under  consideration 
he  does  not  differ.  He  differs  in  his 
prospects  of  inheriting  the  property, 
and  in  the  affections  of  the  father,  and 
usually  in  the  advantages  of  education, 
and  in  the  respect  and  attention  shown 
him,  but  in  regard  to  property,  he  does 
not  differ,  and  he  is  like  a  servant,  under 
the  control  and  direction  of  others. 
H  Though  he  be  lord  of  all.  That  is, 
in  prospect.  He  has  a  prospective  right 
to  all  the  property,  which  no  one  else 
has.  The  word  "lord"  here  (*yg«?), 
is  used  in  the  same  sense  in  which  it  is 
often  in  the  Scriptures,  to  denote  master 
or  owner.  The  idea  which  this  is  de- 
signed to  illustrate  is,  that  the  condition 
of  the  Jews  before  the  coming  of  the 
Messiah  was  inferior  in  many  respects 
to  what  the  condition  of  the  friends  of 
God  would  be  under  him — as  inferior  as 
the  condition  of  an  heir  was  before  he 
was  of  age,  to  what  it  would  be  when 
he  should  enter  on  his  inheritance. 
The  Jews  claimed,  indeed,  that  they 
were  the  children  or  the  sons  of  God, 
a  title  which  the  apostle  would  not  with- 
hold from  the  pious  part  of  the  nation 


356 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.  58 


2  But  is  under  tutors  and  go- 
vernors until  the  time  appointed 
of  the  father. 

but  it  was  a  condition  in  which  they 
had  not  entered  on  the  full  inheritance, 
and  which  was  far  inferior  to  that  of 
those  who  had  embraced  the  Messiah, 
and  who  were  admitted  to  the  full  pri- 
vileges of  sonship.  They  were  indeed 
heirs.  They  were  interested  in  the  pro- 
mises. But  still  they  were  in  a  condi- 
tion of  comparative  servitude,  and  could 
be  made  free  only  by  the  gospel. 

2.  But  is  under.  Is  subject  to  their 
control  and  direction.  If  Tutors.  The 
word  tutor  with  us  properly  means  in- 
structor. But  this  is  not  quite  the  sense 
of  the  original.  The  word  itrfoproc 
properly  means  a  steward,  manager, 
agent.  Matt  xx.  8.  Luke  viii.  3.  As 
used  here,  it  refers  to  one — usually  a 
slave  or  a  freed  man — to  whose  care  the 
boys  of  a  family  were  committed,  who 
trained  them  up,  accompanied  them  to 
school,  or  sometimes  instructed  them  at 
home.  Comp.'  Note  on  ch.  hi.  24. 
Such  a  one  would  have  the  control  of 
them.  Tf  And  governors.  This  word 
(oiKovi/xi;)  means  a  house-manager,  an 
overseer,  a  steward.  It  properly  refers 
to  one  who  had  authority  over  the 
slaves  or  servants  of  a  family,  to  assign 
them  their  tasks  and  portions.  They 
generally,  also,  had  the  management  of 
the  affairs  of  the  household,  and  of  the 
accounts.  They  were  commonly  slaves, 
who  were  intrusted  with  this  office  as 
a  reward  for  fidelity ;  though  sometimes 
free  persons  were  employed.  Luke  xvi. 
1.  3.  8.  These  persons  had  also  charge 
of  the  sons  of  a  family,  probably  in  re- 
spect to  their  pecuniary  matters,  and 
thus  differed  from  those  called  tutors. 
It  is  not  necessary,  however,  to  mark 
the  difference  in  the  words  with  great 
accuracy.  The  general  meaning  of  the 
apostle  is,  that  the  heir  was  under  go- 
vernment and  restraint.  1  Until  the 
time  appointed  of  the  father.  The 
time  fixed  for  his  entering  on  the  inhe- 
ritance. The  time  when  he  chose  to 
give  him  his  portion  of  the  property. 


3  Even  so  we,  when  we  were 
children,  were  in  bondage  undei 
the  '  elements  of  the  world : 

i  rudiments.     Col.  2.  8.  20. 


The  law  with  us  fixes  the  age  at  twen- 
ty-one when  a  son  shall  be  at  liberty  to 
manage  for  himself.  Other  countries 
have  affixed  other  times.  But  still,  the 
time  when  the  son  shall  inherit  his  fa- 
ther's property  must  be  fixed  by  the  fa- 
ther himself  if  he  is  living,  or  may  be 
fixed  by  his  will  if  he  is  deceased.  The 
son  cannot  claim  the  property  when  he 
comes  of  age. 

3.  Even  so  we.  We  who  were  Jews — 
for  so  I  think  the  word  here  is  to  be 
limited,  and  not  extended  to  the  hea- 
then, as  Bloomfield  supposes.  The 
reasons  for  limiting  it  are,  (1.)  That 
the  heathens  in  no  sense  sustained  such 
a  relation  to  the  law  and  promises  of 
God  as  is  here  supposed ;  (2.)  Such  an 
interpretation  would  not  be  pertinent  to 
the  design  of  Paul.  He  is  stating  rea- 
sons why  there  should  not  be  subjection 
to  the  laws  of  Moses,  and  his  argument 
is,  that  that  condition  was  like  that  of 
nonage  or  minorship.  f  When  we  were 
children  (rhnui).  Minors.  See  Note 
on.  ver  1.  The  word  is  not  via,  sons  ; 
but  the  idea  is,  that  they  were  in  a  state 
of  nonage ;  and  though  heirs,  yet  were 
under  severe  discipline  and  regimen. 
They  were  under  a  kind  of  government 
that  was  fitted  to  that  state,  and  not  to  the 
condition  of  those  who  had  entered  on 
their  inheritance.  ^  Were  in  bondage. 
In  a  state  of  servitude.  Treated  as 
servants  or  slaves.  *f  Under  the  ele- 
ments of  the  world.  Marg.  Rudiments. 
The  word  rendered  elements  (sing. 
o-ts/^I/sv),  properly  means  a  row  or  se- 
ries ;  a  little  step  ;  a  pin  or  peg,  as  the 
gnomon  of  a  dial ;  and  then  any  thing 
elementary,  as  a  sound,  a  letter.  It 
then  denotes  the  elements  or  rudiments 
of  any  kind  of  instruction,  and  in  the 
New  Testament  is  applied  to  the  first 
lessons  or  principles  of  religion.  Heb. 
v.  12.  It  is  applied  to  the  elements  or 
component  parts  of  the  physical  world, 
2  Pet.  hi.  10.  12.  Here  the  figure  is 
kept  up  of  the  reference  to  the  infant 


A.  D.  58.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


357 


4  But  when  the  fulness  of  the 
time  was  come,  God  sent  forth 

(ver.  1.  3)  ;  and  the  idea  is,  that  lessons 
Arere  taught  under  the  Jewish  system 
adapted  to  their  nonage — to  a  state  of 
ehildhood.    They  were  treated  as  child- 
ren under  tutors  and  governors.     The 
phrase  "  the  elements  of  the  world,"  oc- 
curs also  in  Col.  ii.  8.  20.     In  ver.  9  of 
this  chapter,  Paul  speaks  of  these  les- 
sons as  "  beggarly  elements,"  referring 
to  the  same  thing  as  here.     Different 
opinions  have  been  held  as  to  the  reason 
why   the  Jewish  institutions   are  here 
called   "the   elements   of  the   world." 
Rosenmiiller  supposes  it  was  because 
many  of  those  rites  were  common  to 
the  Jews  and  to  the  heathens — as  they 
also  had  altars,  sacrifices,  temples,  liba- 
tions, &c.     Doddridge  supposes  it  was 
because  those  rites  were  adapted  to  the 
low  conceptions  of  children,  who  are 
most  affected  with  sensible  objects,  and 
have  no  taste  for  spiritual  and  heavenly 
things.     Locke  supposes  it  was  hecause 
those  institutions  led  them  not  beyond 
this  world,  or  into  the  possession  and 
taste  of  their  heavenly  inheritance.     It 
is  probable  that  there  is  allusion  to  the 
Jewish  manner  of  speaking,  so  common 
in  the  Scriptures,  where  this  world  is 
opposed  to  the  kingdom  of  God,  and 
where  it  is  spoken  of  as  transient  and 
worthless    compared    with    the    future 
glory.     The  world   is    fading,  unsatis- 
factory, temporary.     In  allusion  to  this 
common  use  of  the  word,  the  Jewish 
institutions  are  called  the  worldly  rudi- 
ments.    It   is  not  that   they    were   in 
themselves  evil — for  that  is  not  true ;  it 
is  not  that  they  were  adapted  to  foster  a 
worldly  spirit — for  that  is  not  true  ;  it  is 
not  that  they  had  their  origin  from  this 
world — for  that  is  not  true ;  nor  is  it 
from  the  fact  that  they  resembled  the 
institutions  of  the  heathen  world — for 
that  is  as  little  true  ;  but  it  is,  that,  like 
the  things  of  the  world,  they  were  tran- 
sient,   temporary,  and   of    little   value. 
They  were  unsatisfactory  in  their  nature, 
and  were  soon  to  pass  away,  and  to  give 
place  to  a  better  system — as  the  things 


his  Son,  made  of  a  woman,  made 
under  the  law, 


of  this  world  are  soon  to  give  place  to 
heaven. 

4.  But  when  the  fulness  of  the  time 
was  come.     The  full  time  appointed  by 
the  Father;  the  completion  (filling  up, 
TTxyietou*,)    of   the    designated    period 
for  the  coming  of  the  Messiah.     See 
Notes  on  Isa.  xlix.  7,  8.     2  Cor.  vi.  2. 
The  sense  is,  that  the  time  which  had 
been  predicted,  and  when  it  was  proper 
that  he   should   come,   was    complete. 
The  exact  period  had  arrived  when  all 
things  were  ready  for  his  coming.     It 
is   often   asked  why  he  did  not  come 
sooner,  and  why  mankind  did  not  have 
the  benefit  of  his  incarnation  and  atone- 
ment immediately  after  the  fall]  Why 
were  four  thousand  dark   and  gloomy 
years  allowed  to  roll  on,  and  the  world 
suffered  to  sink  deeper  and  deeper  in 
ignorance  and  sin  1  To  these  questions 
perhaps  no  answer  entirely  satisfactory 
can    be   given.    God   undoubtedly  saw 
reasons    which    we   cannot    see,    and 
reasons  which  we  shall  approve  if  they 
are  disclosed  to  us.     It  may  be  observed, 
however,  that  this  delay  of  redemption 
was  in  entire  accordance  with  the  whole 
system    of   divine   arrangements,    and 
with   all    the  divine    interpositions   in 
favour  of  men.     Men  are  suffefed  long 
to  pine  in  want,  to  suffer  from  disease, 
to  encounter  the  evils  of  ignorance,  be- 
fore interposition  is  granted.     On    all 
the    subjects    connected    with    human 
comfort   and  improvement,    the    same 
questions  may  be  asked  as  on  the  sub- 
ject   of   redemption.     Why    was    the 
invention  of  the  art  of  printing  so  long 
delayed,  and  men  suffered  to  remain  in 
ignorance7?    Why  was  the  discovery  of 
vaccination  delayed  so   long,  and  mil- 
lions suffered  to   die  who  might  have 
been  saved  !   Why  was  not  the  bark  of 
Peru  sooner  known,   and  why  did  so 
many  millions  die  who  might  have  been 
saved  by  its   use  ]     So  of  most  of  the 
medicines,  and  of  the   arts  and  inven- 
tions that  go  to  ward-  off  disease,  and 
to  promote  the  intelligence,  the  comfort, 


35b 


GALAT1ANS. 


[A.  D.  59. 


and  the  salvation  of  man.  In  respect 
to  all  of  these,  it  may  be  true  that  they 
are  made  known  at  the  very  bent  time, 
the  time  that  will  on  the  whole  most 
advance  the  welfare  of  the  race.  And 
so  of  the  incarnation  and  work  of  the 
Saviour.  It  was  seen  by  God  to  be  the 
best  time,  the  time  when  on  the  whole 
the  race  would  be  most  benefited  by 
his  coming.  Even  with  our  limited 
and  imperfect  vision,  we  can  see  the 
following  things  in  regard  to  its  being 
the  most  fit  and  proper  time.  (1.)  It 
was  just  the  time  when  all  the  prophe- 
cies centred  in  him,  and  when  there 
could  be  no  doubt  about  their  fulfilment. 
It  was  important  that  such  an  event 
should  be  predicted  in  order  that  there 
might  be  full  evidence  that  he  came 
from  heaven ;  and  yet  in  order  that 
prophecy  may  be  seen  to  have  been 
uttered  by  God,  it  must  be  so  far  before 
the  event  as  to  make  it  impossible  to 
have  been  the  result  of  mere  human 
conjecture.  (2.)  It  was  proper  that 
the  world  should  be  brought  to  see  its 
need  of  a  Saviour,  and  that  a  fair  and 
satisfactory  opportunity  should  lie  given 
to  men  to  try  all  other  schemes  of  salva- 
tion that  they  might  be  prepared  to 
welcome  this.  This  had  been  done. 
Four  thousand  years  were  sufficient  to 
show  to  man  his  own  powers,  and  to 
give  him  an  opportunity  to  devise  some 
scheme  of  salvation.  The  opportunity 
had  been  furnished  under  every  circum- 
stance that  could  be  deemed  favourable. 
The  most  profound  and  splendid  talent 
of  the  world  had  been  brought  to  bear 
on  it,  especially  in  Greece  and  Rome ; 
and  ample  opportunity  had  been  given 
to  make  a  fair  trial  of  the  various 
systems  of  religion  devised  on  national 
happiness  and  individual  welfare ;  their 
power  to  meet  and  arrest  crime;  to 
purify  the  heart;  to  promote  public 
morals,  and  to  support  man  in  his 
trials;  their  power  to  conduct  him  to 
the  true  God,  and  to  give  him  a  wel[- 
founded  hope  of  immortality.  All  had 
failed ;  and  then  it  was  a  proper  time 
for  the  Son  of  God  to  come  and  to 
reveal  a  better  system.  (3.)  It  was  a 
time  when   the  world    was    at    peace. 


The  temple  of  Janus,  closed  only  in 
times  of  peace,  was  then  shut,  though 
it  had  been  but  once  closed  before 
during  the  Roman  history.  What  an 
appropriate  time  for  the  "  Prince  of 
Peace"  to  come !  The  world  was,  to  a 
great  extent,  under  the  Roman  sceptre 
Communications  between  different  parti 
of  the  world  were  then  more  rapid  and 
secure  than  they  had  been  at  any 
former  period,  and  the  gospel  could  bt> 
more  easily  propagated.  Further,  the 
Jews  were  scattered  in  almost  all  lands, 
acquainted  with  the  promises,  looking 
for  the  Messiah,  furnishing  facilities  to 
their  own  countrymen  the  apostles  to 
preach  the  gospel  in  numerous  syna- 
gogues, and  qualified,  if  they  embraced 
the  Messiah,  to  become  most  zealous 
and  devoted  missionaries.  The  same 
language,  the  Greek,  was,  moreover, 
after  the  time  of  Alexander  the  Great, 
the  common  language  of  no  small  part 
of  the  world,  or  at  least  was  spoken 
and  understood  among  a  considerable 
portion  of  the  nations  of  the  earth.  At 
no  period  before  had  there  been  so  ex- 
tensive a  use  of  the  same  language. 
(4.)  It  was  a  proper  period  to  make 
the  new  system  known.  It  accorded 
with  the  benevolence  of  God,  that  it 
should  be  delayed  no  longer  than  that 
the  world  should  be  in  a  suitable  state 
for  receiving  the  Redeemer.  When 
that  period,  therefore,  had  arrived,  God 
did  not  delay,  but  sent  his  Son  on  the 
great  work  of  the  world's  redemption. 
t  God  sent  forth  his  Son.  This  im- 
plies that  the  Son  of  God  had  an  ex- 
istence before  his  incarnation.  See 
John  xvi.  28.  The  Saviour  is  often 
represented  as  sent  into  the  world,  and 
as  coming  forth  from  God.  ^  Made  of 
a  woman.  In  human  nature;  born  of 
a  woman.  This  also  implies  that  he 
had  another  nature  than  that  which 
was  derived  from  the  woman.  On  the 
supposition  that  he  was  a  mere  man, 
how  unmeaning  would  this  assertion 
be !  How  natural  to  ask,  in  what  other 
way  could  he  appear  than  to  be  born 
of  a  woman  1  Why  was  he  particularly 
designated  as  coming  into  the  world 
in  this  manner?  How  strange  would  it 


A,  D.58.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


5  To  redeem  them  that  were  !  of  his  Son  into  your  hearts,  cry- 


under  the  law,  that  we  might  re- 
ceive the  adoption  of  sons. 

6  And  because   ye  are  sons, 
G  od  hath  sent  forth  the  Spirit a 

a  Ro.  8.  15,  17. 


sound  if  it  were  said, '  In  the  sixteenth 
century  came  Faustus  Socinus  preach- 
ing unitarianism,  made  of  a  woman  /' 
Or,  'In  the  eighteenth  century  came 
Dr.  Joseph  Priestley,  born  of  a  woman, 
preaching  the  doctrines  of  Socinus !' 
How  else  could  they  appear  ?  would  be 
the  natural  inquiry.  What  was  there 
peculiar  in  their  birth  and  origin  that 
rendered  such  language  necessary  ] 
The  language  implies  that  there  were 
other  ways  in  which  the  Saviour  might 
have  come ;  that  there  was  something 
peculiar  in  the  fact  that  he  was  born  of 
a  woman ;  and  that  there  was  some 
special  reason  why  that  fact  should  be 
made  prominently  a  matter  of  record. 
The  promise  was  (Gen.  iii.  15)  that 
the  Messiah  should  be  the  "seed"  or 
the  descendant  of  woman;  and  Paul 
probably  here  alludes  to  the  fulfilment 
of  that  promise.  ^  Made  wider  the 
law.  As  one  of  the  human  race,  par- 
taking of  human  nature,  he  was  sub- 
ject to  the  law  of  God.  As  a  man  he 
was  bound  by  its  requirements,  and 
subject  to  its  control.  He  took  his 
place  under  the  law  that  he  might 
accomplish  an  important  purpose  for 
those  who  were  under  it.  He  made 
himself  subject  to  it  that  he  might  be- 
come one  of  them,  and  secure  their  re- 
demption. 

5.  To  redeem t::them.  By  his  death 
as  an  atoning  sacrifice.  See  Note  on 
ch.  iii.  13.  ^  Them  that  were  under 
the  law.  Sinners,  who  had  violated 
the  law,  and  who  were  exposed  to  its 
dread  penalty.  %  That  we  might  re- 
ceive the  adoption  of  sons.  Be  adopted 
as  the  sons  or  the  children  of  God.  See 
Notes,  John  i.  12.     Rom.  viii.  15. 

6.  And  because  ye  are  sons.  As  a 
consequence  of  your  being  adopted 
into  the  family  of  God,  and  being  re- 
garded as  his  sons.    It  follows  as  a  part 


ing,  Abba,  Father. 

7  Wherefore  thou  art  no  more 
a  servant,  but  a  son ;  and  if  a 
son,  then  an  heir  of  God  through 
Christ. 


of  his  purpose  of  adoption  that  his 
children  shall  have  the  spirit  of  the 
Lord  Jesus.  \  The  Spirit  of  his  Son. 
The  spirit  of  the  Lord  Jesus ;  the 
spirit  which  animated  him,  or  which  he 
evinced.  The  idea  is,  that  as  the  Lord 
Jesus  was  enabled  to  approach  God 
with  the  language  of  endearment  and 
love,  so  they  would  be.  He,  being  the 
true  and  exalted  Son  of  God,  had  the 
spirit  appropriate  to  such  a  relation ; 
they  being  adopted,  and  made  like  him, 
have  the  same  spirit.  The  "spirit"  here 
referred  to  does  not  mean,  as  I  suppose, 
the  Holy  Spirit  as  such;  nor  the 
miraculous  endowments  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  but  the  spirit  which  made  them 
like  the  Lord  Jesus ;  the  spirit  by 
which  they  were  enabled  to  approach 
God  as  his  children,  and  use  the  reve- 
rent, and  tender,  and  affectionate  lan- 
guage of  a  child  addressing  a  father.  It 
is  that  language  used  by  Christians 
when  they  have  evidence  of  adoption  ; 
the  expression  of  the  warm,  and  elevated, 
and  glowing  emotions  which  they  have 
when  they  can  approach  God  as  their 
God,  and  address  him  as  their  Father. 
If  Crying.  That  is,  the  spirit  thus 
cries,  TLvivfA* — Kgdfy.  Comp.  Notes, 
Rom.  viii.  26,  27.  In  Rom.  viii.  15  it 
is,  "  wherewith  we  cry."  If  Abba, 
Father.  See  Note,  Rom.  viii.  15.  It 
is  said  in  the  Babylonian  Gemara,  a 
Jewish  work,  that  it  was  not  permitted 
slaves  to  use  the  title  of  Abba  in  ad- 
dressing the  master  of  the  family  to 
which  they  belonged.  If  so,  then  the 
language  which  Christians  are  here 
represented  as  using  is  the  language  of 
freemen,  and  denotes  that  they  are  not 
under  the  servitude  of  sin. 

7.   Wherefore.     In    consequence   of 

this  privilege  of  addressing  God  as  your 

Father.     If   Thou  art  no   more.     You 

I  who  are  Christians.     1  A  servant.     In 


360 


GALAT1ANS. 


[A.  D.  58. 


8  Howbeit    then    when     ye 
knew   not  God,  ye  did  service 


the  servitude  of  sin;  or  treated  as  a 
servant  by  being  bound  under  the  op- 
pressive rites  and  ceremonies  of  the 
law.  Com  p.  Note  on  ver.  3.  f  But  a 
son.  A  child  of  God,  adopted  into  his 
family,  and  to  be  treated  as  a  son. 
If  And  if  a  son,  &c.  Entitled  to  all 
the  privileges  of  a  son,  and  of  course  to 
be  regarded  as  an  heir  through  the 
Redeemer,  and  with  him.  See  the 
sentiment  here  expressed  explained  in 
the  Note  on  Rom.  viii.  17. 

8.  Howbeit.  But,  'AxAd.  The  ad- 
dress in  this  verse  and  the  following  is 
evidently  to  the  portion  of  the  Galatians 
who  had  been  heathen.  This  is  proba- 
bly indicated  by  the  particle  dxxa,  but, 
denoting  a  transition.  In  the  previous 
verses  Paul  had  evidently  had  the  Jewish 
converts  more  particularly  in  his  eye, 
and  had  described  their  former  condition 
as  one  of  servitude  to  the  Mosaic  rites 
and  customs,  and  had  shown  the  incon- 
veniences of  that  condition,  compared 
with  the  freedom  imparted  by  the  gos- 
pel. To  complete  the  description,  he 
refers  also  to  the  Gentiles,  as  a  condi- 
tion of  worse  servitude  still,  and  shows 
(ver.  9)  the  absurdity  of  their  turning 
back  to  a  state  of  bondage  of  any 
kind  after  the  glorious  deliverance  which 
they  had  obtained  from  the  degrading 
servitude  of  pagan  rites.  The  sense  is, 
•  If  the  Jews  were  in  such  a  state  of 
servitude,  how  much  more  galling  and 
severe  was  that  of  those  who  had  been 
heathens.  Yet  from  that  servitude  the 
gospel  had  delivered  them,  and  made 
them  freemen.  How  absurd  now  to 
go  back  to  a  state  of  vassalage,  and  to 
become  servants  under  the  oppressive 
rites  of  the  Jewish  law  !'  1  When  ye 
knew  not  God.  In  your  state  of  heathen- 
ism, when  you  had  no  knowledge  of  the 
true  God  and  of  his  service.  The  ob- 
ject is  not  to  apologize  for  what  they 
did,  because  they  did  not  know  God  ;  it 
is  to  state  the  fact  that  they  were  in  a 
state  of   gross   and   galling    servitude. 


unto  them  which   by  nature  are 
no  gods. 

9  But  now,  after  that  ye  have 


T  Ye  did  service.  This  does  not  ex 
press  the  force  of  the  original.  The 
meaning  is,  '  Ye  were  slaves  to  (iJcv- 
Ki'S<rcLn);  you  were  in  a  condition  of  servi- 
tude, as  opposed  to  the  freedom  of  the 
gospel.'  Comp.  ver.  3,  where  the  same 
word  is  used  to  describe  the  state  of  the 
Jews.  The  drift  of  the  apostle  is,  to 
show  that  the  Jews  and  Gentiles,  before 
their  conversion  to  Christianity,  were 
in  a  state  of  vassalage  or  servitude,  and 
that  it  was  absurd  in  the  highest  de- 
gree to  return  to  that  condition  again. 
Tf  Unto  them  which  by  nature  are  no 
gods.  Idols,  or  false  gods.  The  ex- 
pression "  by  nature"  vvo-u,  according 
to  Grotius,  means,  in  fact,  reipsa.  The 
sense  is,  that  they  really  had  no  pre- 
tensions to  divinity.  Many  of  them 
were  imaginary  beings ;  many  were  the 
objects  of  creation,  as  the  sun,  and 
winds,  and  streams;  and  many  were 
departed  heroes  that  had  been  exalted 
to  be  objects  of  worship.  Yet  the 
servitude  was  real.  It  fettered  their 
faculties;  controlled  their  powers ;  bound 
their  imagination,  and  commanded  their 
time  and  property,  and  made  them 
slaves.  Idolatry  is  always  slavery ; 
and  the  servitude  of  sinners  to  their 
passions  and  appetites;  to  lust,  and 
gold,  and  ambition,  is  not  less  galling 
and  severe  than  was  the  servitude  to 
the  pagan  gods  or  the  Jewish  rites,  or 
than  is  the  servitude  of  the  African 
now  to  a  harsh  and  cruel  master.  Of 
all  Christians  it  may  be  said  that  before 
their  conversion  they  \  did  service,'  or 
were  slaves  to  harsh  and  cruel  masters ; 
and  nothing  but  the  gospel  has  made 
them  free.  It  may  be  added,  that  the 
chains  of  idolatry  all  over  the  world  are 
as  fast  ri vetted  and  as  galling  as  they 
were  in  Galatia,  and  that  nothing  but 
the  same  gospel  which  Paul  preached 
there  can  break  those  chains  and  restore 
man  to  freedom. 

9.  But    now,  &c.     The    sense    is, 
that  since  they  had  been  made  free  from 


A.D.58.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


361 


known  God,  or  rather  are  known 
of  God,  how  turn  ye  *  again  to 
the     weak     and    beggarly 3  ele- 

» or,  back.  »  rudiments. 


their  ignoble  servitude  in  the  worship 
of  false  gods,  and  had  been  admitted  to 
the  freedom  found  in  the  worship  of 
the  true  God,  it  was  absurd  that  they 
should  return  again  to  that  which  was 
truly  slavery  or  bondage,  the  observance 
of  the  rites  of  the  Jewish  law.  ^  That 
ye  have  known  God.  The  true  God, 
and  the  ease  and  freedom  of  his  service 
in  the  gospel,  t  Or  rather  are  known 
of  God.  The  sense  is,  '  Or,  to  speak 
more  accurately  or  precisely,  are  known 
by  God.'  The  object  of  this  correction 
is  to  avoid  the  impression  which  might 
be  derived  from  the  former  phrase 
that  their  acquaintance  with  God  was 
owing  to  themselves.  He  therefore 
states,  that  it  was  rather  that  they  were 
known  of  God ;  that  it  was  all  owing 
to  him  that  they  had  been  brought 
to  an  acquaintance  with  himself.  Per- 
haps, also,  he  means  to  bring  into  view 
the  idea  that  it  was  a  favour  and  privi- 
lege to  be  known  by  God,  and  that 
therefore  it  was  the  more  absurd  to  turn 
back  to  the  weak  and  beggarly  ele- 
ments. |  How  turn  ye  again.  Marg. 
Back.  l  How  is  it  that  you  are  returning 
to  such  a  bondage  V  The  question  im- 
plies surprise  and  indignation  that  they 
should  do  it.  %  To  the  weak  and  beg- 
garly elements.  To  the  rites  and  cere- 
monies of  the  Jewish  law,  imposing  a 
servitude  really  not  less  severe  than  the 
customs  of  paganism.  On  the  word 
elements,  see  Note  on  ver.  3.  They 
are  called  "  weak"  because  they  had  no 
power  to  save  the  soul;  no  power  to 
justify  the  sinner  before  God.  They 
are  called  "beggarly"  (Gr.  7rra>%x,poor), 
because  they  could  not  impart  spiritual 
riches.  They  really  could  confer  few 
benefits  on  man.  Or  it  may  be,  as 
Locke  supposes,  because  the  law  kept 
men  in  the  poor  estate  of  pupils  from 
the  full  enjoyment  of  the  inheritance, 
ver.  1 — 3.  ^j  Whereunto  ye  desire 
again  to  be  in  bondage.  As  if  you 
31 


ments,  whereunto  ye  desire  again 
to  be  in  bondage  ? 

10  Ye     observe     days,     and 
months,  and  times,  and  years. 

had  a  wish  to  be  under  servitude.  The 
absurdity  is  as  great  as  it  would  be  for  a 
man  who  had  been  freed  from  slavery  to 
desire  again  his  chains.  They  had  been 
freed  by  the  gospel  from  the  galling 
servitude  of  heathenism,  and  they  now 
again  had  sunk  into  the  Jewish  obser- 
vances, as  if  they  preferred  slavery 
t<>  frerdom,  and  were  willing  to  go  from 
one  form  of  it  to  another.  The  main 
idea  is,  that  it  is  absurd  for  men  who 
have  been  made  free  by  the  gospel  to  go 
back  again  into  any  kind  of  servitude 
or  bondage.  We  may  apply  it  to 
Christians  now.  Many  sink  into  a 
kind  of  servitude  not  less  galling  than 
was  that  to  sin  before  their  conversion. 
Some  become  the  slaves  of  mere  cere- 
monies and  forms  in  religion.  Some 
are  slaves  to  fashion,  and  the  world  yet 
rules  them  with  the  hand  of  a  tyrant. 
They  have  escaped,  it  may  be,  from  the 
galling  chains  of  ambition,  and  de- 
grading vice,  and  low  sensuality ;  but 
they  became  slaves  to  the  love  of  mo- 
ney, or  of  dress,  or  of  the  fashions  of 
the  world,  as  if  they  loved  slavery  and 
chains;  and  they  seem  no  more  able 
to  break  loose  than  the  slave  is  to 
break  the  bonds  which  bind  him.  And 
some  are  slaves  to  some  expensive  and 
foolish  habit.  Professed  Christians  and 
Christian  ministers  too  become  slaves 
to  the  disgusting  and  loathsome  habit 
of  using  tobacco,  bound  by  a  servitude 
as  galling  and  as  firm  as  that  which 
ever  shackled  the  limbs  of  an  African. 
I  grieve  to  add  also  that  many  professed 
Christians  are  slaves  to  the  habit  of  "  sit- 
ting long  at  the  wine"  and  indulging  in 
it  freely.  O  that  such  knew  the  liberty 
of  Christian  freedom,  and  would  break 
away  from  all  such  shackles,  and  show 
how  the  gospel  frees  men  from  all  fool- 
ish and  absurd  customs ! 

10.  Ye  observe.  The  object  of  this 
verse  is  to  specify  some  of  the  things 
to    which    they  had  become  enslaved, 


362 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.  58 


11  I  am  afraid  of  you,  lest  I 
have  bestowed  upon  you  labour 
in  vain. 


H  Days.  The  days  here  referred  to  are 
doubtless  the  days  of  the  Jewish  fes- 
tivals. They  had  numerous  days  of 
such  observances,  and  in  addition  to 
those  specified  in  the  Old  Testament, 
the  Jews  had  added  many  others  as 
days  commemorative  of  the  destruction 
and  rebuilding  of  the  temple,  and  of 
other  important  events  in  their  history. 
It  is  not  a  fair  interpretation  of  this  to 
suppose  that  the  apostle  refers  to  the 
Sabbath,  properly  so  called,  for  this  was 
a  part  of  the  Decalogue ;  and  was  observ- 
ed by  the  Saviour  himself,  and  by  the 
apostles  also.  It  is  a  fair  interpretation 
to  apply  it  to  all  those  days  which  are 
not  commanded  to  be  kept  holy  in  the 
Scriptures  ;  and  hence  the  passage  is  as 
applicable  to  the  observance  of  saints' 
days,  and  days  in  honour  of  particular 
events  in  sacred  history,  as  to  the  days 
observed  by  the  Galatians.  There  is  as 
real  servitude  in  the  observance  of  the 
numerous  festivals  and  fasts  in  the 
Papal  communion  and  in  some  Pro- 
testant churches,  as  there  was  in  the 
observance  of  the  days  in  the  Jewish 
ecclesiastical  calendar,  and  for  any  thing 
that  I  can  see,  such  observances  are  as 
inconsistent  now  with  the  freedom  of 
the  gospel  as  they  were  in  the  time  of 
Paul.  We  should  observe  as  seasons 
of  holy  time  what  it  can  be  proved  God 
has  commanded  us,  and  no  more. 
1  And  months.  The  festivals  of  the 
new  moon,  kept  by  the  Jews.  Num. 
x.  10;  xxviii.  11 — 14.  On  this  fes- 
tival, in  addition  to  the  daily  sacrifice, 
two  bullocks,  a  ram,  and  seven  sheep 
of  a  year  old  were  offered  in  sacrifice. 
The  appearance  of  the  new-moon 
was  announced  by  the  sound  of  trum- 
pets. See  Jahn,  Archae.  §  352.  ^  And 
times.  Seated  times;  festivals  returning 
periodically,  as  the  Passover,  the  feast  of 
Pentecost,  and  the  feast  of  Tabernacles. 
See  Jahn,  Archae.  ch.  Hi.  §  346 — 360. 
"I  And  years.  The  sabbatical  year,  or 
the  year  of  jubilee.     See  Jahn  as  above. 


12  Brethren,  I  beseech    you, 
be    as   I   am;   for  I  am  as  ye 


11.  I am  afraid  of  you,  &c.  I  have 
fears  respecting  you.  His  fears  were 
that  they  had  no  genuine  Christian 
principle.  They  had  been  so  easily 
perverted  and  turned  back  to  the  servi- 
tude of  ceremonies  and  rites,  that  he 
was  apprehensive  that  there  could  be 
no  real  Christian  principle  in  the  case. 
What  pastor  has  not  often  had  such 
fears  of  his  people,  when  he  sees  them 
turn  to  the  weak  and  beggarly  elements 
of  the  world,  or  when,  after  having 
"  run  well,"  he  sees  them  become  the 
slaves  of  fashion,  or  of  some  habit  in- 
consistent with  the  simplicity  of  the 
gospel ] 

1 2.  Brethren,  I  beseech  you,  be  as  1 
am,  &c.  There  is  great  brevity  in  this 
passage,  and  no  little  obscurity,  and  a 
great  many  different  interpretations 
have  been  given  of  it  by  commenta- 
tors. The  various  views  expressed 
may  be  seen  in  Bloomfield's  Crit.  Dig. 
Locke  renders  it,  "  Let  you  and  I  be  as 
if  we  were  all  one.  Think  yourselves 
to  be  very  me ;  as  I  in  my  own  mind 
put  no  difference  at  all  between  you 
and  myself."  Koppe  explains  it  thus : 
"  Imitate  my  example  ;  for  I,  though  a 
Jew  by  birth,  care  no  more  for  Jewish 
rites  than  you."  Rosenmiiller  explains 
it,  "  Imitate  my  manner  of  life,  in  re- 
jecting the  Jewish  rites ;  as  I,  having 
renounced  the  Jewish  rites,  was  much 
like  you  when  I  preached  the^gospel  to 
you."  Other  interpretations  may  be 
seen  in  Chandler,  Doddridge,  Calvin, 
&c.  In  our  version  there  seems  to  be 
an  impropriety  of  expression  ;  for  if  he 
was  as  they  were  it  would  seem  to  be  a 
matter  of  course  that  thoy  would  be 
like  him,  or  would  resemble  him.  The 
sense  of  the  passage,  however,  it  seems 
to  me  cannot  be  difficult.  The  refer 
ence  is  doubtless  to  the  Jewish  rites 
and  customs,  and  to  the  question 
whether  they  were  binding  on  Chris- 
tians. Paul's  object  is  to  persuade 
them  to  abandon  them.     He  appeals  to 


A.  P.  58»] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


363 


are:    ye   have   not  injured   me 
it  all. 

13  Ye  know  how,  through  ain- 

a  1  Co.  2.  3. 

them,  therefore,  by  his  own  example. 
And  it  means  evidently,  *  Imitate  me 
in  this  thing.  Follow  my  example, 
and  yield  no  conformity  to  those  rites 
and  customs.'  The  ground  on  which 
he  asks  them  to  imitate  him  may  be 
either,  (1.)  That  he  had  abandoned 
them,  or,  (2.)  Because  he  asks  them  to 
yield  a  point  to  him.  He  had  done 
so  in  many  instances  for  their  welfare, 
and  had  made  many  sacrifices  for  their 
salvation,  and  he  now  asks  them  to 
yield  this  one  point,  and  to  become  as 
he  was,  and  to  cease  these  Jewish  ob- 
servances, as  he  had  done.  ^  For  I 
am  as  ye  are.  Gr.  '  For  I  as  ye.'  This 
means,  I  suppose,  '  For  I  have  conformed 
to  your  customs  in  many  things.  I 
have  abandoned  my  own  peculiarities ; 
given  up  my  customs  as  far  as  possible; 
conformed  to  you  as  Gentiles  as  far  as  I 
could  do,  in  order  to  benefit  and  save 
you.  I  have  laid  aside  the  peculiarity 
of  the  Jew  on  the  principle  of  becom- 
ing all  things  to  all  men  (Notes,  1  Cor. 
ix.  20 — 22),  in  order  that  I  might  save 
you.  I  ask  in  return  only  the  slight 
sacrifice  that  you  will  now  become  like 
me  in  the  matter  under  consideration.' 
f  Ye  have  not  injured  me  at  all. 
1  It  is  not  a  personal  matter.  I  have  no 
cause  of  complaint.  You  have  done 
me  no  personal  wrong.  There  is  no 
variance  between  us;  no  unkind  feel- 
ing ;  no  injury  done  as  individuals.  I 
may,  therefore,  with  the  more  freedom, 
ask  you  to  yield  this  point,  when  I 
assure  you  that  I  do  not  feel  personally 
injured.  I  have  no  wrong  to  complain 
of,  and  I  ask  it  on  higher  grounds 
than  would  be  an  individual  request :  it 
is  for  your  good,  and  the  good  of  the 
great  cause.'  When  Christians  turn 
away  from  the  truth,  and  disregard  the 
instructions  and  exhortations  of  pastors, 
and  become  conformed  to  the  world,  it 
is  not  a  personal  matter,  or  a  matter  of 
personal  offence  to  them,  painful  as  it 


firmity  of  the  flesh  I  preached 
the  gospel  unto  you  at  the  first : 
14  And  my  temptation  which 
was  in  my  flesh  ye  despised  not, 


may  be  to  them.  They  have  no  pecu- 
liar reason  to  say  that  they  are  person- 
ally injured.  It  is  a  higher  matter. 
The  cause  suffers.  The  interests  of 
religion  are  injured.  The  church  at 
large  is  offended,  and  the  Saviour  is 
"  wounded  in  the  house  of  his  friends." 
Conformity  to  the  world,  or  a  lapse 
into  some  sin  is  a  public  offence,  and 
should  be  regarded  as  an  injury  done 
to  the  cause  of  the  Redeemer.  It  shows 
the  magnanimity  of  Paul  that,  though 
they  had  abandoned  his  doctrines,  and 
forgotten  his  love  and  his  toils  in  their 
welfare,  he  did  not  regard  it  as  a  per- 
sonal offence,  and  did  not  consider  him- 
self personally  injured.  An  ambitious 
man  or  an  impostor  would  have  made 
that  the  main,  if  not  the  only  thing. 

13.  Ye  know  how.  To  show  them 
the  folly  of  their  embracing  the  new 
views  which  they  had  adopted,  he  re- 
minds them  of  past  times,  and  particu- 
larly of  the  strength  of  the  attachment 
which  they  had  evinced  for  him  in  for- 
mer days.  *f  Through  infirmity  of  the 
flesh.  Gr.Weakness  (u<T&ivu*v).  Comp. 
Notes  on  1  Cor.  ii.  3.  2  Cor.  x.  10  ; 
xii.  7. 

14.  And  my  temptation.  My  trial ; 
the  thing  which  was  to  me  a  trial  and 
calamity.  The  meaning,  is,  that  he 
was  afflicted  with  various  calamities  and 
infirmities,  but  that  this  did  not  hinder 
their  receiving  him  as  an  angel  from 
heaven.  There  is,  however,  a  consider- 
able variety  in  the  MSS.  on  this  verse. 
Many  MSS.,  instead  of  "  my  tempta- 
tion," read  "your  temptation;"  and 
Mill  maintains  that  this  is  the  true  read- 
ing. Griesbach  hesitates  between  the 
two.  But  it  is  not  very  important  to 
determine  which  is  the  true  reading.  If 
it  should  be  "your,'"  then  it  means  that 

|  they  were  tempted  by  his  infirmities  to 

;  reject  him  ;  and  so  it  amounts  to  about 

the  same  thing.     The  general  sense  is, 

,  that  he  had  some  bodily  infirmity,  per- 


364 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.  58. 


nor  rejected  ;  but  received  me  as 
an  angel  °  of  God,  even  as  Christ 
b  Jesus. 

15  Where  *  is  then  the  bless- 
edness ye  spake  of?  for  I  bear 
you  record,  that,  if  it  had  been 

a  2  Sa.  19.  27.    Mai.  2.  7. 

haps  some  periodically  returning  disease, 
that  was  a  great  trial  to  him,  which 
they  bore  with  with  great  patience 
and  affection.  "What  that  was,  he  has 
not  informed  us,  and  conjecture  is  vain. 
1  But  received  me  as  an  angel  of  God. 
With  the  utmost  respect,  as  it'  I  had 
been  an  angel  sent  from  God.  ^  Even 
as  Christ  Jesus.  As  you  would  have 
done  the  Redeemer  himself.  Learn 
hence,  (I.)  That  the  Lord  Jesus  is  su- 
perior to  an  angel  of  God.  (2.)  That 
the  highest  proof  of  attachment  to  a  mi- 
nister, is  to  receive  him  as  the  Saviour 
would  be  received.  (3.)  It  showed 
their  attachment  to  the  Lord  Jesus,  that 
they  received  his  apostle  as  they  would 
have  received  the  Saviour  himself. 
Comp.  Matt.  x.  40. 

15.  Where  is  then  the  blessedness. 
Marg. '  What  was' — in  accordance  with 
the  Greek.  The  words  "  ye  spake  of" 
are  not  in  the  Greek,  and  should  have 
been  printed  in  Italic.  But  they  obscure 
the  sense  at  any  rate.  This  is  not  to 
be  regarded  as  a  question,  asking  what 
had  become  of  the  blessedness,  imply- 
ing that  it  had  departed ;  but  it  is  rather 
to  be  regarded  as  an  exclamation,  refer- 
ring to  the  happiness  of  that  moment, 
and  their  affection  and  joy  when  they 
thus  received  him.  '  What  blessedness 
you  had  then  !  How  happy  was  that 
moment !  What  tenderness  of  affection ! 
What  overflowing  joy  !'  It  was  a  time 
full  of  joy,  and  love,  and  affectionate 
confidence.  So  Tindal  well  renders  it, 
"How  happy  were  ye  then  !"  In  this 
interpretation,  Doddridge,  Rosenmuller, 
Bloomfield,  Koppe,  Chandler,  and  others 
concur.  Locke  renders  it,  "  What  be- 
nedictions did  you  then  pour  out  on 
me  !"  Tf  For  I  bear  you  record.  I  tes- 
tify. *f  Ye  ivould  have  plucked  out 
yout  own  eyes,  &c.     No  higher  proof 


possible,  ye  would  have  plucked 
out  your  own  eyes,  and  have 
given  them  to  me. 

16  Am  I  therefore  becoma 
your  enemy,  because  I  tell  you 
the  truth  ? 

b  Mat.  10.  40.  i  or,  what  was. 

of  attachment  could  have  been  given. 
They  loved  him  so  much,  that  they 
would  have  given  to  him  any  thing, 
however  dear;  they  would  have  done 
any  thing  to  contribute  to  his  welfare. 
How  changed,  now  that  they  had  aban- 
doned his  doctrines,  and  yielded  them- 
selves to  the  guidance  of  those  who 
taught  a  wholly  different  doctrine  ! 

16.  Am  I  therefore  become  your  ene- 
my, &c.  Is  my  telling  you  the  truth  in 
regard  to  the  tendency  of  the  doctrines 
which  you  have  embraced,  and  the  cha- 
racter of  those  who  have  led  you  astray, 
and  your  own  error,  a  proof  that  I  have 
ceased  to  be  your  friend  ?  How  apt 
are  we  to  feel  that  the  man  who  tells  us 
of  our  faults  is  our  enemy  !  How  apt 
are  we  to  treat  him  coldly,  and  to  "  cut 
his  acquaintance,"  and  to  regard  him 
with  dislike !  The  reason  is,  he  gives 
us  pain  ;  and  we  cannot  have  pain  given 
us,  even  by  the  stone  against  which  we 
stumble,  or  by  any  of  the  brute  creation, 
without  momentary  indignation,  or  re- 
garding them  for  a  time  as  our  enemies. 
Besides,  we  do  not  like  to  have  another 
person  acquainted  with  our  faults  and 
our  follies ;  and  we  naturally  avoid  the 
society  of  those  who  are  thus  acquainted 
with  us.  Such  is  human  nature  ;  and 
it  requires  no  little,  grace  for  us  to  over- 
come this,  and  to  regard  the  man  who 
tells  us  of  our  faults,  or  the  faults  of  our 
families,  as  our  friend.  We  love  to  be 
flattered,  and  to  have  our  friends  flatter- 
ed ;  and  we  shrink  with  pain  from  any 
exposure,  or  any  necessity  for  repent- 
ance. Hence  we  become  alienated  from 
him  who  is  faithful  in  reproving  us  for 
our  faults.  Hence  men  become  offend- 
ed with  their  ministers  when  they  re- 
prove them  for  their  sins.  Hence  they 
become  offended  at  the  truth.  Hence 
they  resist  the  influ  of  the  Holy 


A.  D.  58.] 


CHAPTER  IV 


17  They  zealously  affect  you, 
but  a  not  well ;  yea,  they  would 


oRo.  10.2. 


or,  us. 


Spirit,  whose  office  it  is  to  bring  the 
truth  to  the  heart,  and  to  reprove  men 
for  their  sins.  There  is  nothing  more 
difficult  than  to  regard  with  steady  and 
unwavering  affection  the  man  who  faith- 
fully tells  us  the  truth  at  all  times,  when 
that  truth  is  painful.  Yet  he  is  our 
best  friend.  "  Faithful  are  the  wounds 
of  a  friend,  but  the  kisses  of  an  enemy 
are  deceitful."  Prov.  xxvii.  6.  If  I  am 
in  danger  of  falling  down  a  precipice, 
he  shows  to  me  the  purest  friendship 
who  tells1  me  of  it ;  if  I  am  in  danger 
of  breathing  the  air  of  the  pestilence, 
and  it  can  'be  avoided,  he  shows  to  me 
pure  kindness  who  tells  me  of  it.  So 
still  more,  if  I  am  indulging  in  a  course 
of  conduct  that  may  ruin  me,  or  cherish- 
ing error  that  may  endanger  my  salva- 
tion, he  shows  me  the  purest  friend- 
ship who  is  most  faithful  in  warning 
me,  and  apprizing  me  of  what  must  be 
the  termination  of  my  course. 

17.  They  zealously  affect  you.  See 
1  Cor.  xii.  31  (Gr.)  ;  xiv.  39.  The 
word  here  used  (Zxxoa),  means  to  be 
zealous  towards,  i.  e.  for  or  against  any 
person  or  thing ;  usually,  in  a  good 
sense,  to  be  eager  for.  Here  it  means, 
that  the  false  teachers  made  a  show  of 
zeal  towards  the  Galatians,  or  professed 
affection  for  them  in  order  to  gain  them  as 
their  followers.  They  were  full  of  ardour, 
and  professed  an  extraordinary  concern 
for  their  welfare — as  men  always  do 
who  are  demagogues,  or  who  seek  to 
gain  proselytes.  The  object  of  the 
apostle  in  this  is,  probably,  to  say, 
that  it  was  not  wholly  owing  to  them- 
selves that  they  had  become  alienated 
from  the  doctrines  which  he  had  taught. 
Great  pains  had  been  taken  to  do  it ; 
and  there  had  been  a  show  of  zeal  which 
would  be  likely  to  endanger  any  person. 
Tf  But  not  well.  Not  with  good  mo- 
tives, or  with  good  designs,  *f  Yea, 
they  would  exclude  you.  Marg.  Ik. 
A  few  printed  editions  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament have  H/u.uc,  us,  instead  of  C/m.5.;, 
31* 


361 

that  ye  might  af 


exclude  *  yon 
feet  them. 

18  But  it  is  good  to  be  zeal 


you. — Mill.  The  word  exclude  here 
probably  means,  that  they  endeavoured 
to  exclude  the  Galatians  from  the  love 
and  affection  of  Paul.  They  would 
shut  them  out  from  that,  in  order  that 
they  might  secure  them  for  their  own 
purposes.  If  the  reading  in  the  mar- 
gin, however,  should  be  retained,  the 
sense  would  be  clearer.  •  They  wish  to 
exclude  us,  i.  e.  me,  the  apostle,  in  order 
that  they  may  have  you  wholly  to  them- 
selves. If  they  can  once  get  rid  of  your 
attachment  to  me,  then  they  will  have 
no  difficulty  in  securing  you  for  them- 
selves.' This  reading,  says  Rosenmiil- 
ler,  is  found  "  in  many  of  the  best  co- 
dices, and  versions,  and  fathers."  It  is 
adopted  by  Doddridge,  Locke,  and  others. 
The  main  idea  is  clear  :  Paul  stood  in 
the  way  of  their  designs.  The  Gala- 
tians were  truly  attached  to  him,  and  it 
was  necessary,  in  order  to  accomplish 
their  ends,  to  withdraw  their  affections 
from  him.  When  false  teachers  have 
designs  on  a  people,  they  begin  by 
alienating  their  confidence  and  affec- 
tions from  their  pastors  and  teachers 
They  can  hope  for  no  success  until  this 
is  done  ;  and  hence  the  efforts  of  error- 
ists,  and  of  infidels,  and  of  scorners,  is 
to  undermine  the  confidence  of  a  people 
in  the  ministry,  and  when  this  is  done 
there  is  little  difficulty  in  drawing  them 
over  to  their  own  purposes,  f  That  ye 
might  affect  them.  The  same  word  as 
in  the  former  part  of  the  verse, — '  that 
ye  might  zealously  affect  them' — i.  e 
that  ye  might  show  ardent  attachmen4 
to  them.  Their  Jirst  work  is  to  mani 
fest  special  interest  for  your  welfare 
their  second,  to  alienate  you  from  hirr 
who  had  first  preached  the  gospel  to  you 
their  object,  not  your  salvation,  or  youi 
real  good,  but  to  secure  your  zealou? 
love  for  themselves. 

18.  But  it  is  good  to  be  zealously  af- 
fected. The  meaning  of  this  is, '  Under- 
stand me  :  I  do  not  speak  against  zeal. 
I  have  not  a  word  to  say  in  its  dispa- 


3Gt> 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.  58 


ously  affected  always  °  in  a  good 
thing,  anr>  not  only  when  I  am 
present  with  you. 

19  My  J  little  children,  of 
whom  I  travail  in  birth  again  un- 
til Christ  be  formed  in  you, 

ragement.  In  itself,  it  is  good ;  and  their 
zeal  would  be  good  if  it  were  in  a  good 
cause.'  Probably,  they  relied  much  on 
their  zeal ;  perhaps  they  maintained,  as 
errorists  and  deceivers  are  very  apt  to 
do,  that  zeal  was  sufficient  evidence  of 
the  goodness  of  their  cause,  and  that 
persons  who  are  so  very  zealous  could 
not  possibly  be  bad  men.  How  often  is 
this  plea  set  up  by  the  friends  of  errorists 
and  deceivers  !  1  And  not  only  when 
I  am  present  with  you.  It  seems  to  me 
that  there  is  great  adroitness  and  great 
delicacy  of  irony  in  this  remark ;  and 
that  the  apostle  intends  to  remind  them 
as  gently  as  possible,  that  it  would  have 
been  as  well  for  them  to  have  shown 
their  zeal  in  a  good  cause  when  he  was 
absent,  as  well  as  when  he  was  with 
them.  The  sense  may  be, '  You  were 
exceedingly  zealous  in  a  good  cause 
when  I  was  with  you.  You  loved  the 
truth ;  you  loved  me.  Since  I  left  you, 
and  as  soon  almost  as  I  was  out  of  your 
sight,  your  zeal  died  away,  and  your  ar- 
dent love  for  me  was  transferred  to 
others.  Suffer  me  to  remind  you,  that 
it  would  be  well  to  be  zealous  of  good 
when  I  am  away,  as  well  as  when  I  am 
with  you.  There  is  not  much  true  af- 
fection in  that  which  dies  away  as  soon 
as  a  man's  back  is  turned.'  The  doc- 
trine is,  that  true  zeal  or  love  will  live 
alike  when  the  object  is  near  and  when 
it  is  removed ;  when  our  friends  are 
present  with  us,  and  when  they  leave 
us ;  when  their  eye  is  upon  us,  and  when 
it  is  turned  away. 

19.  My  little  children.  The  lan- 
guage of  tender  affection,  such  as  a  pa- 
rent would  use  towards  his  own  offspring. 
See  Note,  1  Cor.  iv.  15.  Comp.  Matt. 
xviii.  3.  John  xiii.  33.  1  John  ii.  1. 
12,  13;  iv.  4;  v.  21.  The  idea  here 
is,  that  Paul  felt  that  he  sustained  to- 


20  I  desire  to  be  present  with 
you  now,  and  to  change  my 
voice  ;  for  *  I  stand  in  doubt  of 
you. 

2 1  Tell  me,  ye  that  desire  to 

0  1  Co.  15.  58.  b  1  Co.  4.  15. 

1  or,  I  am  perplexed  for  you. 


wards  them  the  relation  of  a  father,  and 
he  had  for  them  the  deep  and  tender 
feelings  of  a  parent.     1    Of  whom  I 
'  travail  in  birth  again.  For  whose  wel- 
i  fare  I  am  deeply  anxious  :  and  for  whom 
j  I  endure  deep  anguish.     Comp.  1  Cor. 
iv.  15.     His  anxiety  for  them  he  com- 
pares to  the  deepest  sufferings  which 
human  nature   endures;    and  his  lan- 
guage here  is  a  striking  illustration  of 
what   ministers  of  the  gospel   should 
feel,  and  do  sometimes  feel,  in  regard  to 
■  their  people,    ^  Until  Christ  be  formed 
I  in   you.      The  name  Christ    is  often 
|  used    to   denote   his    religion,   or    the 
principles   of    his  gospel.      See   Note 
on  Rom.  xiii.  14.     He;e  it  means,  until 
Christ   reigns  wholly  in   your   hearts ; 
till  you  wholly  and  entirely  embrace  his 
doctrines  ;  and  till  you  become  wholly 
imbued  with  his  spirit.     See  Ool.  i.  27. 

20.  7.  desire  to  be  present  with  you 
now.  They  had  lost  much  by  his  ab- 
sence ;  they  had  changed  their  views ; 
they  had  in  some  measure  become 
alienated  from  him  ;  and  he  wishes  that 

|  he  might  be  again  with  them,  as  he  was 
before.  He  would  hope  to  accomplish 
'  much  more  by  his  personal  presence 
i  than  he  could  by  letter.  ^  And  to 
!  change  my  voice.  That  is,  from  com- 
plaint and  censure,  to  tones  of  entire 
confidence.  ^  For  1  stand  in  doubt 
J  of  you.  Marg.  '  I  am  perplexed  for 
you.'  On  the  meaning  of  the  word 
here  used,  see  Note  on  2  Cor.  iv.  8. 
I  The  sense  is  plain.  Paul  had  much 
I  reason  to  doubt  the  sincerity  and  the 
solidity  of  their  Christian  priaciples, 
and  he  was  deeply  anxious  on  that  ac- 
count. 

21.  Tell  me,  &c.  In  order  to  show 
fully  the  nature  and  the  effect  of  the 
law,  Paul  here  introduces  an  illustration 

I  from  an  important  fact  in  the  Jewish 


A.  D.  53.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


367 


Be  under  the  law*  do  ye  not  hear 
the  law  ? 

22  For   it   is    written,    That 


history.  This  allegory  has  given  great 
perplexity  to  expositors,  and,  in  some 
respects,  it  is  attended  with  real  difficul- 
ty. An  examination  of  the  difficulties 
will  be  found  in  the  larger  commenta- 
ries. My  object,  without  examining 
the  expositions  which  have  been  pro- 
posed, will  be  to  state,  in  as  few  words 
as  possible,  the  simple  meaning  and  de- 
sign of  the  allegory.  The  dengn  it  is 
not  difficult  to  understand.  It  is  to 
show  the  effect  of  being  under  the  bond- 
age or  servitude  of  the  Jewish  law, 
compared  with  the  freedom  which  the 
gospel  imparts.  Paul  had  addressed  the 
Galatians  as  having  a  real  desire  to  be 
under  bondage,  or  to  be  servants.  Note 
on  ver.  9.  He  had  represented  Chris- 
tianity as  a  state  of  freedom,  and  Chris- 
tians as  the  sons  of  God — not  servants, 
but  freemen.  To  show  the  difference 
of  the  two  conditions,  he  appeals  to  two 
cases  which  would  furnish  a  striking 
illustration  of  them.  The  one  was  the 
case  of  Hagar  and  her  son.  The  effect 
of  bondage  was  well  illustrated  there. 
She  and  her  son  were  treated  with 
severity,  and  were  cast  out  and  per- 
secuted. This  was  a  fair  illustration 
of  bondage  under  the  law ;  of  the  servi- 
tude to  the  laws  of  Moses;  and  was  a 
fit  representation  of  Jerusalem  as  it  was 
in  the  time  of  Paul.  The  other  case 
was  that  of  Isaac  He  was  the  son  of 
a  free  woman,  and  was  treated  accord- 
ingly. He  was  regarded  as  a  son,  not 
as  a  servant.  And  he  was  a  fair  illus- 
tration of  the  case  of  those  who  were 
made  free  by  the  gospel.  They  enjoyed 
a  similar  freedom  and  sonship,  and 
should  not  seek  a  state  of  servitude  or 
bondage.  The  condition  of  Isaac  was 
a  fit  illustration  of  the  New  Jerusalem ; 
the  heavenly  city  ;  the  true  kingdom  of 
God.  But  Paul  does  not  mean  to  say, 
as  I  suppose,  that  the  history  of  the 
son  of  Hagar  and  of  the  son  of  Re- 
becca was  mere  allegory,  or  that  the 
narrative    by  Moses   was  designed   to 


Abraham  had  two  sons  ;  the  one 
"  by  a  bond-maid,  the  other  b  by 
a  free  woman. 

aGe.  16.  15.  ft  Ge.  SI.  1,2. 


represent  the  different  condition  of  those 
who  were  under  the  law  and  under  the 
gospel.  He  uses  it  simply,  as  showing 
the  difference  between  servitude  and. 
freedom,  and  as  a  striking  illustra- 
tion of  the  nature  of  the  bondage  to 
the  Jewish  law,  and  of  the  freedom,  of 
the  gospel,  just  as  any  one  may  use  a 
striking  historical  fact  to  illustrate  a 
principle.  These  general  remarks  will 
constitute  the  basis  of  my  interpretation 
of  this  celebrated  allegory.  The  expres- 
sion "  tell  me,"  is  one  of  affectionate  re- 
monstrance and  reasoning.  See  Luke 
vii.  42  :  *  Tell  me,  therefore,  which  of 
these  will  love  him  most?"  Comp.  Isa. 
i.  18  :  "Come,  now,  and  let  us  reason 
together,  saith  the  Lord."  1  Ye  that 
desire  to  be  under  the  law.  Note  ver.  9. 
You  who  wish  to  yield  obedience  to 
the  laws  of  Moses.  You  who  maintain 
that  conformity  to  those  laws  is  neces- 
sary to  justification.  %  Do  ye  not 
hear  the  law  ?  Do  you  not  understand 
what  the  law  says  1  Will  you  not  listen 
to  its  own  admonitions,  and  the  instruc- 
tion which  may  be  derived  from  the  law 
on  the  subject'?  The  word  "  law"  here 
refers  not  to  the  commands  that  were 
uttered  on  mount  Sinai,  but  to  the  book 
of  the  law.  The  passage  to  which  re- 
ference is  made  is  in  the  Book  of 
Genesis ;  but  all  the  five  books  of  Moses 
were  by  the  Jews  classed  under  the 
general  name  of  the  law.  See  Note 
on  Luke  xxiv.  44.  The  sense  is, '  Will 
you  not  listen  to  a  narrative  found  in 
one  of  the  books  of  the  law  itself,  fully 
illustrating  the  nature  of  that  servitude 
which  you  wish  V 

22.  For  it  is  written.  Gen.  xvi. 
xxi.  ^  Abraham  had  two  sons.  Ish- 
mael  and  Isaac.  Abraham  subsequently 
had  several  sons  by  Keturah  after  the 
death  of  Sarah.  Gen.  xxvi.  1 — 6. 
But  the  two  sons  by  Hagar  and  Sarah 
were  the  most  prominent,  and  the 
events  of  their  lives  furnished  the  par- 
ticular illustration  which  Paul  desired. 


3fi8 


GALATIANS. 


[A  D.  58 


23  But  he    who    was  of  the  I      24  "V^hich  things  are  an  alle- 
■  bond-  worn  an    was    born    after)  gory:   *  for   these    are    the    two 
the  flesh  ;  but  he  of  the  free  wo- 
man was  by  promise. 


•J  The  one  by  a  bond-maid.  Ishmael, 
the  son  of  Hagar.  II agar  was  an 
Egyptian  slave,  whom  Sarah  gave  to 
Abraham  in  order  that  he  might  not  be 
wholly  without  posterity.  Gen.  xvi.  3. 
1  The  other  by  a  free  woman.  Isaac, 
the  son  of  Sarah.     Gen.  xxi.  1,2. 

23.  But  he  who  was  of  the  bond-wo- 
man was  born  after  the  flesh.  In  the 
ordinary  course  of  nature,  without  any 
special  promise,  or  any  unusual  divine 
interposition,  as  in  the  case  of  Isaac. 
1  But  he  of  the  free  woman,  &c.  The 
birth  of  Isaac  was  in  accordance  with  a 
special  promise,  and  by  a  remarkable 
divine  interposition.  See  Gen.  xviii. 
10;  xxi.  1,2.  Heb.  xi.11,12.  Comp. 
Notes  on  Rom.  iv.  19 — 21.  The  idea 
here  of  Paul  is,  that  the  son  of  the 
slave  was  in  an  humble  and  inferior  con- 
dition from  his  very  birth.  There  was 
no  special  promise  attending  him.  He 
was  born  into  a  state  of  inferiority  and 
servitude  which  attended  him  through 
his  whole  life.  Isaac,  however,  was 
met  with  promises  as  soon  as  he  was 
born,  and  was  under  the  benefit  of 
those  promises  as  long  as  he  lived.  The 
object  of  Paul  is,  to  state  the  truth  in 
regard  to  a  condition  of  servitude  and 
slavery.  It  is  attended  with  evils  from 
beginning  to  end  ;  from  the  birth  to  the 
grave.  By  this  illustration  he  means 
to  show  them  the  folly  of  becoming  the 
voluntary  slaves  of  the  law  after  they 
had  once  been  made  free. 

24.  Which  things.  The  different 
accounts  of  Ishmael  and  Isaac.  ^  Are 
an  allegory.  May  lie  regarded  alle- 
gorically,  or  as  illustrating  great  princi- 
ples in  regard  to  the  condition  of  slaves 
and  freemen;  and  may  theref>re  be 
used  to  illustrate  the  effect  of  servitude 
to  the  law  of  Moses  compared  with 
the  freedom  of  the  gospel.  He  does 
not  mean  to  say  that  the  historical  re- 
cord of  Moses  was  not  true,  or  was 
merely  allegorical ;  nor  does  he  mean 


covenants ;  the   one   from    the 

aRo.9.7,8.  ft  1  Co.  10.  11. 

»  or,  testaments. 


to  say  that  Moses  meant  this  to  be  an 
allegory,   or  that   he    intended  that  it 
should  be  applied  to  the  exact  purpose  to 
which  Paul  applied  it.     No  such  design 
is  apparent  in  the  narrative  of  Moses. 
and  it  is  evident  that  he  had  no  such 
intention.     Nor  can  it   be  shown  that 
Paul  means  to  be  understood  as  saving 
that  Moses  had  any  such  design,  or  that 
his  account  was  not  a  record  of  a  plain 
historical  fact.     Paul    uses    it    as    he 
would   any    other  historical    fact    that 
would  illustrate  the  same  principle,  and 
he  makes  no  more  use  of  it  than  the 
Saviour  did  in  his  parables  of  real  or 
fictitious  narratives  to  illustrate  an  im- 
portant truth,  or  than  we  always  do  of 
real  history  to  illustrate  an  important 
principle.     The  word   which    is    here 
used    by   Paul    (^Knyc^iu)    is    derived 
from   oaagc,    another,    and    uyo^eSa>,  to 
speak,  to  speak  openly  or  in  public. — 
Paxioiv.     It  properly  means  to  speak 
any  thing  otherwise  than  it  is  under- 
stood (Passow)  ;  to  speak  allegorical ly  ; 
to  allegorize.     The  word  does  not  occur 
elsewhere  in  the  New  Testament,  nor  is 
it  found  in  the   Septuagint,  though  it 
occurs  often  in  the  classic  writers.     An 
allegory  is  a  continued  metaphor.     See 
Blair's  Lectures,  xv.     It  is  a  figurative 
sentence  or  discourse,  in  which  the  prin- 
cipal object  is  described  by  another  sub- 
ject resembling  it  in  its  properties  and 
circumstances. —  Webster.       Allegories 
are    in  words   what  hieroglyphics  are 
in  painting.     The  distinction  between  a 
parable  and  an  allegory  is  said  to  be, 
that   a  parable   is  a    supposed  history 
to  illustrate  some  important  truth,  as  the 
parable   of   the    good    Samaritan,  &c. 
an  allegory  is  based  on  real  facts.     It  is 
not  probable,  however,  that  this  distinc- 
tion is  always  carefully  observed.  Some- 
times the    allegory    is   based    on  the 
resemblance  to  some  inanimate  object, 
as    in    the    beautiful    allegory   in  the 
eightieth  Psalm.     Allegories,  parables, 


A.  D.  58.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


369 


mount   *    Sinai,  a    which    gen- 

i  Sina.  a  De.  33.  2. 

and  metaphors  abound  in  the  writings 
of  the  East.  Truth  was  more  easily 
treasured  up  in  this  way,  and  could  be 
better  preserved  and  transmitted  when 
it  was  connected  with  an  interesting 
story.  The  lively  fancy  of  the  people 
of  the  East  also  led  them  to  this  mode 
of  communicating  truth  ;  though  a  love 
for  it  is  probably  founded  in  human  na- 
ture. The  best  sustained  allegory  of 
any  considerable  length  in  the  world  is, 
doubtless,  Bunyan's  Pilgrim's  Progress; 
and  yet  this  is  among  the  most  popular 
of  all  books.  The  ancient  Jews  were 
exceedingly  fond  of  allegories,  and  even 
turned  a  considerable  part  of  the  Old 
Testament  into  allegory.  The  ancient 
Greek,  philosophers  also  were  fond  of 
this  mode  of  teaching.  Pythagoras 
instructed  his  followers  in  this  manner, 
and  this  was  common  among  the 
Greeks,  and  was  imitated  much  by  the 
early  Christians. —  Calmet.  Many  of 
the  Christian  fathers,  of  the  school  of 
Origen,  made  the  Old  Testament  almost 
wholly  allegorical,  and  found  mysteries 
in  the  plainest  narratives.  The  Bible 
became  thus  with  them  a  book  of 
enigmas,  and  exegesis  consisted  in  an 
ingenious  and  fanciful  accommodation 
of  all  the  narratives  in  the  Scriptures 
to  events  in  subsequent  times.  The 
most  fanciful,  and  the  most  ingenious 
man,  on  this  principle,  was  the  best  in- 
terpreter ;  and  as  any  man  might  attach 
any  hidden  mystery  which  he  chose  to 
the  Scriptures,  they  became  wholly 
useless  as  an  infallible  guide.  Better 
principles  of  interpretation  now  pre- 
vail ;  and  the  great  truth  has  gone  forth, 
never  more  to  be  recalled,  that  the  Bible 
is  to  be  interpreted  on  the  same  princi- 
ple as  all  other  books;  that  its  language 
is  to  be  investigated  by  the  same  laws 
as  language  in  all  other  books ;  and 
that  no  more  liberty  is  to  be  taken  in 
allegorizing  the  Scriptures  than  may  be 
taken  with  Herodotus  or  Livy.  It  is 
lawful  to  use  narratives  of  real  events 
to  illustrate  important  principles  always. 
Such  a  use  is  often  made  of  history  ; 


dereth    to    bondage,    which    is 
Agar. 


and  such  a  use,  I  suppose,  the  apostle 
Paul  makes  here  of  an  important  fact 
in  the  history  of  the  Old  Testament. 
H  For  these  are.  These  may  be  used 
to  represent  the  two  covenants.  The 
apostle  could  not  mean  that  the  sons 
of  Sarah  and  of  Hagar  were  literally 
the  two  covenants ,•  for  this  could  not 
be  true,  and  the  declaration  would  be 
unintelligible.  In  what  sense  could 
Ishmael  be  called  a  covenant  ?  The 
meaning,  therefore,  must  be,  that  they 
furnished  an  apt  illustration  or  repre- 
sentation of  the  two  covenants ;  they 
would  show  what  the  nature  of  the  two 
covenants  was.  The  words  "  are"  and 
"  is"  are  often  used  in  this  cense  in  ths 
Bible,  to  denote  that  one  thing  repre- 
sents another.  Thus  in  the  institution 
of  the  Lord's  supper  ;  "  Take,  eat,  thia 
is  my  body"  (Matt.  xxvi.  26);  i.  e. 
this  represents  my  body.  The  bread 
was  not  the  living  body  that  was  then 
before  them.  So  in  ver.  28.  "This  is 
my  blood  of  the  new  covenant ;"  I.  e. 
this  represents  my  blood.  The  wine  in 
the  cup  could  not  be  the  living  blood  of 
the  Redeemer  that  was  then  flow  ing  in 
his  veins.  See  Note  on  that  place. 
Comp.  Gen.  xli.  26.  %  The  two  cove- 
nants. Marg.  Testaments.  The  word 
means,  here,  covenants  or  compacts. 
See  Note  on  1  Cor.  xi.  25.  The  two 
covenants  here  referred  to,  are  the  one 
on  mount  Sinai  made  with  the  Jews, 
and  the  other  that  which  is  made  with  the 
people  of  God  in  the  gospel.  The  one 
resembles  the  condition  of  bondage  in 
which  Hagar  and  her  son  were;  the 
other  the  condition  of  freedom  in  which 
Sarah  and  Isaac  were.  1  The  one  from 
the  mount  Sinai.  Marg.  Sina.  The 
Greek  is  Sina,  though  the  word  may  be 
written  either  way.  If  Which  gender- 
eth  to  bondage.  Which  tends  to  pro- 
duce bondage  or  servitude.  That  is, 
the  laws  are  stern  and  severe  ;  and  the 
observance  of  them  costly,  and  onerous 
like  a  state  of  bondage.  See  Note  on 
Acts  xv.  10.  f  Which  is  Agar.  Which 
Hagar  would  appropriately    represent 


370 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.  58. 


25  For  this  Agar  is  mount 
Sinai  in  Arabia,  and  l  answereth 
to  Jerusalem  which  now  is,  and 

*  or,  is  in  the  same  rank  with. 


The  condition  of  servitude  produced  by 
the  law  had  a  strong  resemblance  to  her 
condition  as  a  slave. 

25.  For  this  Agar  is  mount  Sinai. 
This  Hagar  well  represents  the  law 
given  on  mount  Sinai.  No  one  can 
believe  that  Paul  meant  to  say  that 
Hagar  was  literally  mount  Sinai.  A 
great  deal  of  perplexity  has  been  felt  in 
regard  to  this  passage,  and  Bentley  pro- 
posed to  cancel  it  altogether  as  an  inter- 
polation. But  there  is  no  good  au- 
thority for  this.  Several  MSS.  and 
versions  read  it,  "  For  this  Sinai  is  a 
mountain  in  Arabia ;"  others,  "  to  this 
Hagar  Jerusalem  answereth,"  &c. 
Griesbach  has  placed  these  readings  in 
the  margin,  and  has  marked  them  as 
not  to  be  rejected  as  certainly  false,  but 
as  worthy  of  a  more  attentive  examina- 
tion ;  as  sustained  by  some  plausible  ar- 
guments, though  not  in  the  whole  satis- 
factory. The  word  Hagar  in  Arabic 
is  said  to  signify  a  rock  ;  and  it  has  been 
supposed  that  the  name  was  appropri- 
ately given  to  mount  Sinai,  because  it 
was  a  pile  of  rocks,  and  that  Paul  had 
allusion  to  this  meaning  of  the  word 
here.  So  Chandler,  Rosenmuller,  and 
others  interpret  it.  But  I  cannot  find 
in  Castell  or  Gesenius  that  the  word 
Hagar  in  Arabic  has  this  significa- 
tion ;  still  less  is  there  evidence  that 
the  name  was  ever  given  to  mount 
Sinai  by  the  Arabs,  or  that  such  a  signi- 
fication was  known  to  Paul.  The 
plainest  and  most  obvious  sense  of  a 
passage  is  generally  the  true  sense  ;  and 
the  obvious  sense  here  is,  that  Hagar 
was  a  fair  representation  of  mount 
Sinai,  and  of  the  law  given  there. 
Tf  In  Arabia.  Mount  Sinai  is  situated 
in  Arabia  Petraea,  or  the  Rocky.  Ro- 
senmuller says  that  this  means  "  in  the 
Arabic  language ;"  but  probably  in  this 
interpretation  he  stands  alone.  ^  -4wrf 
answereth  to  Jerusalem.  Marg.  Is  in 
the  same  rank  with.  The  margin  is 
the  better  translation.     The  meaning  is, 


is    in   bondage  with   her  child- 
ren. 

26  But  Jerusalem  a  which  is 

a  He.  12.  22.    Re.  21.  2,  10. 


it  is  just  like  it,  or  corresponds  with  it. 
Jerusalem  as  it  is  now  (i.  e.  in  the  days 
of  Paul),  is  like  mount  Sinai.  It  is 
subject  to  laws,  and  rites,  and  customs ; 
bound  by  a  state  of  servitude,  and  fear, 
and  trembling,  such  as  existed  when 
the  law  was  given  on  mount  Sinai. 
There  is  no  freedom  ;  there  are  no  great 
and  liberal  views ;  there  is  none  of  the 
liberty  which  the  gospel  imparts  to  men. 
The  word  a-ua-rci^u,  answereth  to, 
means  properly  to  advance  in  order 
together ;  to  go  together  with,  as  sol* 
diers  march  along  in  the  same  rank; 
and  then  to  correspond  to.  It  means 
here  that  mount  Sinai  and  Jerusalem 
as  it  then  was  would  be  fitted  to  march 
together  in  the  same  platoon  or  rank. 
In  marshalling  an  army,  care  is  taken 
to  place  soldiers  of  the  same  height, 
and  size,  and  skill,  and  courage,  if  po&. 
sible,  together.  So  here  it  means  that 
they  were  alike.  Both  were  connected 
with  bondage,  like  Hagar.  On  the  one, 
a  law  was  given  that  led  to  bondage  f 
and  the  other  was  in  fact  under  t 
miserable  servitude  of-  rites  and  forms. 
^  Which  now  is.  As  it  exists  now ; 
that  is,  a  slave  to  rites  and  forms,  as  it 
was  in  fact  in  the  time  of  Paul. 
1  And  is  in  bondage.  To  laws  and 
customs.  She  was  under  hard  and 
oppressive  rites,  like  slavery.  She  was 
also  in  bondage  to  sin  (John  viii.  33, 
34)  ;  but  this  does  not  seem  to  be  the 
idea  here,  t  With  her  children.  Her 
inhabitants.  She  is  represented  as  a 
mother,  and  her  inhabitants,  the  Jews> 
are  in  the  condition  of  the  son  of 
Hagar.  On  this  passage  comp.  Note* 
on  1  Cor.  x.  4.  for  a  more  full  illustra- 
tion of  the  principles  involved  here. 

26.  But  Jerusalem  which  is  above. 
The  spiritual  Jerusalem ;  the  true 
church  of  God.  Jerusalem  was  the 
place  where  God  was  worshipped,  and 
hence  it  became  synonymous  with  the 
word  church,  or  is  used  to  represent 
the  people  of  God.  The  word  Rendered 


A.  D.  58.]  CHAPTER  IV. 

which  is  the  mother 


371 


above  is  fre 
of  us  all. 

27  For  it  is  written,  n  Rejoice 
thou   barren   that  bearest    not ; 

o  Is.  54.1.  b  Ac.  3.25.    c.  3.  29. 


"above,"  (um)  means  properly  up 
above,  that  which  is  above ;  and  hence 
heavenly,  celestial.  Col.  Hi.  1,  2. 
John  viii.  23.  Here  it  means,  the 
heavenly  or  celestial  Jerusalem.  Rev. 
xxi.  2 :  "  And  I  John  saw  the  holy 
city,  new  Jerusalem,  coming  down  from 
God,  out  of  heaven."  Heb.  xii.  22  : 
"  Ye  are  come  unto  mount  Zion,  and 
unto  the  city  of  the  living  God,  the 
heavenly  Jerusalem."  Here  it  is  used 
to  denote  the  church,  as  being  of  hea- 
venly origin.  ^  Is  free.  The  spirit  of 
the  gospel  is  that  of  freedom.  It  is 
freedom  from  sin,  freedom  from  the 
bondage  of  rites  and  customs,  and 
it  tends  to  promote  universal  freedom. 
See  Note  on  ver.  7.  Comp.  John  viii. 
32.  36.  Note,  2  Cor.  iii.  17.  If  Which 
is  the  mother  of  us  all.  Of  all  who  are 
true  Christians,  whether  we  are  by  birth 
Jews  or  Gentiles.  We  should  not, 
therefore,  yield  ourselves  to  any  degrad- 
ing and  abasing  servitude  of  any  kind. 
Comp.  Note,  1  Cor.  vi.  12. 

27.  For  it  is  written.  This  passage 
is  found  in  Isa.  liv.  1.  For  an  exposition 
of  its  meaning  as  it  occurs  there,  see 
my  Notes  on  Isaiah.  The  object  of  the 
npostle  in  introducing  it  here  seems  to 
be  to  prove  that  the  Gentiles  as  well  as 
the  Jews  would  partake  of  the  privi- 
leges connected  with  the  heavenly 
Jerusalem.  He  had  in  the  previous 
verse  spoken  of  the  Jerusalem  from 
above  as  the  common  mother  of  all 
true  Christians,  whether  by  birth  Jews 
or  Gentiles.  This  might  be  disputed 
or  doubted  by  the  Jews  ;  and  he  there- 
fore adduces  this  proof  from  the  Old 
Testament.  Or  if  it  was  not  doubted, 
still  the  quotation  was  pertinent,  and 
would  illcstrate  the  sentiment  which  he 
had  just  uttered.  The  mention  of 
Jerusalem  as  a  mother  seems  to  have 
suggested  this  text.  Isaiah  had  spoken 
of  Jerusalem  as  a  female  that  had  been 


break   forth  and   cry,  thou  that 
travailest   not ;    for  the   desolate 
hath  many   more  children   than 
she,  which  hath  an  husband. 
28  Now    we,   b  brethren,   as 


long  desolate  and  childless,  now  re- 
joicing by  a  large  accession  from  the 
Gentile  world,  and  increased  in  num- 
bers like  a  female  who  should  have 
more  children  than  one  who  had  been 
long  married.  To  this  Paul  appropri- 
ately refers  when  he  says  that  the  whole 
church,  Jews  and  Gentiles,  were  the 
children  of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem, 
represented  here  as  a  rejoicing  mother. 
He  has  not  quoted  literally  from  the 
Hebrew,  but  he  has  used  the  Septua- 
gint  verskm,  and  has  retained  the  sense. 
The  sense  is,  that  the  accession  from 
the  Gentile  world  would  be  far  more  nu- 
merous than  the  Jewish  people  had  ever 
been ;  a  prophecy  that  has  been  already 
fulfilled.  1  Rejoice  thou  barren  thai 
bearest  not.  As  a  woman  who  has  had 
no  children  would  rejoice.  This  repre- 
sents probably  the  heathen  world,  as 
having  been  apparently  forsaken  and 
abandoned,  and  with  whom  there  had 
been  none  of  the  true  children  of  God. 
1  Break  forth  and  cry.  Or  '  break 
forth  and  exclaim ;'  i.  e.  break  out  into 
loud  and  glad  exclamations  at  the  re- 
markable accession.  The  cry  here  re- 
ferred to  was  to  be  a  joyful  cry  or  shout; 
the  language  of  exultation.  So  the 
Hebrew  word  in  Isa.  liv.  1  (*?nx)  means. 
U  For  the  desolate.  She  who  was  deso- 
late and  apparently  forsaken.  It  lite- 
rally refers  to  a  woman  who  had  seemed 
to  be  desolate  and  forsaken,  who  was 
unmarried.  In  Isaiah  it  may  refer  to 
Jerusalem,  long  forsaken  and  desolate, 
or  as  some  suppose  to  the  Gentile  world. 
See  my  Note  on  Isa.  liv.  1.  ^  Than 
she  which  hath  an  husband.  Perhaps 
referring  to  the  Jewish  people  as  in 
covenant  with  God,  and  often  spoken 
of  as  married  to  him.  Isa.  lxii.  4,  5 ; 
liv.  5. 

28.  Now  we,  brethren.    We  who  are 

Christians.     1  Are  the  children  of  the 

I  promise.      We  so  far  resemble  Isaac, 


372 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.  58. 


Isaac  was,  are  the  children  of 
promise. 

29  But  as  then  he  *  that  was 
born  after  the  flesh,  persecuted 
him  that  was  born  after  the  Spi- 
rit, even  so  *  it  is  now. 

30  Nevertheless,    what    saith 

a  Ge.  21.  9.  b  .Trio.  15.  19. 

c  Ge.  21.  10,  12. 

that  there  are  great  and  precious  pro- 
mises made  to  us.  We  are  not  in  the 
condition  of  Ishmael,  to  whom  no  pro- 
mise was  made. 

29.  But  as  then  he  that  was  horn  af- 
ter the  Jlesh.  Ishmael.  See  ver.  23. 
U  Persecuted  him  that  was  born  after 
the  Spirit.  That  is,  Isaac.  The  phrase, 
"  after  the  Spirit,"  here,  is  synonymous 
with  '  according  to  the  promise'  in  the 
previous  verse.  It  stands  opposed  to 
the  phrase  •  after  the  flesh,'  and  means 
that  his  birth  was  by  the  special  or  mi- 
raculous agency  of  God.  See  Rom.  iv. 
It  was  not  in  the  ordinary  course  of 
events.  The  persecution  here  referred 
to,  was  the  injurious  treatment  which 
Isaac  received  from  Ishmael,  or  the  op- 
position which  subsisted  between  them. 
The  particular  reference  of  Paul  is 
doubtless  to  Gen.  xxi.  9,  where  it  is  said 
that  "  Sarah  saw  the  son  of  1 1  agar  the 
Egyptian,  which  she  had  borne  unto 
Abraham,  mocking."  It  was  on  ac- 
count of  this,  and  at  the  special  request 
of  Sarah,  that  Hagar  and  her  son  were 
expelled  from  the  house  of  Abraham. 
Gen.  xxi.  10.  %  Even  so  it  is  now. 
That  is,  Christians,  the  children  of  the 
promise,  are  persecuted  by  the  Jews, 
the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  "  as  it  now 
is,"  and  who  are  uninterested  in  the  pro- 
mises, as  Ishmael  was.  For  an  illus- 
tration of  this,  see  Paley's  Horse  Pauli- 
nas, on  this  Epistle,  No.  V.  Dr.  Paley 
has  remarked  that  it  does  not  appear 
that  the  apostle  Paul  was  ever  set  upon 
by  the  Gentiles,  unless  they  were  first 
stirred  up  by  the  Jews,  except  in  two 
instances.  One  of  these  was  at  Phi- 
lippi,  after  the  cure  of  the  Pythoness 
(Acts  xvi.  19)  ;  and  the  other  at  Ephe- 
sus,  at  the  instance  of  Demetrius.    Acts 


c  the  Scripture  ?  Cast  out  the 
bond-woman  and  her  son  :  for 
the  son  of  the  bond-woman  shall 
not  be  heir  with  the  son  of  the 
free  woman. 

31  So  then,  brethren,  we  are 
not  children  of  the  bond-woman, 
but  of  the  free. 


xix.  24.  The  persecutions  of  the  Chris- 
tians arose,  therefore,  mainly  from  the 
Jews,  from  those  who  were  in  bondage 
to  the  law,  and  to  rites  and  customs ; 
and  Paul's  allusion  here  to  the  case  of 
the  persecution  which  Isaac  the  free-born 
son  endured,  is  exceedingly  pertinent 
and  happy. 

30.  Nevertheless.  13 ut  (  'Aami  ). 
11  What  saith  the  Scripture  ?  What 
does  the  Scripture  teach  on  the  subject  ? 
What  lesson  does  it  convey  in  regard 
to  the  bondman  1  ^  Cast  out  the  bund- 
looman  and  her  son.  This  was  the 
language  of  Sarah,  in  an  address  to 
Abraham,  requesting  him  to  cast  out 
Hagar  and  Ishmael.  Gen.  xxi.  10. 
That  was  done.  Paul  uses  it  here  as 
applicable  to  the  case  before  him.  As 
used  by  him,  the  meaning  is,  that  every 
thing  like  servitude  in  the  gospel  is  to 
be  rejected,  as  Hagar  and  Ishmael  were 
driven  away.  It  does  not  mean,  as  it 
seems  to  me,  that  they  were  to  expel 
the  Jewish  teachers  in  Galatia,  but  that 
they  were  to  reject  every  thing  like  ser- 
vitude and  bondage ;  they  were  to  ad- 
here only  to  that  which  was  free.  Paul 
cannot  here  mean  that  the  passage  in 
Gen.  xxi.  1 0,  originally  had  reference  to 
the  gospel,  for  nothing  evidently  was 
farther  from  the  mind  of  Sarah  than  any 
such  reference;  nor  can  it  be  shown 
that  he  meant  to  approve  of  or  vindicate 
the  conduct  of  Sarah ;  but  Ire  finds  a 
passage  applicable  to  his  purpose,  and 
he  conveys  his  ideas  in  that  language  as 
exactly  expressing  his  meanirg.  We 
all  use  language  in  that  way  wherever 
we  find  it. 

31.  So  then,  brethren.  It  follows 
from  all  this.  Not  from  the  allegory 
regarded  as  an  argument — for  Paul  does 


A.  D.  58.] 


CHAPTER   IV. 


373 


not  use  it  thus — but  from  the  considera- 
tions suggested  on  the  whole  subject. 
Since  the  Christian  religion  is  so  supe- 
rior to  the  Jewish ;  since  we  are  by  it 
freed  from  degrading  servitude,  and  are 
not  in  bondage  to  rites  and  ceremonies ; 
since  it  was  designed  to  make  us  truly 
free,  and  since  by  that  religion  we  are 
admitted  to  the  privileges  of  sons,  and 
are  no  longer  under  laws,  and  tutors, 
and  governors,  as  if  we  were  minors; 
from  all  this  it  follows,  that  we  should 
feel  and  act,  not  as  if  we  were  children 
of  a  bondwoman,  and  burn  in  slavery, 
but  as  if  we  were  children  of  a  free- 
woman,  and  born  to  liberty.  It  is  the 
birthright  of  Christians  to  think,  and 
feel,  and  act  like  freemen,  and  they 
should  not  allow  themselves  to  become 
the  slaves  of  customs,  and  rites,  and 
ceremonies,  but  should  feel  that  they 
are  the  adopted  children  of  God. 

Thus  closes  this  celebrated  allegory— 
an  allegory  that  has  greatly  perplexed 
most  expositors,  and  most  readers  of 
the  Bible.  In  view  of  it,  and  of  the 
exposition  above,  there  are  a  few  remarks 
which  may  not  inappropriately  be  made. 

(1.)  It  is  by  no  means  affirmed,  that 
the  history  of  Hagar  and  Sarah  in  Ge- 
nesis, had  any  original  reference  to  the 
gospel.  The  account  there  is  a  plain 
historical  narrative,  not  designed  to  have 
any  such  reference. 

(2.)  The  narrative  contains  import- 
ant principles,  that  may  be  used  as  il- 
lustrating truth,  and  is  so  used  by  the 
apostle  Paul.  There  are  parallel  points 
between  the  history  and  the  truths  of 
religion,  where  the  one  may  be  illus- 
trated by  the  other. 

(3.)  The  apostle  does  not  use  it  at  all 
in  the  way  of  argument,  or  as  if  that 
proved  that  the  Galatians  were  not  to 
submit  to  the  Jewish  rites  and  customs. 
It  is  an  illustration  of  the  comparative 
nature  of  servitude  and  freedom,  and 
would,  therefore,  illustrate  the  difference 
between  a  servile  compliance  with  Jew- 
ish rites,  and  the  freedom  of  the 
gospel. 

(4.)  This  use  of  an  historical  fact  by 
the  apostle  does  not  make  it  proper  for 
us  to  turn  the  Old  Testament  into  alle- 
32 


gory,  or  even  to  make  a  very  free  use  of 
this  mode  of  illustrating  truth.  That 
an  allegory  may  be  used  sometimes  with 
advantage,  no  one  can  doubt  while  the 
"  Pilgrim's  Progress"  shall  exist.  Nor 
can  any  one  doubt  that  Paul  has  here 
derived,  in  this  manner,  an  important 
and  striking  illustration  of  truth  from 
the  Old  Testament.  But  no  one  ac- 
quainted with  the  history  of  interpreta- 
tion can  doubt  that  vast  injury  has  been 
done  by  a  fanciful  mode  of  explaining 
the  Old  Testament ;  by  making  every 
fact  in  its  history  an  allegory  ;  and 
every  pin  and  pillar  of  the  tabernacle 
and  the  temple  a  type.  Nothing  is  bet- 
ter fitted  to  bring  the  whole  science  of 
interpretation  into  contempt ;  nothing 
more  dishonours  the  Bible,  than  to  make 
it  a  book  of  enigmas,  and  religion  to 
consist  in  puerile  conceits.  The  Bible 
is  a  book  of  sense  ;  and  all  the  doctrines 
essential  to  salvation  are  plainly  reveal- 
ed. It  should  be  interpreted,  not  by- 
mere  conceit  and  by  fancy,  but  by  the 
sober  laws  according  to  which  are  inter- 
preted other  books.  It  should  be  ex- 
plained, not  under  the  influence  of  a 
vivid  imagination,  but  under  the  influ- 
ence of  a  heart  imbued  with  a  love  of 
truth,  and  by  an  understanding  disci- 
plined to  investigate  the  meaning  of 
words  and  phrases,  and  capable  of  ren- 
dering a  reason  for  the  interpretation 
which  is  proposed.  Men  may  abun- 
dantly use  the  facts  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment to  illustrate  human  nature,  as  Paul 
did ;  but  far  distant  be  the  day,  when 
the  principles  of  Origcn  and  of  Cocceius 
shall  again  prevail,  and  when  it  shall 
be  assumed,  that  "  the  Bible  means 
every  thing  that  it  can  be  made  to 
mean." 

CHAPTER    V. 

AX  ALT  SIS. 

This  chapter  is,  properly,  a  continua- 
tion of  the  argument  in  the  previous 
chapter,  and  is  designed  to  induce  the 
Galatians  to  renounce  their  conformity 
to  the  Jewish  law,  and  to  become  en- 
tirely conformed  to  the  gospel.  In  par- 
ticular, it  seems  to  be  designed  to  meet 
a  charge  that  had  been  brought  against 
him,  that  he  had  preached  the  necessity 


374 


S 


CHAPTER   V. 
TAND  a  fast  therefore  in  the 
1   liberty   wherewith    Christ 

a  Ep.  6.  14. 

b  Jno.  8.  32,  36.    Ro.  6.  18.    Ac.  15.  10. 


of  circumcision,  or  that  he  had  so  prac- 
tised it,  as  to  show  that  he  believed  that 
it  was  obligatory  on  others.  Under  his 
example,  or  pleading  his  authority,  it 
seems  the  false  teachers  there  had  urged 
the  necessity  of  its  observance.  See 
ver.  1 1 .  The  argument  and  the  exhorta- 
tion consist  of  the  following  parts. 

I.  He  exhorts  them  to  stand  firm  in 
the  liberty  of  Christianity,  and  not  to 
be  brought  again  under  bondage,  ver.  1. 

II.  He  solemnly  assures  them,  that  if 
they  depended  on  circumcision  for  sal- 
vation, they  could  derive  no  benefit  from 
Christ.  They  put  themselves  into  a  per- 
fect legal  state,  and  must  depend  on  that 
alone;  and  that  was  equivalent  to  re- 
nouncing Christ  altogether,  or  to  falling 
from  grace,  ver.  2 — 6. 

III.  He  assures  them  that  their  pre- 
sent belief  could  not  have  come  from 
him  by  whom  they  were  originally 
brought  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth  ; 
but  must  have  been  from  some  foreign 
influence,  operating  like  leaven,  ver. 
7—9. 

IV.  He  says  he  had  confidence  in 
them,  on  the  whole,  that  they  would 
obey  the  truth,  and  that  they  would  suf- 
fer him  who  had  troubled  them  to  bear 
his  proper  judgment,  gently  insinuating 
that  he  should  be  disowned  or  cut  off. 
ver.  10.  12. 

V.  He  vindicates  himself  from  the 
charge  that  he  preached  the  necessity 
of  circumcision.  His  vindication  was, 
that  if  he  had  done  that,  he  would  have 
escaped  persecution,  for  then  the  of- 
fence of  the  cross  would  have  ceased, 
ver.  11. 

VI.  He  assures  them  that  they  had 
been  called  unto  liberty ;  that  the  gospel 
had  made  them  free.  Yet  Paul  felt  how 
easy  it  was  to  abuse  this  doctrine,  and  to 
pretend  that  Christ  had  freed  them  from 
all  restraint,  and  from  the  bondage  of 
all  law.  Against  this  he  cautions  them. 
Their  liberty  was  not  licentiousness.    It 


GALATIANS.  [A.  D.  58. 

hath  made  us  free,  and  be  not  en* 
tangled  again  with#  the  yoke  of 
bondage. 

2  Behold,  I  Paul  say  unto  you, 

was  not  freedom  from  all  the  restraints 
of  law.  It  was  not  that  they  might  give 
indulgence  to  the  passions  of  the  flesh. 
It  was  designed  that  they  should  serve 
one  another ;  and  not  fall  into  the  in- 
dulgence of  raging  passions,  producing 
strife  and  mutual  hatred,  ver.  13 — 15. 

VII.  To  illustrate  this,  and  to  show 
them  the  evils  of  giving  indulgence  to 
their  appetites  under  the  pretence  that 
they  were  free,  he  proceeds  to  show 
what  were  the  passions  to  which  carnal 
indulgence  would  give  rise,  or  what 
were  the  works  of  the  flesh,  ver.  16 — SI. 

VIII.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Spirit 
produces  a  train  of  most  lovely  virtues, 
feelings,  and  affections,  against  which 
there  could  be  no  law.  ver.  22,  23. 

IX.  They  who  were  Christians  had 
in  fact  crucified  the  flesh.  They  were 
bound  to  live  after  the  teachings  of  the 
Spirit,  and  Paul,  therefore,  exhorts  them 
to  lay  aside  all  vain-glory  and  envy,  and 
to  five  in  peace,  ver.  24 — 26. 

1 .  Staridfast,  therefore.  Be  firm  and 
unwavering.  This  verse  properly  be- 
longs to  the  previous  chapter,  and  should 
not  have  been  separated  from  it.  The 
sense  is,  that  they  were  to  l>e  firm 
and  unyielding  in  maintaining  the  great 
principles  of  Christian  liberty.  They 
had  been  freed  from  the  bondage  of  rites 
and  ceremonies  ;  and  they  should  by  no 
means,  and  in  no  form,  yield  to  them 
again.  %  In  the  liberty,  &c.  Comp. 
John  viii.  32.  36.  Rom.  vi.  18.  Notes, 
ch.  iv.  3 — 5.  1  And  be  riot  entangled 
again.  Tindal  renders  this,  "  And  wrap 
not  yourselves  again."  The  sense  is, 
do  not  again  allow  such  a  yoke  to  be 
put  on  you ;  do  not  again  become  slaves 
to  any  rites,  and  customs,  and  habits. 
%  The  yoke  of  bondage.  Of  servitude 
to  the  Jewish  laws.  See  Note,  Acts 
xv.  10. 

2.  Behold,  I  Paul  say  unto  you.  I, 
who  at  first  preached  the  gospel  to  you ; 
I,  too,  who  have  been  circumcised,  and 


A.  D.  58  , 


CHAPTER   V. 


375 


that  if  ye  be  circumcised,  Christ 
shall  profit  you  nothing. 

3  For  I  testify  again  to  every 

who  was  formerly  a  strenuous  asserter 
of  the  necessity  of  observing  the  laws 
of  Moses  ;  and  I,  too,  who  am  charged 
(see  ver.  11)  with  still  preaching  the  ne- 
cessity of  circumcision,  now  solemnly 
say  to  you,  that  if  you  are  circumcised 
with  a  view  to  being  justified  by  that  in 
whole  or  in  part,  it  amounts  to  a  rejec- 
tion of  the  doctrine  of  justification  by 
Christ,  and  an  entire  apostasy  from  him. 
He  is  to  be  "  a  whole  Saviour."  No  one 
is  to  share  with  him  in  the  honour  of  sav- 
ing men  ;  and  no  rite,  no  custom,  no  ob- 
servance of  law,  is  to  divide  the  honour 
with  his  death.  The  design  of  Paul  is  to 
give  them  the  most  solemn  assurance  on 
this  point ;  and  by  his  own  authority  and 
experience  to  guard  them  from  the  danger, 
and  to  put  the  matter  to  rest.  %  That 
if  ye  be  circumcised.  This  must  be 
understood  with  reference  to  the  subject 
under  consideration.  If  you  are  cir- 
cumcised with  such  a  view  as  is  main- 
tained by  the  false  teachers  that  have 
come  among  you  ;  that  is,  with  an  idea 
that  it  is  necessary  in  order  to  your  jus- 
tification. He  evidently  did  not  mean 
that  if  any  of  them  had  been  circum- 
cised before  their  conversion  to  Chris- 
tianity ;  nor  could  he  mean  to  say,  that 
circumcision  in  all  cases  amounted  to 
a  rejection  of  Christianity,  for  he  had 
himself  procured  the  circumcision  of 
Timothy.  Acts  xvi.  3.  If  it  was  done, 
as  it  was  then,  for  prudential  considera- 
tions, and  with  a  wish  not  necessarily  to 
irritate  the  Jews,  and  to  give  one  a  more 
ready  access  to  them,  it  was  not  to  be 
regarded  as  wrong.  But  if,  as  the  false 
teachers  in  Galatia  claimed,  as  a  thing 
essential  to  salvation,  as  indispensable  to 
justification  and  acceptance  with  God, 
then  the  matter  assumed  a  different  as- 
pect ;  and  then  it  became  in  fact  a  re- 
nouncing of  Christ  as  himself  sufficient 
to  save  us.  So  with  any  thing  else. 
Rites  and  ceremonies  in  religion  may  be 
in  themselves  well  enough,  if  they  are 
held  to  be  matters  not  essential ;  but  the 
moment  they  are  regarded  as  vital  and 


man  that  is  circumcised,  that  he 

is  a  debtor  to  do  the  whole  law. 

4  Christ  is  become  of  no  ef- 


essential,  that  moment  they  begin  to  in- 
fringe on  the  doctrine  of  justification  by 
faith  alone,  and  that  moment  they  are 
to  be  rejected  ;  and  it  is  because  of  the 
danger  that  this  will  be  the  case,  that 
they  are  to  be  used  sparingly  in  the 
Christian  church.  Who  does  not  know 
the  danger  of  depending  on  prayers,  and 
alms,  and  the  sacraments,  and  extreme 
unction,  and  penance,  and  empty  forms 
for  salvation  1  And  who  does  not  know 
how  much  in  the  Papal  communion 
the  great  doctrine  of  justification  has 
been  obscured  by  numberless  such  rites 
and  forms  7  t  Christ  shall  profit  you 
nothing.  Will  be  of  no  advantage  to 
you.  Your  dependence  on  circumcision, 
in  these  circumstances,  will  in  fact 
amount  to  a  rejection  of  the  Saviour, 
and  of  the  doctrine  of  justification  by 
him. 

3.  For  I  testify  again.  Probably  he 
had  stated  this  when  he  had  preached 
the  gospel  to  them  at  first,  and  he  now 
solemnly  bears  witness  to  the  same  thing 
again.  Bloomfield,  however,  supposes 
that  the  word  again  here  (womv)  means, 
on  the  other  hand,  or,  furthermore,-  or, 
as  we  would  say,  *  and  again.'  f  That 
he  is  a  debtor  to  do  the  whole  law.  He 
binds  himself  to  obey  all  the  law  of 
Moses.  Circumcision  was  the  distin- 
guishing badge  of  the  Jews,  as  baptism 
is  of  Christians.  A  man,  therefore,  who 
became  circumcised,  became  a  professor 
of  the  Jewish  religion,  and  bound  him- 
self to  obey  all  its  peculiar  laws.  This 
must  be  understood,  of  course,  with  re- 
ference to  the  point  under  discussion  ; 
and  means,  if  he  did  it  with  a  view  to 
justification,  or  as  a  thing  that  was  ne- 
cessary and  binding.  It  would  not  ap- 
ply to  such  a  case  as  that  of  Timothy 
where  it  was  a  matter  of  mere  expe- 
diency or  prudence.  See  Note  on  ver.  2. 

4.  Christ  is  become  of  no  effect  unto 
you.  You  will  derive  no  advantage 
from  Christ.  His  work  in  regard  to  you 
is  needless  and  vain.  If  you  can  be 
justified  in  any  other  way  than  bv  him 


376 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  V.  bS. 


feet a  unto  you,  whosoever  of  you 
are  justified  by  the  law  :  ye  are 
fallen  b  from  grace. 

5  For  we  through  the  Spirit 

then  of  course  you  do  not  need  him,  and 
your  adoption  of  the  other  mode  is  in 
fact  a  renunciation  of  him.  Tindal  ren- 
ders this,  "  Ye  are  gone  quite  from 
Christ."  The  word  here  used  {ustttt^yim), 
means,  properly,  to  render  inactive,  idle, 
useless  ;  to  do  away,  to  put  an  end  to  ; 
and  here  it  means  that  they  had  with- 
drawn from  Christ,  if  they  attetnpted  to 
he  justified  by  the  law.  They  would 
not  need  him  if  they  could  be  thus  jus- 
tified ;  and  they  could  derive  no  benefit 
from  him.  A  man  who  can  be  jus- 
tified by  his  own  obedience,  does  not 
need  the  aid  or  the  merit  of  another ; 
and  if  it  was  true,  as  they  seemed  to 
suppose,  that  they  could  be  justified  by 
the  law,  it  followed  that  the  work  of 
Christ  was  in  vain  so  far  as  they  were 
concerned.  1  Whoso'ver  of  yon  are  jay- 
tifitdby  the  law.  On  the  supposition  that 
any  of  you  are  justified  by  the  law  ;  or  if, 
as  you  seem  to  suppose,  any  are  justified 
by  the  law.  The  apostle  does  not  say 
that  this  had  in  fact  ever  occurred  ;  but 
he  merely  makes  a  supposition.  If  such 
a  thing  should  or  could  occur,  it  would 
follow  that  you  had  fallen  from  grace. 
t  Ye  are  fallen  from  grace.  That  is, 
this  would  amount  to  apostasy  from  the 
religion  of  the  Redeemer,  and  would  be 
in  fact  a  rejection  of  the  grace  of  the 
gospel.  That  this  had  ever  in  fact  oc- 
curred among  true  Christians  the  apos- 
tle does  not  affirm,  unless  he  affirmed 
that  men  can  in  fact  be  justified  by  the 
law,  since  he  makes  the  falling  from 
grace  a  consequence  of  that.  But  did 
Paul  mean  to  teach  that  1  Did  he 
mean  to  affirm  that  any  man  in  fact  had 
been,  or  could  be  justified  by  his  own 
obedience  to  the  law]  Let  his  own 
writings  answer.  See,  especially,  Rom. 
iii.  20.  But  unless  he  held  that,  then 
this  passage  does  not  prove  that  any  one 
who  has  ever  been  a  true  Christian  has 
fallen  away.  The  fair  interpretation  of 
the  passage  does  not  demand  that.     Its 


wait e  for  the  hope  of  righteous- 
ness d  by  faith. 

6  For  in  Jesus  Christ  neither 


a  Ro.  9.  31,  32. 
c  Ro.  8.  25. 


b  He   12.  15. 

d2Ti.  4.  8. 


simple  and  obvious  meaning  is,  that  if 
a  man  who  had  been  a  professed  Chris- 
tian should  be  justified  by  his  own  con- 
formity to  the  law,  and  adopt  that  mode 
of  justification,  then  that  would  amount 
to  a  rejection  of  the  mode  of  salvation 
by  Christ,  and  would  he  a  renouncing 
of  the  plan  of  justification  by  grace. 
The  two  systems  cannot  be  united.  The 
adoption  of  the  one  is,  in  fact,  a  rejec- 
tion of  the  other.  Christ  will  be  "  a 
whole  Saviour,"  or  none.  This  passage, 
therefore,  cannot  be  adduced  to  prove 
that  any  true  Christian  has  in  fact  fallen 
away  from  grace,  unless  it  proves  also 
that  man  may  be  justified  by  the  deeds 
of  the  law,  contrary  to  the  repeated  de- 
clarations of  Paul  himself.  The  word 
"  grace"  here,  does  not  mean  grace  in 
the  sense  of  personal  religion,  it  means 
the  system  of  salvation  by  grace,  in 
contradistinction  from  that  by  merit  or 
by  works — the  system  of  the  gospel. 

5.  For  we.  We  who  are  Chris- 
tians. It  is  a  characteristic  of  the  true 
Christian.  ^  Through  the  Spirit. 
The  Holy  Spirit.  We  expect  salvation 
only  by  his  aid.  *|  Wait  for.  That 
is,  we  expect  salvation  in  this  way. 
The  main  idea  is,  not  that  of  waiting 
as  if  the  thing  were  delayed;  it  is  that 
of  expecting.  The  sense  is,  that  true 
Christians  have  no  other  hope  of  salva- 
tion than  by  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus.  It 
is  not  by  their  own  works,  nor  is  it  by 
any  conformity  to  the  law.  The  object 
of  Paul  is,  to  show  them  the  true  na- 
ture of  the  Christian  hope  of  eternal 
life,  and  to  recall  them  from  dependence 
on  their  conformity  to  the  law.  ^  The 
hope  of  righteousness.  The  hope  of 
justification.  They  had  no  other  hope 
of  justification  than  by  faith  in  the 
Redeemer.     See  Note  on  Rom.  i.  17. 

6.  For  in  Jesus  Christ.  In  the  re- 
ligion which  Christ  came  to  establish. 
^  Neither  circumcision,  Sec.  It  makes 
no  difference  whether  a  man  is  circum- 


A.  D.  58.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


377 


•  circumcision  availeth  any  thing, 
nor  uncircumcision ;  but  faith 
which  *  worketh  by  love. 

7  Ye  did  run  well ;  who  did 
1  hinder  you,  that  ye  should  not 
obey  the  truth? 

cised  or  not.  He  is  not  saved  because 
he  is  circumcised,  nor  is  he  condemned 
because  he  is  not.  The  design  of  Chris- 
tianity is  to  abolish  these  rites  and  cere- 
monies, and  to  introduce  a  way  of  sal- 
vation that  shall  be  applicable  to  all 
mankind  alike.  See  Notes  on  ch.  iii. 
28.  1  Cor.  vii.  19.  Comp.  Rom.  ii.  29. 
f  Bat  faith  which  worketh  by  love. 
Faith  that  evinces  its  existence  by  love 
to  God,  and  benevolence  to  men.  It  is 
not  a  mere  intellectual  belief,  but  it  is 
that  which  reaches  the  heart,  and  con- 
trols the  affections.  It  is  not  a  dead 
faith,  but  it  is  that  which  is  operative, 
and  which  is  seen  in  Christian  kindness 
and  affection.  It  is  not  mere  belief  of 
the  truth,  or  mere  orthodoxy,  but  it  is 
that  which  produces  true  attachment  to 
others.  A  mere  intellectual  assent  to 
the  truth  may  leave  the  heart  cold  and 
unaffected ;  mere  orthodoxy,  however 
bold,  and  self-confident,  and  "  sound," 
may  not  be  inconsistent  with  conten- 
tions, and  strifes,  and  logomachies,  and 
divisions.  The  true  faith  is  that  which 
is  seen  in  benevolence,  in  love  to  God, 
in  love  to  all  who  bear  the  Christian 
name ;  in  a  readiness  to  do  good  to  all 
mankind.  This  shows  that  the  heart 
is  affected  by  the  faith  that  is  held ;  and 
this  is  the  nature  and  design  of  all  true 
religion.  Tindal  renders  this,  "  faith, 
which  by  love  is  mighty  in  opera- 
tion." 

7.  Ye  did  run  well.  The  Christian 
life  is  often  represented  as  a  race.  See 
Notes  on  1  Cor.  ix.  24—26.  Paul 
means  here,  that  they  began  the  Chris- 
tian life  with  ardour  and  zeal.  Comp. 
ch.  iv.  15.  1  Who  did  hinder  you. 
Marg.  Drive  you  buck.  The  word 
used  here  (*.v*kott&>)  means  properly 
to  beat  or  drive  back.  Hence  it  means 
to  hinder,  check,  or  retard.  Dr.  Dod- 
dridge remarks  that  this  is  "  an  Olympic 
32* 


8  This  persuasion  comet h  not 
of  him  that  calleth  you. 

9  A  little  c  leaven   leaveneth 
the  whole  lump. 

a  1  Co.  7.  19.  b  ITh.  1. 3.  Ja.  2. 18—22. 

»  or,  drive  you  back.       c  Mat.  13.  33. 1  Co.  5.  6. 


expression,  and  properly  signifies  com- 
ing across  the  course  while  a  person  is 
running  in  it,  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
jostle,  and  throw  lim  out  of  the  way." 
Paul  asks,  with  empha>is,  who  it  could 
have  been  that  retarded  them  in  their 
Christian  course,  implying  that  it  could 
have  been  done  only  by  their  own  con- 
sent, or  that  there  was  really  no  cause 
why  they  should  not  have  continued  as 
they  began,  f  That  ye  should  not 
obey  the  truth.  The  true  system  of 
justification  by  faith  in  the  Redeemer. 
That  you  should  have  turned  aside,  and 
embraced  the  dangerous  errors  in  re- 
gard to  the  necessity  of  obeying  the 
laws  of  Moses. 

8.  This  persuasion.  This  belief 
that  it  is  necessary  to  obey  the  laws  ot 
Moses,  and  to  intermingle  the  observ- 
ance of  Jewish  rites  with  the  belief  of 
the  Christian  doctrines  in  order  to  be 
saved.  Tf  Not  of  him  that  calleth  you. 
That  is,  of  God,  who  had  called  them 
into  his  kingdom.  That  it  refers  to 
God  and  not  to  Paul  is  plain.  They 
knew  well  erlough  that  Paul  had  not 
persuaded  them  to  it,  and  it  was  import- 
ant now  to  show  them  that  it  could 
not  be  traced  to  God,  though  they  who 
taught  it  pretended  to  be  commissioned 
by  him. 

9.  A  little  leaven,  &c.  This  is  evi- 
dently a  proverbial  expression.  See  it 
explained  in  the  Notes  on  1  Cor.  v.  6. 
Its  meaning  here  is,  that  the  embracing 
of  the  errors  which  they  had  adopted 
was  to  be  traced  to  some  influence  ex- 
isting among  themselves,  and  acting 
like  leaven.  It  may  either  mean  that 
there  was  existing  among  them  from 
the  first  a  slight  tendency  to  conform  to 
rites  and  customs,  and  that  this  had 
now  like  leaven  pervaded  the  mass ; 
or  it  may  mean  that  the  false  teachers 
there   might  be    compared   to    leaveo 


373 


GALATIANS. 


[A,  D.  58. 


10  I  have  confidence  irr  you 
through  the  Lord,  that  ye  will 
be  none  otherwise  minded  :  but 
he  that  troubleth  you  shall  bear 

whose  doctrines,  though  they  were  few 
in  number,  had  pervaded  the  mass  of 
Christians;  or  it  may  mean,  as  many 
have  supposed,  that  any  conformity  to 
the  Jewish  law  was  like  leaven.  If 
they  practised  circumcision,  it  would 
not  stop  there.  The  tendency  to  con- 
form to  Jewish  rites  would  spread  from 
that  until  it  would  infect  all  the  doc- 
trines of  religion,  and  they  would  fall 
into  the  observance  of  all  the  rites  of 
the  Jewish  law.  It  seems  to  me  that 
the  second  interpretation  referred  to 
above  is  the  correct  one ;  and  that  the 
apostle  means  to  say,  that  the  influence 
which  had  brought  this  change  about 
was  at  first  small  and  unimportant; 
that  there  might  have  been  but  a  few 
teachers  of  that  kind,  and  it  might 
have  not  been  deemed  worthy  of  par- 
ticular attention  or  alarm ;  but  that  the 
doctrines  thus  infused  into  the  churches, 
had  spread  like  leaven,  until  the  whole 
mass  had  become  affected. 

10.  /  have  confidence  in  you,  &c. 
Though  they  had  been  led  astray,  and 
had  embraced  many  false  opinions, 
yet,  on  the  whole,  Paul  had  confidence 
in  their  piety,  and  believed  they  would 
yet  return  and  embrace  the  truth. 
t  That  ye  will  be  none  otherwise 
minded.  That  is,  than  you  have  been 
taught  by  me ;  or  than  I  think  and  teach 
on  the  subject.  Paul  doubtless  means 
to  say,  that  he  had  full  confidence  that 
they  would  embrace  the  views  which  he 
was  inculcating  on  the  subject  of  justi- 
fication, and  he  makes  this  remark  in 
order  to  modify  the  severity  of  his  tone 
of  reprehension,  and  to  show  that,  not- 
withstanding all  he  had  said,  he  had 
confidence  still  in  their  piety.  He  be- 
lieved that  they  would  coincide  with 
him  in  his  opinion,  alike  on  the  general 
subject  of  justification,  and  in  regard  to 
the  cause  of  their  alienation  from  the 
truth.  He,  therefore,  gently  insinuates 
that   it  was  not  to  be  traced  to  them- 


his  a  judgment,    whosoever    he 
be. 

11  And  I,   brethren,  if  I  yet 
preach  circumcision,   why  do  I 


a  2  Co.  10.6. 


selves  that  they  had  departed  from  the 
truth,  but  to  the  "  little  leaven"  that 
had  leavened  the  mass;  and  he  adds 
that  whoever  had  done  this,  should  be 
held  to  be  responsible  for  it.  ^f  But  he 
that  troubleth  you.  By  leading  you 
into  error.  1  Shall  bear  his  judgment 
Shall  be  responsible  for  it,  and  will  re- 
ceive proper  treatment  from  you.  He 
gently  states  this  general  principle, 
which  is  so  obvious  ;  states  that  he  doea 
not  believe  that  the  defection  is  to  be 
traced  to  themselves;  and  designs  to 
prepare  their  minds  for  a  proposition 
which  he  intends  to  submit  (ver  12). 
that  the  offending  person  or  persona 
should  be  disowned  and  cut  off. 
Tf  Whosoever  he  be.  '  I  do  not  know 
who  he  is.  I  mention  no  names ; 
accuse  no  one  by  name ;  and  advise  no 
severe  measures  against  any  particular 
individual.  I  state  only  the  obviouo 
principle  that  every  man  should  bear 
his  own  burden,  and  be  held  responsible 
for  what  he  has  done — no  matter  who 
he  is.' 

1 1.  And  J,  brethren.  Paul  here  pro- 
ceeds to  vindicate  himself  from  giving 
countenance  to  the  doctrines  which 
they  had  advanced  there.  It  is  evident 
that  the  false  teachers  in  Galatia  ap. 
pealed  to  Paul  himself,  and  alleged  that 
he  insisted  on  the  necessity  of  circum* 
cision,  and  that  they  were  teaching  no 
more  than  he  taught.  On  what  they 
founded  this  is  unknown.  It  may 
have  been  mere  slander  ;  or  it  may  hava 
arisen  from  the  fact  that  he  had  circum- 
cised Timothy  (Acts  xvi.  3),  and,  pos- 
sibly, that  he  may  have  encouraged 
circumcision  in  some  other  similar 
cases.  Or  it  may  have  been  inferred 
from  the  fact  (which  was  undoubtedly 
true)  that  Paul  in  general  complied 
with  the  customs  of  the  Jews  when  he 
was  with  them.  But  his  conduct  and 
example  had  been  greatly  perverted. 
He   had  never    enjoined    circumasion 


A,  D.  58.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


379 


yet   suffer    persecution  ?  °  then  |      12  1    would   they  were  even 


is    the    offence 
ceased. 

ac.  6.  12. 


of    the    cross  |  cut  off  which  trouble  you. 

13  For,    brethren,    ye    have 
been   called   unto   liberty ;  only 


6  1  Co.  1.23. 


as    necessary   to    salvation ;    and  had 
never  complied   with    Jewish  customs  | 
where  there  war.  danger  that  it  would  be  \ 
understood  that  he  regarded  them  as  at  j 
all  indispensable,  or    as    furnishing  a  j 
ground  of  acceptance  with  God.     ^  If  \ 
I  yet  preach  circumcision.     If  I  preach  | 
it  as  necessary    to  salvation  ;    or  if  I  j 
enjoin  it  on  those  who  are  converted  to  ; 
Christianity.     %  Why  do  I  yet  suffer  j 
persecution  ?     That  is,  from  the  Jews,  j 
■  Why   do   they  oppose  me  1  Circuni-  ; 
cision    is    the    peculiar  badge    of    the 
Jewish  religion ;  it  implies  all  the  rest 
(see  ver.  2)  ;  and  if  I  preach  the  neces- 
sity of  that,  it  would  satisfy  the  Jews, 
and  save  me  from  persecution.     They 
would  never  persecute  one  who  did  that 
as  they  do  me ;  and  the  fact  that  I  am 
thus  persecuted  by  them  is  full  demon- 
stration   that    I  am   not   regarded    as 
preaching    the    necessity    of    circum- 
cision.'    It    is    remarkable   that    Paul 
does   not   expressly  deny  the    charge. 
The  reason  may  be,  that  his  own  word 
would  be  called  in  question,  or  that  it 
might    require   much    explanation    to 
show  why   he  had  recommended  cir- 
cumcision in  any  case,  as  in  the  case  of 
Timothy.     Acts  xvi.  3.     But  the  fact 
that  he  was   persecuted  by    the   Jews 
settled  the  question,  and  showed   that 
he  did  not  preach  the  necessity  of  cir- 
cumcision   in    any    such   sense   as   to 
satisfy   them,  or  in  any  such  sense  as 
was  claimed  by  the   false   teachers  in 
Galatia.     In  regard   to    the    fact    that 
Paul  was  persecuted  by  the  Jew»,  see 
Acts  xiv.  1,2. 19 ;  xvii.  4,  5. 13.     Comp. 
Paley,    Horse  Paulinx,  Galat.  No.  V. 
Tf  Then  is  the  offence  of  the  cross  ceased. 
'For  if  I  should  preach  the  necessity 
of    circumcision,  as  is  alleged,  the  of- 
fence of  the  cross  of  Christ  would  be 
removed.     The  necessity  of  depending 
on  the  merits  of  the  sacrifice  made  on 
the  cross  would  be  taken  away,  since 
then  men  could  be  saved  by  conformity 


to  the  laws  of  Moses.  The  very  thing 
that  I  have  so  much  insisted  on,  and 
that  has  been  such  a  stumbling-'alock  to 
the  Jews  (Note,  1  Cor.  i.  23),  that  con- 
formity to  their  rites  was  of  no  avail, 
and  that  they  must  be  saved  only  by 
the  merits  of  a  crucified  Saviour,  would 
be  done  away  with.'  Paul  means  that 
if  this  had  been  done,  he  would  have 
saved  himself  from  giving  offence,  and 
from  the  evils  of  persecution.  He 
would  have  preached  that  men  could 
be  saved  by  conformity  to  Jewish  rites, 
and  that  would  have  saved  him  from 
all  the  persecutions  which  he  had  en- 
dured in  consequence  of  preaching  the 
necessity  of  salvation  by  the  cross. 

12.  /  would  they  were  even  cut  off. 
That  is,  as  I  understand  it,  from  the 
communion  of  the  church.  So  far  am 
I,  s«jys  Paul,  from  agreeing  with  them, 
and  preaching  the  necessity  of  circum- 
cision as  they  do,  that  I  sincerely  wish 
they  were  excluded  from  the  church  as 
Unworthy  a  place  among  the  children 
of  God.  For  a  very  singular  and  mon- 
strous interpretation  of  this  passage, 
though  adopted  by  Chrysostom,  Theo- 
doret,  Theophylact,  Jerome,  Grotius, 
Rosenmiiller,  Koppe,  and  others,  the 
learned  reader  may  consult  Koppe 
on  this  verse.  To  my  amazement,  I 
find  that  this  interpretation  has  also 
been  adopted  by  Robinson  in  his  Lexi- 
con, on  the  word  fctomfamm.  I  will 
state  the  opinion  in  the  words  of  Koppe. 
Non  modo  circumcidant  se,  sed,  si 
velint,  etiam  mutilant  se — ipsa  geni- 
talia resecent.  The  simple  meaning  is, 
I  think,  that  Paul  wkhed  that  the 
authors  of  these  errors  and  disturb- 
ances were  excluded  from  the  church. 
1  Which  trouble  you.  Who  pervert 
the  true  doctrines  of  r-alvation,  and  w.io 
thus  introduce  error  into  the  church. 
Error  always  sooner  or  later  causes 
trouble.     Comp.  Note,  1  Cor.  v.  7. 

13.  For,    brethren,    ye    have    been 


380 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.58. 


use  not  °  liberty  for  an  occasion 
to  the  flesh,  but  by  love  serve 
*one  another. 


called  unto  liberty.  Freedom  from 
Jewish  rites  and  ceremonies.  See  the 
Notes  on  ch.  iii.  28;  iv.  9.  21—31. 
The  meaning  here  is,  that  Paul  wished 
the  false  teachers  removed  because  true 
Christians  had  been  called  unto  liberty, 
and  they  were  abridging  and  destroying 
that  liberty.  They  were  not  in  sub- 
jection to  the  law  of  Moses,  or  to  any 
thing  else  that  savoured  of  bondage. 
They  were  free ;  free  from  the  servitude 
of  sin,  and  free  from  subjection  to  ex- 
pensive and  burdensome  rites  and  cus- 
toms. They  were  to  remember  this  as 
a  great  and  settled  principle;  and  so 
vital  a  truth  was  this,  and  so  important 
that  it  should  be  maintained,  and  so 
great  the  evil  of  forgetting  it,  that  Paul 
says  he  earnestly  wishes  (ver.  12)  that 
all  who  would  reduce  them  to  that 
state  of  servitude  were  cut  off  from  the 
Christian  church.  Tf  Only  use  not 
liberty,  &c.  The  word  use  here  intro- 
duced by  our  translators,  obscures  the 
sense.  The  idea  is,  '  You  are  called  to 
liberty,  but  it  is  not  liberty  for  an  occa- 
sion to  the  flesh.  It  is  not  freedom 
from  virtuous  restraints,  and  from  the 
laws  of  God.  It  is  liberty  from  the 
servitude  of  sin,  and  religious  rites  and 
ceremonies,  not  freedom  from  the  neces- 
sary restraints  of  virtue.'  It  was  neces- 
sary to  give  this  caution,  because,  (I.) 
There  was  a  strong  tendency  in  all  con- 
v  rts  from  heathenism  to  relapse  again 
ii  to  their  former  habits.  Licentious- 
ness abounded,  and  where  they  had 
been*  addicted  to  it  before  their  conver- 
sion, and  where  they  were  surrounded 
by  it  on  every  hand,  they  were  in  con- 
stant danger  of  falling  into  it  again. 
A  bare  and  naked  declaration,  there- 
f  »re,  that  they  had  been  called  to  li- 
tirty,  to  freedom  from  restraint,  might 
have  been  misunderstood,  and  some 
might  have  supposed  that  they  were 
free  from  all  restraints.  (2.)  It  is 
needful  to  guard  the  doctrine  from 
abuse  at  all  times.     There  has  been  a 


14  For   all  the    law    >s    ful- 
filled in  one  word,  even  in  this, 

a  1  Co.  8.  9.  1  Pe.  2.  16.        b  1  Jno.  3.  18. 


strong  tendency,  as  the  history  of  the 
church  has  shown,  to  abuse  the  doc- 
trines of  grace.  The  doctrine  that 
Christians  are  "  free ;"  that  there  is 
liberty  to  them  from  restraint,  has  been 
perverted  always  by  Antinomians,  and 
been  made  the  occasion  of  their  indulg- 
ing freely  in  sin.  And  the  result  has 
shown  that  nothing  was  more  import- 
ant than  to  guard  the  doctrine  of  Chris- 
tian liberty,  and  to  show  exactly  what 
Christians  are  freed  from,  and  what 
iaws  are  still  binding  on  them.  Paul 
is,  therefore,  at  great  pains  to  show  that 
the  doctrines  which  he  had  maintained 
did  not  lead  to  licentiousness,  and  did 
not  allow  the  indulgence  of  sinful  and 
corrupt  passions.  ^  An  occasion.  As 
allowing  indulgence  to  the  flesh,  or  as 
a  furtherance  or  help  to  corrupt  pas- 
sions. See  the  word  explained  in  the 
Notes  on  Rom.  vii.  8.  Tf  To  the  flesh. 
The  word  flesh  is  often  used  in  the 
writings  of  Paul  to  denote  corrupt  and 
gross  passions  and  affections.  See 
Notes  on  Rom.  vii.  18;  viii.  1.  \  But 
by  love  serve  one  another.  By  the 
proper  manifestation  of  love  one  to 
another  strive  to  promote  each  other's 
welfare.  To  do  this  will  not  be  incon- 
sistent with  the  freedom  of  the  gospel. 
When  there  is  love  there  is  no  servi- 
tude. Duty  is  pleasant,  and  offices 
of  kindness  agreeable.  Paul  does  not 
consider  them  as  freed  from  all  law 
and  all  restraint ;  but  they  are  to  be 
governed  by  the  law  of  love.  They 
were  not  to  feel  that  they  were  so  free 
that  they  might  lawfully  give  indulgence 
to  the  desires  of  the  flesh,  but  they 
were  to  regard  themselves  as  under  the 
law  to  love  one  another;  and  thus  they 
would  fulfil  the  law  of  Christian  free- 
dom. 

14.  For  all  the  law  is  fulfilled,  &c. 
That  is,  this  expresses  the  substance  of 
the  whole  law ;  it  embraces  and  com- 
prises all.  The  apostle  of  course  here 
alludes  to  the  law  in  regard  to  our  duty 


A.  D.  58.] 


chapter  V. 


381 


a  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour 
as  thyself. 

15  But  if  ye  bite  and  devour 
one  another,  take  heed  that  ye 
be  not  consumed  one  of  another. 

«  Le.  19.  18.    Mat.  22.  39,  40.     Ja.  2.  8. 
b  Ro.  8.  1, 4, 13.  *  or,  fulfil  not. 

to  our  fellow-men,  since  that  was  the 
point  which  he  particularly  enforces. 
lie  is  saying  that  this  law  would  coun- 
teract all  the  evil  workings  of  the  flesh, 
and  if  this  were  fulfilled,  all  our  duty  to 
others  would  be  discharged.  A  similar 
sentiment  he  has  expressed  in  Rom. 
xiii.  8 — 10.  See  Notes  on  that  passage. 
The  turn  here  in  the  discussion  is  wor- 
thy of  particular  notice.  With  great 
skill  he  changes  the  subject  from  a  doc- 
trinal argument  to  a  strain  of  practical 
remark,  and  furnishes  most  important 
lessons  for  the  right  mode  of  overcoming 
our  corrupt  and  sensual  passions,  and 
discharging  our  duty  to  others.  If  Thou 
shalt  love  thy  neighbour,  &c.  See  this 
explained  in  the  Note  on  Matt.  xix.  19. 

15.  But  if  ye  bite.  The  word  here 
used  (Jaxva>),  means,  properly,  to  bite,  to 
sting  ;  and  here  seems  to  be  used  in  the 
sense  of  contending  and  striving — a  me- 
taphor not  improbably  taken  from  dogs 
and  wild  beasts.  ^  And  devour  one 
another.  As  wild  beasts  do.  The  sense 
is,  •  if  you  contend  with  each  other  ;' 
and  the  reference  is,  probably,  to  the 
strifes  which  would  arise  between  the 
two  parties  in  the  churches — the  Jewish 
and  the  Gentile  converts,  ^f  Take  heed 
that  ye  be  not  consumed,  •Sec.  As  wild 
beasts  contend  sometimes  until  both  are 
slain.  Thus,  the  idea  is,  in  their  con- 
tentions they  would  destroy  the  spiritu- 
ality and  happiness  of  each  other  ;  their 
characters  would  be  ruined ;  and  the 
church  be  overthrown.  The  readiest  way 
to  destroy  the  spirituality  of  a  church, 
and  to  annihilate  the  influence  of  reli- 
gion, is  to  excite  a  spirit  of  contention. 

16.  This  /  say  then.  This  is  the 
true  rule  about  overcoming  the  propen- 
sities of  your  carnal  natures,  and  of 
avoiding  the  evils  of  strife  and  conten- 
tion      (  Walk.     The  Christian  life  is 


16  This  I  say  then,  Walk  b  in 
the  Spirit,  and  *  ye  shall  not  ful- 
fil the  lust  of  the  flesh. 

17  For  c  the  flesh  lusteth 
against  the  Spirit,  and  the  Spirit 
against  the  flesh  :  and  these  are 

c  2  Ro.  7.  21—23. 


often  represented  as  a  journey,  and  the 
word  walk,  in  the  Scripture,  is  often 
equivalent  to  live.  Mark  vii.  5.  Notes, 
Rom.  iv.  12;  vi.  4;  viii.  1.  %  In  *.he 
Spirit.  Live  under  the  influences  of 
the  Holy  Spirit ;  admit  those  influences 
fully  into  your  hearts.  Do  not  resist 
him,  but  yield  to  all  his  suggestions. 
See  Note,  Rom.  viii.  1.  What  the  Holy 
Spirit  would  produce,  Paul  states  in  ver. 
22,  23.  If  a  man  would  yield  hia  heart 
to  those  influences,  he  would  be  able  to 
overcome  all  his  carnal  propensities; 
and  it  is  because  he  resists  that  Spirit, 
that  he  is  ever  overcome  by  the  corrupt 
passions  of  his  nature.  Never  was  a 
better,  a  safer,  or  a  more  easy  rule 
given  to  overcome  our  corrupt  and  sen- 
sual desires  than  that  here  furnished. 
Comp.  Notes,  Rom.  viii.  1 — 13.  J  And 
ye  shall  not  fulfil,  &c.  Marg.  Fulfil 
not — as  if  it  were  a  command.  So  Tin- 
dal  renders  it.  But  the  more  common 
interpretation,  as  it  is  the  more  signifi 
cant,  is  that  adopted  by  our  translators. 
Thus  it  is  not  merely  a  command,  it  is 
the  statement  of  an  important  and  deeply 
interesting  truth — that  the  only  way  to 
overcome  the  corrupt  desires  and  propen- 
sities of  our  nature,  is  by  submitting  to 
the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  It  is 
not  by  philosophy ;  it  is  not  by  mere 
resolutions  to  resist  them  ;  it  is  not  by 
the  force  of  education  and  laws ;  it  is 
only  by  admitting  into  our  souls  the  in- 
fluence of  religion,  and  yielding  our- 
selves to  the  guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
of  God.  If  we  live  under  the  influences 
of  that  Spirit,  we  need  not  fear  the  power 
of  the  sensual  and  corrupt  propensities 
of  our  nature. 

1 7.  For  the  fiesh  lusteth  against  the 
Spirit.  The  inclinations  and  desires 
of  the  flesh  are  contrary  to  those  of  the 
Spirit.     They  draw  us  away  in  an  op- 


382 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.  53 


contrary  a  the  one  to  the  other; 

aRo.8.6,7.  fcRo.  7.  15,  19. 


posite  direction,  and  while  the  Spirit  of 
God  would  lead  us  one  way,  our  carnal 
nature  would  lead  us  another,  and  thus 
produce  the  painful  controversy  which 
exists  in  our  minds.  The  word  "  Spi- 
rit" here  refers  to  the  Spirit  of  God,  and 
to  his  influences  on  the  heart.  ^  And 
these  are  contrary,  &c.  They  are  op- 
posite in  their  nature.  They  never  can 
harmonize.  See  Rom.  viii.  6,  7.  Comp. 
below  ver.  19 — 23.  The  contrariety 
Paul  has  illustrated  by  showing  what 
each  produces ;  and  they  are  as  opposite 
as  adultery,  wrath,  strife,  murders, 
drunkenness,  &c,  are  to  love,  joy, 
goodness,  gentleness,  and  temperance. 
U  So  that  ye  cannot  do  the  things  that 
ye  would.  See  this  sentiment  illus- 
trated in  the  Notes  on  Rom.  vii.  15 — 19. 
The  expression  "cannot  do"  is  stronger 
by  far  than  the  original,  and  it  is  doubt- 
ed whether  the  original  will  bear  this 
interpretation.  The  literal  translation 
would  be,  •  Lest  what  ye  will,  those 
things  ye  should  do'  (<V*  /u»  u  uv  <Haj>t« 
tZxjtx  ?rui\ri).  It  is  rendered  by  Dod- 
dridge, "  So  that  ye  do  not  the  things 
that  ye  would."  By  Locke,  "  You  do 
not  the  things  that  you  propose  to  your- 
selves ;"  and  Locke  remarks  on  the  pas- 
sage, "  Ours  is  the  only  translation  that 
I  know  which  renders  it  cannot."  The 
Vulgate  and  the  Syriac  give  a  literal 
translation  of  the  Greek,  "  So  that  you 
do  not  what  you  would."  This  is  un- 
doubtedly the  true  rendering ;  and,  in 
the  original,  there  is  no  declaration 
about  the  possibility  or  the  impossi- 
bility, the  ability  or  the  inability  to 
do  these  things.  It  h  simply  a  state- 
ment of  a  fact,  as  it  is  in  Rom.  vii. 
15.  19.  That  statement  is,  that  in  the 
mind  of  a  renewed  man  there  is  a  con- 
trariety in  the  two  influences  which 
bear  on  his  soul — the  Spirit  of  God  in- 
clining him  in  one  direction,  and  the 
lusts  of  the  flesh  in  another;  that  one 
of  these  influences  is  so  great  as  in  fact 
to  restrain  and  control  the  mind,  and 
prevent  its  doing  what  it  would  other- 


so  that  *  ye  cannot  do  the  things 
that  ye  would. 


wise  do ;  that  when  there  is  an  inclina- 
tion in  one  direction,  there  is  a  control- 
ling and  overpowering  influence  in 
another,  producing  a  conflict,  which 
prevents  it,  and  which  finally  checks 
and  restrains  the  mind.  There  is  no 
reason  for  interpreting  this,  moreover, 
as  seems  always  to  be  the  case,  of 
the  overpowering  tendency  in  the  mind 
to  evil,  as  if  it  taught  that  the  Christian, 
was  desirous  of  doing  good,  but  could 
not,  on  account  of  his  indwelling  cor- 
ruption. So  far  as  the  language  of  Paul 
or  the  fact  is  concerned,  it  may  be  un- 
derstood of  just  the  opposite,  and  may 
mean,  that  such  are  the  restraints  and 
influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit  on  the 
heart,  that  the  Christian  does  not  the 
evil  which  he  otherwise  would,  and  to 
which  his  corrupt  nature  inclines  him. 
He  (Paul)  is  exhorting  them  (ver.  16) 
to  walk  in  the  Spirit,  and  assures  them 
that  thus  they  would  not  fulfil  the  lusta 
of  the  flesh.  To  encourage  them  to 
this,  he  reminds  them  that  there  were 
contrary  principles  in  their  minds,  the 
influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  a 
carnal  and  downward  tendency  of  the 
flesh.  These  are  contrary  one  to  the 
other;  and  such  are,  in  fact,  the  influ- 
ences of  the  Spirit  on  the  mind,  that  the 
Christian  does  not  do  the  things  which 
he  otherwise  would.  So  understood,  or 
understood  in  any  fair  interpretation  of 
the  original,  it  makes  no  assertion  about 
the  ability  or  inability  of  man  to  do  right 
or  wrong.  It  affirms  as  a  fact,  that 
where  these  opposite  principles  exist,  a 
man  does  not  do  the  things  which  other- 
wise he  would  do.  If  a  man  could  not 
do  otherwise  than  he  actually  does,  he 
would  not  be  to  blame.  Whether  a 
Christian  could  not  resist  the  influences 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  yield  to  the  cor- 
rupt desires  of  the  flesh  ;  or  whether  he 
could  not  overcome  these  evil  propensi- 
ties and  do  right  always,  are  points  on 
which  the  apostle  here  makes  no  affirma- 
tion. His  is  the  statement  of  a  mere 
fact,    that   where   these  counteracting 


A.  O.  58.] 


CHAPTER    V. 


383 


18  But  if  a  ye  be  led  of  the 
Spirit,  ye  are  not  under  the  law. 

19  Now   the    works  of    the 
flesh  b  are  manifest ;  which  are 

a  Ro.  6.  14  ;  8.  2.        b  Mat.  15. 19.  Ep.  5.  3- 
6.  C/O.3.5,6.  Re.  22. 15. 


propensities  exist  in  the  mind,  there  is 
a  conflict,  and  that  the  man  does  not  do 
what  he  otherwise  would  do. 

1 8.  But  if  ye  be  led  by  the  Spirit. 
It'  you  submit  to  the  teachings  and 
guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  K  Ye  are 
not  under  the  law.  You  are  under  a 
different  dispensation — the  dispensation 
of  the  Spirit.  You  are  free  from  the  re- 
straints and  control  of  the  Mosaic  law,and 
are  under  the  control  of  the  Spirit  of  God. 

19.  Now  the  works  of  the  flesh. 
What  the  flesh,  or  what  corrupt  and 
unrenewed  human  nature  produces. 
1  Are  manifest.  Plain,  well-known. 
The  world  is  full  of  illustrations  of  what 
corrupt  human  nature  produces,  and  as 
to  the  existence  and  nature  of  those 
works,  no  one  can  be  ignorant.  It  is 
evident  here  that  the  word  <rug,  flesh, 
is  used  to  denote  corrupt  human  na- 
ture, and  not  merely  the  body ;  since 
many  of  the  vices  here  enumerated  are 
the  passions  of  the  mind  or  the  soul, 
rather  than  of  the  body.  Such  are 
"wrath,"  "strife,"  "heresies,"  "  envy- 
ings,"  &c,  which  cannot  be  said  to  have 
their  seat  in  the  body.  If  the  word, 
therefore,  is  used  to  denote  human  na- 
ture, the  passage  furnishes  a  sad  com- 
mentary on  its  tendency,  and  on  the 
character  of  man.  It  is  closely  parallel 
to  the  declaration  of  the  Saviour  in  Matt. 
xv.  19.  Of  the  nature  of  most  of  these 
sins,or  works  of  the  flesh,  it  is  unnecessary 
to  offer  any  comment.  They  are  not  so 
rare  as  not  to  be  well  known,  and  the 
meaning  of  the  words  require  little  ex- 
position. In  regard  to  the  existence  of 
these  vices  as  the  result  of  human  na- 
ture, the  Notes  on  Rom.  i.  may  be  ex- 
amined ;  or  a  single  glance  at  the  his- 
tory of  the  past,  or  at  the  present 
condition  of  the  heathen  and  a  large 
part  of  the  Christian  world,  would  furnish 
an  ample  and  a  painful  demonstration. 

20.   Witchcraft.  Pretending  to  witch- 


these  ;  Adultery,  fornication,  un- 
cleanness,  lasciviousness, 

20  Idolatry,  witchcraft,  hatred, 
variance, emulations,  wrath,  strife, 
seditions,  heresies, 


craft.  The  apostle  does  not  vouch  for 
the  actual  existence  of  witchcraft;  but 
he  says  that  what  was  known  as  sueh 
was  a  proof  of  the  corrupt  nature  of  man, 
and  was  one  of  the  fruits  of  it.  No  one 
can  doubt  it.  It  was  a  system  of  impos- 
ture and  falsehood  throughout ;  and  no- 
thing is  a  better  demonstration  of  the 
depravity  of  the  human  heart  than  an 
extended  and  systematized  attempt  to 
impose  on  mankind.  The  word  which 
is  here  used  (jmmi xmit,  whence  our 
word  pharmacy,  from  <pu.g/uMtov,  a  medi- 
cine, poison,  magic  potion)  means,  pro- 
perly, the  preparing  and  giving  of  me- 
dicine. Then  it  means  also  poisoning, 
and  also  magic  art,  or  enchantment ;  be- 
cause in  savage  nations  pharmacy  oi 
medicine  consisted  much  in  magical  in 
cantations.  Thence  it  means  sorcery 
or  enchantment,  and  it  is  so  used  uni- 
formly in  the  New  Testament.  It  is 
used  only  in  Gal.  v.  20.  Rev.  ix.  21  ; 
xviii.  23  ;  xxi.  8.  Some  have  supposed 
that  it  means  here  poisoning,  a  crime 
often  practised ;  but  the  more  correct 
interpretation  is,  to  refer  it  to  the  black 
art,  or  to  pretensions  to  witchcraft,  and 
the  numerous  delusions  which  have 
grown  out  of  it,  as  a  striking  illustration 
of  the  corrupt  and  depraved  nature  of 
man.  t  Hatred.  Gr.  Hatreds,  in  the 
plural.  Antipathies,  and  want  of  love, 
producing  contentions  and  strifes,  f  Va- 
riance. Contentions.  See  Note,  Rom. 
i.  29  t  Emulations  (£aK.«Y.  In  a  bad 
sense,  meaning  heart-burning,  or  jea- 
lousy, or  perhaps  inordinate  ambition. 
The  sense  is  ardour  or  zeal  in  a  bad 
cause,  leading  to  strife,  &c.  %  Wrath. 
This  also  is  plural  in  the  Greek  (•S-y/uc/), 
meaning  passions,  bursts  of  ai^er. 
Note,  2  Cor.  xii.  20.  If  Strife.  Also 
plural  in  the  Greek.  See  Note,  2  Cor. 
xii.  20.  If  Seditions.  See  Note,  Rom. 
|  xvi.  17.  1  Heresies.  See  Note,  Acts 
1  v.  17.     1  Cor.  xi.  19. 


384 


GALATIAXS. 


[A.  D.  58. 


21  Envyings,  murders,  drunk- 
enness, revellings,  and  such  like  : 
of  the  which  I  tell  you  before, 
as  I  have  also  told  you  in  time 


21.  Envyings.  Note,  2  Cor.  xii.  20. 
%  Revellings.  Notes,  2  Cor.  xii.  20. 
Rom.  xiii.  13.  ^  And  such  like.  This 
class  of  evils,  without  attempting  to  spe- 
cify all.  ^  Of  which  I  ttll  you  before. 
In  regard  to  which  I  forewarn  you. 
If  As  I  have  also  told  you  in  time  past. 
When  he  was  with  them,  f  Shall  not 
inherit  the  kingdom  of  God.  Cannot 
possibly  be  saved.  See  Notes  on  1  Cor. 
vi.  9 — 11.  In  regard  to  this  passage, 
we  may  remark  :  (1.)  That  it  furnishes 
the  most  striking  and  unanswerable 
proof  of  human  depravity.  Paul  repre- 
sents these  things  as  "  the  works  of  the 
flesh,"  th«>  works  of  the  unrenewed  na- 
ture of  man.  They  are  such  as  human 
nature,  when  left  to  itself,  every  when- 
produces.  The  world  shows  that  such 
is  the  fact ;  and  we  cannot  but  ask,  is  a 
nature  producing  this  to  be  regarded  as 
pure  1  Is  man  an  unfallen  being  1 
Can  he  save  himself !  Does  he  need 
no  Saviour  1  (2.)  This  passage  is  full  of 
fearful  admonition  to  those  who  indulge 
in  any  or  all  of  these  vices.  Paul,  in- 
spired of  God,  has  solemnly  declared, 
that  such  cannot  be  saved.  They  can- 
not enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
as  they  are.  Nor  is  it  desirable  that  they 
should.  What  would  heaven  be  if  filled 
up  with  adulterers,  and  fornicators,  and 
idolaters,  with  the  proud  and  envious, 
and  with  murderers  and  drunkards'! 
To  call  such  a  place  heaven,  would  be 
an  abuse  of  the  word.  No  one  could 
wish  to  dwell  there;  and  such  men 
cannot  enter  into  heaven.  (3.)  The 
human  heart  must  be  changed,  or  man 
cannot  be  saved.  This  follows  of  course. 
If  such  is  its  tendency,  then  there  is  a 
necessity  for  such  a  change  as  that  in  re- 
generation in  order  that  man  n\ay  be 
happy  and  be  saved.  (4.)  We  should 
rejoice  that  such  men  cannot,  with  their 
present  characters,  be  admitted  to  hea- 
ven.    We  should  rejoice  that  there  is 


past,  that  they  which  do  such 
things  shall  not  inherit  the  king- 
dom of  God. 

22  But  the  fruit  a  of  the  Spirit 

a  Jno.  15.5.     Ep.  5.  9. 

one  world  where  these  vices  are  un- 
known, a  world  of  perfect  and  eternal 
purity.  When  we  look  at  the  earth  ; 
when  we  see  how  these  vices  prevail ; 
when  we  reflect  that  every  land  is  pol- 
luted, and  that  we  cannot  traverse  a 
continent  or  an  island,  visit  a  nook  or 
corner  of  the  earth,  dwell  in  any  city  or 
town,  where  these  vices  do  not  exist,  O 
how  refreshing  and  invigorating  is  it 
to  look  forward  to  a  pure  heaven  !  How 
cheering  the  thought  that  there  is  one 
world  where  these  vices  are  unknown ; 
one  world,  all  whose  ample  plains  may  be 
traversed,  and  the  note  of  blasphemy 
shall  never  fall  on  the  ear ;  one  world, 
where  virtue  shall  be  safe  from  the  arts 
of  the  seducer ;  one  world  where  we 
may  forever  dwell,  and  not  one  reeling 
and  staggering  drunkard  shall  ever  be 
seen  ;  where  there  shall  be  not  one  fa- 
mily in  want  and  tears  from  the  vice  of 
its  unfaithful  head  !  With  what  joy 
should  we  look  forward  to  that  world ! 
With  what  ardour  should  we  pant  that 
it  may  be  our  own  ! 

22.  But  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit. 
That  which  the  Holy  Spirit  produces. 
It  is  not  without  design,  evidently,  that 
the  apostle  uses  the  word  "  Spirit"  here, 
as  denoting  that  these  things  do  not 
flow  from  our  own  nature.  The  vices 
above  enumerated  are  the  proper 
"  works"  or  result  of  the  operations  of 
the  human  heart ;  the  virtues  which  he 
enumerates  are  produced  by  a  foreign 
influence; — the  agency  of  the  Holy  Spi- 
rit. Hence  Paul  does  not  trace  them 
to  our  own  hearts,  even  when  renewed. 
He  says  that  they  are  to  be  regarded  as 
the  proper  result  of  the  Spirit's  opera- 
tions on  the  soul.  %  Is  love.  To  God 
and  to  men.  Probably  the  latter  here 
is  particularly  intended,  as  the  fruits  of 
the  Spirit  are  placed  in  contradistinction 
from  those  vices  which  lead  to  strifes 
among  men.     On  the  meaning  of  the 


A.  D.  58.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


385 


is  love,  joy,  peace,  long-suf- 
fering-, gentleness,  goodness, 
faith, 


word  love,  see  Notes  on  1  Gor.  xiii.  1; 
and  for  an  illustration  of  its  operations 
and  effects,  see  the  Notes  on  that  whole 
chapter,  f  Joy.  In  the  love  of  God  ; 
in  the  evidences  of  pardon ;  in  commu- 
nion with  the  Redeemer,  and  in  his  ser- 
vice ;  in  the  duties  of  religion,  in  trial, 
and  in  the  hope  of  heaven.  See  Notes, 
Rom.  v.  2.  Comp.  1  Pet.  i.  8. 
If  Peace.  As  the  result  of  recon- 
ciliation with  God.  See  Notes,  Rom. 
v.  1.  t  Long-suffering.  In  affliction 
and  trial,  and  when  injured  by  others. 
See  Note,  1  Cor.  xiii.  4.  ^  Gentleness. 
The  same  word  which  is  translated 
kindness  in  2  Cor.  vi.  6.  See  Note 
on  that  place.  The  word  means  good- 
ness, kindness,  benignity;  and  is  op- 
posed to  a  harsh,  crabbed,  crooked 
temper.  It  is  a  disposition  to  be  pleased ; 
it  is  mildness  of  temper,  calmness  of 
spirit,  an  unruffled  disposition,  and  a 
disposition  to  treat  ali  with  urbanity 
and  politeness.  This  is  one  of  the 
regular  effects  of  the  Spirit's  operations 
on  the  heart.  Religion  makes  no  one 
crabbed,  and  morose,  and  sour.  It 
sweetens  the  temper ;  corrects  an  irrita- 
ble disposition ;  makes  the  heart  kind ; 
disposes  us  to  make  all  around  us  as 
happy  as  possible.  This  is  true  polite- 
ness ;  a  kind  of  politeness  which  can 
far  better  be  learned  in  the  school  of 
Christ  than  in  that  of  Chesterfield ;  by 
the  study  of  the  New  Testament  than 
under  the  direction  of  the  dancing-mas- 
ter, t  Goodness.  Sec  Note  on  Rom. 
xv.  14.  Here  the  word  seems  to  be 
used  in  the  sense  of  beneficence,  or  a 
disposition  to  do  good  to  others.  The 
sense  is,  that  a  Christian  must  be  a 
good  man.  f  Faith.  On  the  meaning  of 
the  word  faith,  see  Note  on  Mark  xvi. 
16.  The  word  here  may  be  used  in  the 
sense  of  fidelity,  and  may  denote  that 
the  Christian  will  be  a  faithful  man,  a 
man  faithful  to  his  word  and  promises ;  j 
a  man  who  can  be  trusted  or  confided 
in.  It  is  probable  that  the  word  is  used 
33 


23  Meekness,  temperance : 
against  a  such  there  is  no  law. 

a  1  Ti.  1.  9. 

in  this  sense  because  the  object  of  the 
apostle  is  not  to  speak  of  the  feelings 
which  we  have  towards  God  so  much 
as  to  illustrate  the  influences  of  the 
Spirit  in  directing  and  controlling  our 
feelings  towards  men.  True  religion 
makes  a  man  faithful.  The  Christian 
is  faithful  as  a  man;  faithful  as  a 
neighbour,  friend,  father,  husband,  son. 
He  is  faithful  to  his  contracts  ;  faithful 
to  his  promises.  No  man  can  be  a 
Christian  who  is  not  thus  faithful,  and 
all  pretensions  to  being  under  the  influ- 
ences of  the  Spirit  when  such  fidelity 
does  not  exist,  are  deceitful  and  vain. 

23.  Meekness.  See  Note,  Matt.  v.  5. 
^  Temperance.  The  word  here  used, 
(lyx.sa.'ritaL),  means  properly  self-control, 
continence.  It  is  derived  from  h  and 
k^wtoc,  strength,  and  has  reference  to 
the  power  or  ascendancy  which  we 
have  over  exciting  and  evil  passions  of 
all  kinds.  It  denotes  the  self-rule  which 
a  man  has  over  the  evil  propensities  of 
his  nature.  Our  word  temperance  we 
use  now  in  a  much  more  limited  sense, 
as  referring  mainly  to  abstinence  from 
intoxicating  drinks.  But  the  word 
here  used  is  employed  in  a  much  more 
extended  signification.  It  includes  the 
dominion  over  all  evil  propensities,  and 
may  denote  continence,  chastity,  self- 
government,  moderation  in  regard  to 
all  indulgences  as  well  as  abstinence 
from  intoxicating  drinks.  See  the  word 
explained  in  the  Notes  on  Acts  xxiv. 
25.  The  sense  here  is,  that  the  influ- 
ences of  the  Holy  Spirit  on  the  heart 
make  a  man  moderate  in  all  indul- 
gences ;  teach  him  to  restrain  his  pas- 
sions, and  to  govern  himself;  to  control 
his  evil  propensities,  and  to  subdue  all 
inordinate  affection.  The  Christian 
will  not  only  abstain  from  intoxicating 
drinks,  but  from  all  exciting  passions ; 
he  will  be  temperate  in  his  manner  of 
living,  and  in  the  government  of  his 
temper.  This  may  be  applied  to  tem- 
perance properly  so  called  with  us ;  but 


386 


GALATIANS. 


TA..D  58 


24  And  they  that  are  Christ's 
have  crucined  the  rlesh  with  the 
1  affections  and  lusts. 

or,  passions.         a  Ito.  8.  4, 5.         6  Ph.  2.  3. 


it  should  not  be  limited  to  that.  A 
Christian  must  be  a  temperate  man ; 
and  it  the  effect  of  his  religion  is  not 
to  produce  this,  it  is  false  and  vain. 
Abstinence  from  intoxicating  drinks,  as 
well  as  from  all  improper  excitement,  is 
demanded  by  the  very  genius  of  his  re- 
ligion, and  on  this  subject  there  is  no 
danger  of  drawing  the  cords  too  close. 
No  man  was  ever  injured  hy  the  strict- 
est temperance,  by  total  abstinence  from 
ardent  spirits,  and  from  wine  as  a  bever- 
age ;  no  man  is  certainly  safe  who  does 
not  abstain  ;  no  man,  it  is  believed,  can 
be  in  a  proper  frame  of  mind  for  reli- 
gious duties  who  indulges  in  the  habit- 
ual use  of  intoxicating  drinks.  No- 
thing does  more  scandal  to  religion  than 
such  indulgences ;  and,  other  things 
being  equal,  he  is  the  most  under  the 
influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God  who  is 
the  most  thoroughly  a  man  of  temper- 
ance. 1[  Against  such  there  is  no 
law.  That  is,  there  is  no  law  to  con- 
demn such  persons.  These  are  not 
the  things  which  the  law  denounces. 
These,  therefore,  are  the  true  freemen  ; 
free  from  the  condemning  sentence  of 
the  law,  and  free  in  the  service  of  God. 
Law  condemns  sin ;  and  they  who 
evince  the  spirit  here  referred  to  are  free 
from  its  denunciations. 

24.  And  they  that  are  ChrisVs. 
All  who  are  true  Christians.  T  Have 
crucified  the  flesh.  The  corrupt  pas- 
sions of  the  soul  have  been  put  to 
death ;  i.  e.  destroyed.  They  are  as 
though  they  were  dead,  and  have  no 
power  over  us.  See  Note,  ch.  ii.  20. 
1  With  the  affections.  Marg.  Pas- 
sions. All  corrupt  desires.  ^  And 
lusts.     See  Note,  Rom.  i.  24. 

25.  If  we  live  in  the  Spirit.  Note, 
ver.  16.  The  sense  of  this  verse  pro- 
bably is,  '  We  who  are  Christians  profess 
to  be  under  the  influences  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.     By  his  influences  and  agency 


25  If  a  we  live  in  the  Spirit 
let  us  also  walk  in  the  Spirit. 

26  Let h  us  not  be  desirous  of 
vain  glory,  provoking  one  an- 
other, envvinp-  one  another. 


is  our  spiritual  life.  We  profess  not  fcj 
be  under  the  dominion  of  the  flesh; 
not  to  be  controlled  by  its  appetites  and 
desires.  Let  us  then  act  in  this  man- 
ner, and  as  if  we  believed  this.  Let 
us  yield  ourselves  to  his  influences,  and 
show  that  we  are  controlled  by  that 
Spirit.'  It  is  an  earnest  exhortation 
to  Christians  to  yield  wholly  to  the 
agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit  on  their 
hearts,  and  to  submit  to  his  guidance. 
See  Notes,  Rom.  viii.  5.  9. 

26.  Let  us  not  be  desirous  of  vain- 
glory. The  word  here  used  (x*o#q£m) 
means,  proud  or  vain  of  empty  advan- 
tages, as  of  birth,  property,  eloquence, 
or  learning.  The  reference  here  is 
probably  to  the  paltry  competitions 
which  arose  on  account  of  these  sup- 
posed advantages.  It  is  possible  that 
this  might  have  been  one  cause  of  the 
difficulties  existing  in  the  churches  of 
Galatia,  and  the  apostle  is  anxious 
wholly  to  check  and  remove  it.  The 
Jews  prided  themselves  on  their  birth, 
and  men  are  everywhere  prone  to  over- 
value the  supposed  advantages  of  birth 
and  blood.  The  doctrines  of  Paul  are, 
that  in  great  and  most  vital  respects  men 
are  on  a  level ;  that  these  things  con- 
tribute nothing  to  salvation  (Notes,  ch. 
iii.  28)  ;  and  that  Christians  should 
esteem  them  of  little  importance,  and 
that  they  should  not  be  suffered  to 
interfere  with  th#ir  fellowship,  or  to  mar 
their  harmony  and  peace.  1  Provoking 
one  another.  The  sense  is,  that  they 
who  are  desirous  of  vainglory,  do  pro- 
voke one  another.  They  provoke  th->se 
whom  they  regard  as  inferiors  by  a 
haughty  carriage  and  a  contemptuous 
manner  towards  them.  They  look 
upon  them  often  with  contempt ;  pass 
them  by  with  disdain  ;  treat  them  as 
beneath  their  notice  ;  and  this  provokes 
on  the  other  hand  hard  feeling,  and 
hatred,  and  a  disposition  to  take  revenge 


A.D.  58.J 


CHAPTER  V. 


387 


B 


CHAPTER  VI. 
RETHREN,   J  if    a    man 

be    overtaken     in    a    fault, 


When  men  regard  themselves  as  equal 
in  their  great  and  vital  interests;  when 
they  feel  that  they  are  fellow-heirs  of 
the  grace  of  life ;  when  they  feel  that 
they  belong  to  one  great  family,  and  are 
in  their  great  interests  on  a  level ;  deriv- 
ing no  advantage  from  birth  and  blood  ; 
oil  a  level  as  descendants  of  the  same 
apostate  father ;  as  being  themselves 
sinners  ;  on  a  level  at  the  foot  of  the 
cross,  at  the  communion  table,  on  beds 
of  sickness,  in  the  grave,  and  at  the 
bar  of  God ;  when  they  feel  this,  then 
the  consequences  here  referred  to  will 
be  avoided.  There  will  be  no  haughty 
carriage  such  as  to  provoke  opposition ; 
and  on  the  other  hand  there  will  be  no 
envy  on  account  of  the  superior  rank 
of  others.  *f  Envying  one  another. 
On  account  of  their  superior  wealth, 
rank,  talent,  learning.  The  true  way 
to  cure  envy  is  to  make  men  feel  that 
in  their  great  and  important  interests 
they  are  on  a  level.  Their  great  inte- 
rests are  beyond  the  "grave.  The  dis- 
tinctions of  this  life  are  temporary,  and 
are  comparative  trifles.  Soon  all  will 
be  on  a  level  in  the  grave,  and  at  the 
bar  of  God,  and  in  heaven.  Wealth, 
and  honour,  and  rank  do  not  avail 
there.  The  poorest  man  will  wear  as 
bright  a  crown  as  the  rich  ;  the  man  of 
most  humble  birth  will  be  admitted  as 
near  the  throne  as  he  who  can  boast 
the  longest  line  of  illustrious  ancestors. 
Why  should  a  man  who  is  soon  to 
wear  a  "  crown  incorruptible  and  unde- 
fined and  that  fadeth  not  away,"  envy 
him  who  has  a  ducal  coronet  here,  or  a 
royal  diadem — baubles  that  are  soon  to 
be  laid  aside  forever  1  Why  should  he, 
though  poor  here,  who  is  soon  to  in- 
herit the  treasures  of  heaven  where 
"  moth  and  rust  do  not  corrupt,"  envy 
him  who  can  walk  over  a  few  acres  as 
his  own,  or  who  has  accumulated  a 
glittering  pile  of  dust,  soon  to  be  left 
forever"!  Why  should  he  who  is  soon 
to  wear  the  robes  of  salvation,  made 


ye  which   are   spiritual   restore 
a  such    an    one    in    the    spirit 

>  or,  although.  a  Ja.  5.  19,  20. 


"  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,' 
envy  him  who  is  "  clothed  in  purple 
and  fine  linen,"  or  who  can  adorn  him- 
self and  his  family  in  the  most  gorgeoua 
attire  which  art  and  skill  can  make, 
soon  to  give  place  to  the  windmg-shtet  _ 
soon  to  be  succeeded  by  the  simple 
garb  which  the  most  humble  wears  in 
the  grave  ]  If  men  feel  that  their  great 
interests  are  beyond  the  tomb ;  that  in 
the  important  matter  of  salvation  they 
are  on  a  level ;  that  soon  they  are  to  be 
undistinguished  beneath  the  clods  of 
the  valley,  how  unimportant  compara- 
tively would  it  seem  to  adorn  their 
bodies,  to  advance  their  name  and  rank, 
and  to  improve  their  estates !  The  rich 
and  the  great  would  cease  to  look  down 
with  contempt  oh  those  of  more  hum- 
ble rank,  and  the  poor  would  cease  to 
envy  those  above  them,  for  they  are 
soon  to  be  their  equals  in  the  grave; 
their  equals,  perhaps  their  superiors  in 
heaven ! 

CHAPTER  VI. 

ANALYSIS. 

This  chapter  is  composed  entirely 
of  affectionate  exhortation,  and  the  ex 
pression  of  the  apostle's  earnest  so- 
licitude in  the  behalf  of  the  Christians 
in  Galatia.  He  exhorts  them  (ver.  1) 
to  bring  back  to  the  ways  of  virtue 
any  one  who  through  the  strength  of 
strong  temptation  had  been  led  astray. 
He  entreats  them  (ver.  2)  to  bear  one 
another's  burdens,  and  thus  to  show 
that  they  were  true  friends  of  Christ, 
and  governed  by  his  laws.  He  entreats 
them  not  to  be  lifted  up  with  pride, 
and  not  to  affix  an  inordinate  estimate 
to  any  thing  that  they  possessed,  assur- 
ing them  that  their  true  estimate  was 
to  be  formed  from  the  character  of  their 
own  works,  ver.  3 — 5.  He  exhorts 
them  to  minister  to  the  wants  of  their 
public  teachers,  the  preachers  of  the 
gospel,  ver.  6.  In  ver.  7 — 10  he  re- 
minds them  of  the  solemn  day  of 
judgment,  when  all  will  be  tried;  as* 


388 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.  53 


of  meekness ;    considering  thy-   self,  lest  thou  also  be  t — A 


sures  them  that  men  will  be  judged 
and  rewarded  according  to  their  works  ; 
and  entreats  them  not  to  be  weary  in 
well-doing,  but  to  labour  on  patiently 
in  doing  good,  with  the  assurance  that 
they  should  reap  in  due  season.  In 
Ver.  11  he  shows  them  the  interest 
Which  he  felt  in  them  by  his  having 
done  what  was  unusual  for  him,  and 
what  perhaps  he  had  done  in  no  other 
instance — writing  an  entire  letter  in 
his  own  hand.  He  then  states  the 
true  reason  why  others  wished  them  to 
be  circumcised.  It  was  the  dread  of 
persecution,  and  not  any  real  love  to  the 
cause  of  religion.  They  did  not  them- 
selves keep  the  law,  and  they  only  de- 
sired to  glory  in  the  number  of  con- 
verts to  their  views,  ver.  12,  13.  But 
Paul  says  that  he  would  glory  in 
nothing  but  in  the  cross  of  Christ.  By 
that  he  had  been  crucified  to  the  world, 
and  the  world  had  been  crucified  to  him 
(ver.  14)  ;  and  he  repeats  the  solemn 
assurance  that  in  the  Christian  religion 
neither  circumcision  nor  uncircumcision 
was  of  any  importance  whatever,  ver. 
15.  This  was  the  true  rule  of  life, 
and  on  as  many  as  walked  according  to 
this  principle,  he  invokes  the  blessing 
of  God.  ver.  16.  He  closes  the  epistle 
by  entreating  them  to  give  him  no 
more  trouble.  He  bore  in  his  body 
already  the  marks  or  sufferings  which 
he  had  received  in  the  cause  of  the 
Lord  Jesus.  His  trials  already  were 
sufficient;  and  he  entreats  them  to 
spare  him  from  future  molestation 
(ver.  17),  and  closes  with  the  benedic- 
tion, ver.  18. 

1.  Brethren,  if  a  man  be  overtaken. 
Marg.  Although.  It  is  a  case  which 
the  apostle  supposes  might  happen. 
Christians  were  not  perfect;  and  it  was 
possible  that  they  who  were  true  Chris- 
tians might  be  surprised  by  temptation, 
and  fall  into  sin.  The  word  rendered  be 
overtaken  (;r<>o?j)pS-jj,  from  7r^o\Aju0dm), 
means  properly  to  take  before  another, 
to  anticipate  (1  Cor.  xi.  21)  ;  then  to 
be  before  taken  or  caught;  and  may 
here  mean  either  that  one  had  been 


formerly  guilty  of  sin,  or  had  been  re- 
cently hurried  on  by  his  passions  or  by 
temptations  to  commit   a  fault.     It  is 
probable   that  the    latter   here    is    the 
true  sense,  and  that  it  means,  if  a  man 
is  found  to  be  overtaken  by  any  sin ;  if 
his  passions,  or  if  temptation   get  the 
better  of  him.     Tindal  renders  it,  "  If 
any  man  be  fallen  by  chance  into  any 
fault."     It   refers  to  cases  of  surprise, 
or  of    sudden    temptation.     Christians 
do  not  commit  sin    deliberately,    and 
as  a  part  of  the  plan  of  life  ;  but  they 
may  be  surprised  by  sudden  temptation, 
or  urged  on  by  impetuous  and  head- 
strong   passion,  as    David   and    Peter 
were.     Paul  does  not  speak  of  the  pos- 
sibility  of  restoring   one   who   delibe- 
rately forms  the  plan  of  sinning;  he 
does   not  suppose  that   such    a    man 
could  be  a  Christian,  and  that  it  would 
be  proper  to  speak  of  restoring  such  a 
man.     If  Ye  which  are  spiritual.  Who 
are  under  the  influences  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.     See   Note  on   ch.   v.   22,   23. 
The  apostle,  in  this  verse,  refers  evi- 
dently to   those  who  have  fallen  into 
some  sensual  indulgence   (ch.  v.  19 — 
21),  and  says  that  they  who  have  es- 
caped these  temptations,  and  who  are 
under  the  influences  of  the  Spirit,  should 
recover    such    persons.     It  is    a  very 
important  qualification  for   those  who 
would  recover    others   from    sin,  that 
they  should  not  be  guilty  of  the  same 
sin  themselves.     Reformers  should  be 
holy  men  ;  men  who  exercise  discipline 
in   the   church   should  be    "spiritual" 
men — men  in  whom  implicit  confidence 
may    be    properly  reposed.     %  Restore 
such  an  one.     On  the  meaning  of  the 
word  here  used,  see  Note  on  2   Cor. 
xiii.  11.     Here  it  means,  not  to  restore 
him  to  the  church  after  he   has  been 
excluded,  but  set  him  right,  bring  him 
back,  recover  him  from  his  errors  and 
his  faults.     The  apostle  does  not  say  in 
what  manner  this  is  to  be  done ;  but  it 
is    usually    to    be   done  doubtless   by 
affectionate   admonition,  by  faithful  in 
struction,   and    by    prayer.     Discipline 
or  punishment  should  not  be  resorted  to 


A.  D.  58.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


389 


2  Bear  a  ye  one  another's 
burdens,  and  so  fulfil  the  law  of 
Christ. 


until  the  other  methods  are  tried  in 
vain.  Matt,  xviii.  15 — 17.  %  In  the 
spirit  of  meekness.  With  a  kind,  for- 
bearing, and  forgiving  spirit.  Note, 
Matt.  v.  5.  Not  with  anger ;  not  with 
a  lordly  and  overbearing  mind;  not 
with  a  love  of  finding  others  in  fault, 
and  with  a  desire  for  inflicting  the  dis- 
cipline of  the  church  ;  not  with  a  harsh 
and  unforgiving  temper,  but  with  love, 
and  gentleness,  and  humility,  and  pa- 
tience, and  with  a  readiness  to  forgive 
when  wrong  has  been  done.  This  is 
an  essential  qualification  for  restoring 
and  recovering  an  offending  brother. 
No  man  should  attempt  to  rebuke  or 
admonish  another  who  cannot  do  it  in 
the  spirit  of  meekness ;  no  man  should 
engage  in  any  way  in  the  work  of  re- 
form who  has  not  such  a  temper  of 
mind.  %  Considering  thyself,  &c. 
Remembering  how  liable  you  are  your- 
self to  err;  and  how  much  kindness 
and  indulgence  should  therefore  be 
shown  to  others  You  are  to  act  as  if 
you  felt  it  possible  that  you  might  also 
be  overtaken  with  a  fault;  and  you 
should  act  as  you  would  wish  that 
others  should  do  towards  you.  Pliny 
(Epis.  viii.  22)  has  expressed  a  similar 
sentiment  in  the  following  beautiful 
language.  Atque  ego  optimum  et 
emendatissimum  existimo,  qui  caeteris  ita 
ignoscit,  tanquam  ipse  quotidie  peccet ; 
ita  peccatis  abstinet,  tanquam  nemini 
ignoscat.  Proinde  hoc  domi,  hoc  foris, 
hoc  in  omni  vitae  genere  teneamus, 
ut  nobis  implacabiles  simus,  exorabiles 
istis  etiam,  qui  dare  veniam  nisi  sibi 
nesciunt.  The  doctrine  taught  by  Paul 
is,  that  such  is  human  infirmity,  and 
such  the  strength  of  human  depravity 
that  no  one  knows  into  what  sins  he 
may  himself  fall.  He  may  be  tempted 
to  commit  the  same  sins  which  he  en- 
deavours to  amend  in  others ;  he  may 
be  left  to  commit  even  worse  sins. 
If  this  is  the  case,  we  should  be  tender 
while  we  are  firm ;  forgiving  while  we 
33* 


3  For   if  a   man   think  him- 
self   to    be    something,     when 

a  Ro.  15.  1. 


set  our  faces  against  evil ;  prayerful 
while  we  rebuke ;  and  compassionate 
when  we  are  compelled  to  inflict  ov 
others  the  discipline  of  the  church 
Every  man  who  has  any  proper  feelings, 
when  he  attempts  to  recover  an  erring 
brother  should  pray  for  him  and  for 
himself  also ;  and  will  regard  his  duty 
as  only  half  done,  and  that  very  im- 
perfectly, if  he  does  not  "  consider  also 
that  he  himself  may  be  tempted." 

2.  Bear  ye  one  another's  burdens. 
See  Note,  Rom.  xv.  1.  Bear  with  each 
other ;  help  each  other  in  the  divine  life. 
The  sense  is,  that  every  man  has  peculiar 
temptations  and  easily  besetting  sins, 
which  constitute  a  heavy  burden.  We 
should  aid  each  other  in  regard  to  these, 
and  help  one  another  to  overcome  them. 
t  And  so  fulfil  the  law  of  Christ 
The  peculiar  law  of  Christ,  requiring 
us  to  love  one  another.  See  Note  on 
John  xiii.  34.  This  was  the  distinguish- 
ing law  of  the  Redeemer ;  and  they  could 
in  no  way  better  fulfil  it  than  by  aiding 
each  other  in  the  divine  life.  The  law 
of  Christ  would  not  allow  us  to  reproach 
the  offender,  or  to  taunt  him,  or  to  re- 
joice in  his  fall.  We  should  help  him 
to  take  up  his  load  of  infirmities,  and 
sustain  him  by  our  counsels,  our  exhort- 
ations, and  our  prayers.  Christians, 
conscious  of  their  infirmities,  have  a 
right  to  the  sympathy  and  the  prayers 
of  their  brethren.  They  should  not  be 
cast  off  to  a  cold  and  heartless  world  ; 
a  world  rejoicing  over  their  fall,  and 
ready  to  brand  them  as  hypocrites. 
They  should  be  pressed  to  the  warm 
bosom  of  brotherly  kindness ;  and  prayer 
should  be  made  to  ascend  without  ceas- 
ing around  an  erring  and  a  fallen  bro- 
ther. Is  this  the  case  in  regard  to  all 
who  bear  the  Christian  name? 

3.  For  if  a  man  think  himself  to  be 
something,  &c.  See  ch.  v.  26.  This 
is  designed,  evidently,  to  be  another 
reason  why  we  should  be  kind  and  ten- 
der to  those  who  have  erred.    It  is,  that 


390 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.  58. 


he  is  nothing,  he  deceiveth  him- 
self. 

4  But  let   every   man   prove 

a  2  Co.  13.  5. 

even  those  who  are  most  confident  may 
fall.  They  who  feel  secure,  and  think 
it  impossible  that  they  should  sin,  are 
not  safe.  They  may  be  wholly  de- 
ceived, and  may  be  nothing,  when  they 
have  the  highest  estimate  of  themselves. 
They  may  themselves  fall  into  sin,  and 
have  need  of  all  the  sympathy  and 
kindness  of  their  brethren,  f  When 
he  is  nothing.  When  he  has  no 
strength,  and  no  moral  worth.  When 
he  is  not  such  as  he  apprehends,  but  is 
lifted  up  with  vain  self-conceit,  ^f  He 
deceiveth  himself.  He  understands  not 
his  own  character.  "  The  worst  part 
of  the  fraud  falls  on  his  own  head." — 
Doddridge.  He  does  not  accomplish 
what  he  expected  to  ;  and  instead  of 
acquiring  reputation  from  others,  as  he 
expected,  he  renders  himself  contempti- 
ble in  their  sight. 

4.  But  let  every  man  prove.  That 
is,  try  or  examine  in  a  proper  manner. 
Let  him  form  a  proper  estimate  of  what 
is  due  to  himself,  according  to  his  real 
character.  Let  him  compare  himself 
with  the  word  of  God,  and  the  infallible 
rule  which  he  has  given,  and  by  which 
we  are  to  be  judged  in  the  last  great 
day.  Comp.  Note,  Rom.  xii.  3.  1 
Cor.  xi.  28.  2  Cor.  xiii.  5.  ^  His  own 
work.  What  he  does.  Let  him  form 
a  fair  and  impartial  estimate  of  his  own 
character.  T  And  then  shall  he  have 
rejoicing.  That  is,  he  will  be  appro- 
priately rewarded,  and  will  meet  with 
no  disappointment.  The  man  who 
forms  an  improper  estimate  of  his  own 
character  will  be  sure  to  be  disappoint- 
ed. The  man  who  examines  himself, 
and  who  forms  no  extravagant  expecta- 
tion in  regard  to  what  is  due  to  himself, 
will  be  appropriately  rewarded,  and  will 
be  made  happy.  If,  by  the  careful  ex- 
amination of  himself,  he  finds  his  life  to 
be  virtuous,  and  his  course  of  conduct 
pure ;  if  he  has  done  no  wrong  to 
otheis,  and  if  he  finds  evidence  that  he 
is  a  child  of  God,  then  he  will  have 


a  his  own  work,  and  then  shall 
he  have  rejoicing  in  himself 
b  alone,  and  not  in  another  : 


b  Pr.  14.  14. 


cause  of  rejoicing.  ^  In  himself  alone. 
Comp.  Prov.  xiv.  14  :  "A  good  man 
shall  be  satisfied  from  himself."  The 
sentiment  is,  that  he  will  find  in  himself 
a  source  of  pure  joy.  He  will  not  be 
dependent  on  the  applause  of  others  for 
happiness.  In  an  approving  conscience ; 
in  the  evidence  of  the  favour  of  God  ; 
in  an  honest  effort  to  lead  a  pure  and 
holy  life,  he  will  have  happiness.  The 
source  of  his  joys  will  be  within ;  and 
he  will  not  be  dependent,  as  the  man  of 
ambition,  and  the  man  who  thinks  of 
himself  more  highly  than  he  ought,  will, 
on  the  favours  of  a  capricious  multitude, 
and  on  the  breath  of  popular  applause. 
1  And  not  in  another.  He  will  not  be 
dependent  on  others  for  happiness. 
Here  is  the  true  secret  of  happiness.  It 
consists,  (1.)  In  not  forming  an  im- 
proper estimate  of  ourselves ;  in  know- 
ing just  what  we  are,  and  what  is  due 
to  us ;  in  not  thinking  ourselves  to  be 
something,  when  we  are  nothing.  (2.) 
In  leading  such  a  life  that  it  may  be  ex- 
amined to  the  core,  that  we  may  know 
exactly  what  we  are  without  being  dis- 
tressed or  pained.  That  is,  in  having  a 
good  conscience,  and  in  the  honest  and 
faithful  discharge  of  our  duty  to  God 
and  man.  (3.)  In  not  being  dependent 
on  the  fickle  applause  of  the  world  tor 
our  comfort.  The  man  who  has  no  in- 
ternal resources,  and  who  has  no  approv- 
ing conscience ;  who  is  happy  only  when 
others  smile,  and  miserable  when  they 
frown,  is  a  man  who  can  have  no  secu- 
rity for  enjoyment.  The  man  who  has 
a  good  conscience,  and  who  enjoys  the. 
favour  of  God,  and  the  hope  of  heaven, 
carries  with  him  the  source  of  perpe.ual 
joy.  He  cannot  be  deprived  of  it.  His 
purse  may  be  taken,  and  his  house  rob- 
bed, but  the  highwayman  cannot  rob 
him  of  his  coniforts.  He  carries  with 
him  an  unfailing  source  of  happiness 
when  abroad,  and  the  same  source,  of 
happiness  abides  with  him  at  home  ;  he 
bears  it  into  society,  and  it  remains  with 


*..  D.  58] 


5  For  every  man  shall 
his  own  burden. 

6  Let  a  htm  that  is  taught  in 

a  1  Co.  9.  11— 14. 


CHAPTER  VI 

bear 


391 


him  in  solitude ;  it  is  his  companion 
wben  in  health, -and  when  surrounded 
by  his  friends,  and  it  is  no  less  his 
companion  when  his  friends  leave  him, 
and  when  he  lies  upon  a  hed  of  death. 

5.  For  every  man  shall  bear  his  own 
burden.  This  seems  to  be  a  kind  of 
proverbial  saying;  and  it  means  here, 
every  man  shall  have  his  proper  reward. 
If  he  is  a  virtuous  man,  he  will  be  hap- 
py;  if  a  vicious  man,  he  will  be  misera- 
ble. If  a  virtuous  man,  he  will  have 
the  source  of  happiness  in  himself; 
if  a  sinner,  he  must  bear  the  proper  pe- 
nalty of  his  sin.  In  the  great  day 
every  man  shall  be  properly  rewarded. 
Knowing  this,  we  should  be  little  anx- 
ious about  the  sentiments  of  others,  and 
should  seek  to  maintain  a  good  con- 
science towards  God  and  man.  The 
design  of  this  passage  is,  to  prevent 
men  from  forming  an  improper  estimate 
of  themselves,  and  of  the  opinions  of 
others.  Let  a  man  feel  that  he  is  soon 
to  stand  at  the  judgment  seat,  and  it 
will  do  much  to  keep  him  from  an  im- 
proper estimate  of  his  own  importance  ; 
let  him  feel  that  he  must  give  an  account 
to  God,  and  that  his  great  interests  are 
to  be  determined  by  the  estimate  which 
God  will  affix  to  his  character,  and  it 
will  teach  him  that  the  opinion  of  the 
world  is  of  little  value.  This  will  re- 
strain his  vanity  and  ambition.  This 
will  show  him  that  th  ■  great  business  of 
life  is  to  secure  the  favour  of  God,  and 
to  be  prepared  to  give  up  his  account; 
and  there  is  noway  so  effectual  of  check- 
ing ambition,  and  subduing  vanity  and 
the  love  of  applause,  as  to  feel  that  we  arc 
soon  to  stand  at  the  awful  bar  of  God. 

6.  Let  him  that  is  taught  in  the  word. 
In  the  word  of  God;  i.  e.  the  gospel. 
^  Communicate  unto  him.  Let  him 
share  with  him  who  teaches ;  let  there 
be  a  common  participation  of  all  good 
things.  U  In  all  good  things.  In 
every  thing  that  is   needful  for  their 


the  word  communicate  unto  him 
that  teacheth  in  all  good  things. 
7  Be  not  deceived;  God  is  not 
mocked :  for  whatsoever  a  man 

comfortable  subsistence.  On  the  duty 
here  enjoined,  see  Notes  on  1  Cor.  ix 
11—13. 

7.  Be  not  deceived.     That  is,  in  re 
gard  to  your  character,  and  your  hopes 
for  eternity.     This  is  a  formula  of  in- 
troduction to  some  admonition  that  is 
peculiarly  weighty  and  important.     It 
implies  that  there  was  danger  that  they 
would  be  deceived  in  reference  to  theii 
character.     The  sources  of  the  danger 
were    the    corruption     of    their    own 
hearts,  the  difficulty  of  knowing  their 
true  character,  the  instructions  of  false 
teachers,  &c.     See  Note  on  1  Cor.  vi. 
9.     ^  God  is  not  mocked.     He   can- 
not  be  imposed  on,  or   mocked.     He 
knows  what  our  real  character  is,  and 
he    will  judge   us   accordingly.      The 
word     rendered    mocked    (/uiucth^w), 
means,  properly,  to  turn  up  the  nose  in 
scorn ;  hence  to  mock,  or  deride,  or  in- 
sult.    The  sense  is,  that  God  could  not 
be  imposed  on,  or  could  not  be  insulted 
with    impunity,    or    successfully.     To 
mock  is,   properly,  (1.)  To  imitate,  to 
mimic;  to  imitate  in  contempt  or  deri- 
sion.    (2.)  To  deride,  to  laugh  at,  to 
ridicule.     (3.)  To  defeat,  or  to  illude, 
or  to  disappoint.     (4.)  To  fool,  to  tan- 
talize.—  Webster.    Here  it  cannot  mean 
to  imitate,  or  to  mimic,  but  it  refers  to 
the  principles  of  the  divine  administra- 
tion, and  must  mean  that  they  could 
not  be  treated  with  contempt,  or  suc- 
cessfully   evaded.       They    could     not 
hope  to  illude  or  impose  on  God.     His 
principles    of    government    were    set- 
tled, and  they  could  not  jmpose  on  him. 
To  what  the  reference  is  here,  is  not 
perfectly  plain.      In  the  connexion  in 
which  it  stands,  it  seems  to  refer  to  the 
support  of  the  ministers  of  the  gospel ; 
and  Paul  introduces  the  general  princi- 
ple, that  as  a  man  sows  he  will  re-ip,  to 
show  them  what  will  be  the  effect  of  a 
liberal  and  proper  use  of  their  property. 
If  they  made  a  proper  use  of  it ;  if  they 


392 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.  58 


soweth,  that  shall  he  also  reap,    corruption  ;  but  he  that  soweth 


8  For  he  that  soweth  to  his 
•  flesh  shall   of  the    flesh   reap 

a  Job.  4.  8.    Pr.  22.  8.    Ho.  8.  7. 

employed  it  for  benevolent  purposes ;  if 
they  appropriated  what  they  should  to 
the  support  of  religion,  they  would  reap 
accordingly.  God  could  not  be  imposed 
on  in  regard  to  this.  They  could  not 
make  him  think  that  they  had  true  re- 
ligion when  they  were  sowing  to  the 
flesh,  and  when  they  were  spending 
their  money  in  purchasing  pleasure,  and 
in  luxury  and  vanity.  No  zeal,  how- 
ever ardent ;  no  prayers,  however  fervent 
or  long ;  no  professions,  however  loud, 
would  impose  on  God.  And  to  make 
such  prayers,  and  to  manifest  such  zeal 
and  such  strong  professions,  while  the 
heart  was  with  the  world,  and  they 
were  spending  their  money  for  every 
thing  else  but  religion,  was  mocking 
God.  Alas,  how  much  mockery  of  God 
like  this  still  prevails !  How  much, 
when  men  seem  disposed  to  make  God 
believe  that  they  are  exceedingly  zealous 
and  devoted,  while  their  heart  is  truly 
with  the  world!  How  many  long 
prayers  are  offered ;  how  much  zeal  is 
shown;  how  many  warm  professions 
are  made,  as  if  to  make  God  and  man 
believe  that  the  heart  was  truly  engaged 
in  the  cause  of  religion,  while  little  or 
nothing  is  given  in  the  cause  of  benevo- 
lence ;  while  the  ministers  of  religion 
are  suffered  to  starve  ;  and  while  the 
"  loud  professor"  rolls  in  wealth,  and  is 
distinguished  for  luxury  of  living,  for 
gayety  of  apparel,  for  splendour  of  equip- 
age, and  for  extravagance  in  parties  of 
pleasure !  Such  professors  attempt  to 
mock  God.  They  are  really  sowing  to 
the  flesh ;  and  of  the  flesh  they  must 
reap  corruption.  %  For  whatsoever  a 
man  soweth,  &c.  See  Note,  2  Cor.  ix. 
6.  This  figure  is  taken  from  agriculture. 
A  man  who  sows  wheat,  shall  reap 
wheat ;  he  who  sows  barley,  shall  reap 
barley  ;  he  who  sows  cockle,  shall  reap 
cockle.  Every  kind  of  grain  will  pro- 
duce grain  like  itself.  So  it  is  in  regard 
to  our  works.  He  who  is  liberal,  shall 
be  dealt  with  liberally ;  he  who  is  right- 


to  the  Spirit,  b  shall  of  the  Spirit 
reap  life  everlasting. 

b  Pr.  II.  18.    Ja.  3. 18. 

eous,  shall  be  rewarded ;  he  who  is 
a  sinner,  shall  reap  according  to  his 
deeds. 

8.  For  he  that  soweth  to  his  Jiesh. 
That  makes  provision  for  the  indulgence 
of  fleshly  appetites  and  passions.  See 
Notes  on  ch.  v.  19 — 21.  "He  who 
makes  use  of  his  property  to  give  indul- 
gence to  licentiousness,  intemperance, 
and  vanity.  ^  Shall  of  the  flesh. 
From  the  flesh,  or  as  that  which  indul- 
gence in  fleshly  appetites  properly  pro- 
duces. Punishment,  under  the  divine 
government,  is  commonly  in  the  line 
of  offences.  The  punishment  of  licen- 
tiousness and  intemperance  in  this  life 
is  commonly  loathsome  and  offensive 
disease  ;  and,  when  long  indulged,  the 
sensualist  becomes  haggard,  and  bloated, 
and  corrupted,  and  sinks  into  the  grave. 
Such,  also,  is  often  the  punishment  of 
luxurious  living,  of  a  pampered  appetite, 
of  gluttony,  as  well  as  of  intemperate 
drinking.  But  if  the  punishment  does 
not  follow  in  this  life,  it  will  be  sure  to 
overtake  the  sensualist  in  the  world  to 
come.  There  he  shall  reap  ruin  final 
and  everlasting.  %  Corruption.  (1.) 
By  disease.  (2.)  In  the  grave — the 
home  to  which  the  sensualist  rapidly 
travels.  (3.)  In  the  world  of  wo. 
There  all  shall  be  corrupt.  His  virtue- 
even  the  semblance  of  virtue,  shall  all  be 
gone.  His  understanding,  will,  fancy — 
his  whole  soul  shall  be  debased  and  cor- 
rupt. No  virtue  will  linger  and  live  on 
the  plains  of  ruin,  but  all  shall  be  de- 
pravity and  wo.  Every  thing  in  hell 
is  debased  and  corrupt ;  and  the  whole 
harvest  of  sensuality  in  this  world  and 
the  world  to  come,  is  degradation  and 
defilement.  If  But  he  that  soweth  to 
the  Spirit.  He  who  follows  the  lead- 
ings and  cultivates  the  affections  which 
the  Holy  Spirit  would  produce.  See 
Notes  on  ch.  v.  22,  23.  J  Shall  of  the 
Spirit.  As  the  result  of  following  the 
leadings  of  the  Spirit.  1  Reap  life 
everlasting.    See  Note  on  Rom.  ii.  7. 


A.  D.  53.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


393 


9  And  let*  us  not  be  weary  in 
well-doing  ;  for  in  due  season  we 
shall  reap,  if  *  we  faint  not. 

a  1  Co.  15.  58.        b  He.  10.  36.     Re.  2.  10. 


9.  And  let  us  not  be  weary  in  well- 
doing. See  Note  on  1  Cor.  xv.  58. 
The  reference  here  is  particularly  to  the 
support  of  the  ministers  of  religion  (ver. 
6),  but  the  apostle  makes  the  exhortation 
general.  Christians  sometimes  become 
weary.  There  is  so  much  opposition  to 
the  best  plans  for  doing  good  ;  there  is 
so  much  to  be  done  ;  there  are  so  many 
calls  on  their  time  and  their  charities ; 
and  there  is  often  so  much  ingratitude 
among  those  whom  they  endeavour  to 
benelit,  that  they  become  disheartened. 
Such  Paul  addresses,  and  exhorts  them 
not  to  give  over,  but  to  persevere. 
*J  For  in  due  season.  At  the  day  of 
judgment  Then  we  shall  receive  the 
full  reward  of  all  our  self-denials  and 
charities,  f  We  shall  reap,  if  we  faint 
not.  If  we  do  not  give  over,  exhausted 
and  disheartened.  It  is  implied  here, 
that  unless  a  man  perseveres  in  doing 
good  to  the  end  of  life,  he  can  hope  for 
no  reward.  He  who  becomes  disheart- 
ened, and  who  gives  over  his  efforts  ;  he 
that  is  appalled  by  obstacles,  and  that 
faints  on  account  of  the  embarrassments 
thrown  in  his  way  ;  he  that  pines  for 
ease,  and  withdraws  from  the  field  of 
benevolence,  shows  that  he  has  no  true 
attachment  to  the  cause,  and  that  his 
heart  has  never  been  truly  in  the  work 
of  religion.  He  who  becomes  a  true 
Christian,  becomes  such  for  eternity. 
He  has  enlisted,  never  to  withdraw. 
He  becomes  pledged  to  do  good  and  to 
serve  God  always.  No  obstacles  are  to 
deter,  no  embarrassments  are  to  drive 
him  from  the  field.  With  the  vigour 
of  his  youth,  and  the  wisdom  and  influ- 
ence of  his  riper  years ;  with  his  re- 
maining powers  when  enfeebled  by  age; 
with  the  last  pulsation  of  life  here,  and 
with  his  immortal  energies  in  a  higher 
world,  he  is  to  do  good.  For  that  he  is 
to  live.  In  that  he  is  to  die ;  and  when 
he  awakes  in  the  resurrection  witn  re- 
novated powers,  he  is  to  awake  to  an 
everlasting  service  of  doing  good,  as  far 


10  As  we  have  therefore  op- 
portunity, a  tet  us  do  good  unto 
all   b  men,   especially   to    them 

a  Ec.  9.  10.         b  Mat.  5.  43.    Tit.  3.  8. 


as   he  may    have   opportunity,  in  the 
kingdom  of  God. 

10.  As  we  have  therefore  opportuni- 
ty, let  us  do  good  unto  all  men.  This  is 
the  true  rule  about  doing  good.  "  The 
opportunity  to  do  good,"  says  Cotton 
Mather,  "  imposes  the  obligation  to  do 
it."  The  simple  rule  is,  that  we  are  fa- 
voured with  the  opportunity,  and  that 
we  have  the  power.  It  is  not  that  we 
are  to  do  it  when  it  is  convenient ;  or 
when  it  will  advance  the  interest  of  a 
party  ;  or  when  it  may  contribute  to  our 
fame ;  the  rule  is,  that  we  are  to  do  it 
when  we  have  the  opportunity.  No 
matter  how  often  that  occurs  ;  no  mat- 
ter how  many  objects  of  benevolencu 
are  presented — the  more  the  better ;  no 
matter  how  much  self-denial  it  may  cost 
us  ;  no  matter  how  little  fame  we  may 
get  by  it ;  still,  if  we  have  the  opportu 
nity  to  do  good,  we  are  to  do  it,  and 
should  be  thankful  for  the  privilege. 
And  it  is  to  be  done  to  all  men.  Not 
to  our  family  only ;  not  to  our  party ; 
not  to  our  neighbours ;  not  to  those  of 
our  own  colour ;  not  to  those  who  live 
in  the  same  land  with  us,  but  to  all 
mankind.  If  we  can  reach  and  benefit 
a  man  who  lives  on  the  other  side  of 
the  globe,  whom  we  have  never  seen, 
and  shall  never  see  in  this  world  or  in 
the  world  to  come,  still  we  are  to  do 
him  good.  Such  is  Christianity.  And 
in  this,  as  in  all  other  respects,  it  differs 
from  the  narrow  and  selfish  spirit  of 
clanship  which  prevails  all  over  the 
world.  H  Especially.  On  the  same 
principle  that  a  man  is  bound  particularly 
to  benefit  his  own  family  and  friends.  In 
his  large  and  expansive  zeal  for  the  world 
at  large,  he  is  not  to  forget  or  neglect 
them.  He  is  to  feel  that  they  have  pe- 
culiar claims  on  him.  They  are  near 
him.  They  are  bound  to  hirn  by  ten- 
der ties.  They  may  be  particularly  de- 
pendent on  him.  Christianity  does  not 
relax  the  ties  which  bind  us  to  our 
country,  our  family,  and  our  friend* 


394 


GALATIANS. 


[A  D.  58 


■  who  are  of  the 
faith. 


household  of  j  have  written  unto  you  with  mine 
own  hand. 


11  Ye  see  how  large  a  letter  I 

a  1  Jno.  3.  14. 

It  makes  them  more  close  and  tender, 
and  excites  us  more  faithfully  to  dis- 
charge the  duties  which  grow  out  of 
these  relations.  But,  in  addition  to  that, 
it  excites  us  to  do  good  to  all  men,  and 
to  bless  the  stranger  as  well  as  the 
friend ;  the  man  who  has  a  different 
colour  from  our  own,  as  well  as  he  who 
has  the  same  ;  the  man  who  lives  in 
another  clime,  as  well  as  he  who  was 
born  in  the  same  country  in  which  we 
live.  %  Of  the  household  of  faith. 
Christians  are  distinguished  from  other 
men  primarily  by  their  believing  the  gos- 
pel, and  by  its  influence  on  their  lives. 

11.  Ye  see.  This  might  be  rendered 
see,  in  the  imperative.  So  Tindal  ren- 
ders it,  "  Behold."  But  it  is  more  com- 
monly supposed  that  it  should  be  ren- 
dered in  the  indicative.  The  sense  is 
not  materially  different  whichever  trans- 
lation is  adopted.  The  object  of  the 
apostle  is,  to  direct  their  attention  to  the 
special  proof  of  his  love,  which  he  had 
mani tested  in  writing  such  a  letter. 
1  How  large  a  ktter.  Considerable 
variety  has  existed  in  regard  to  the  in- 
terpretation of  this  phrase.  The  word 
here  used  and  translated  how  large 
(mixinoc),  means,  properly,  how  great. 
Some  have  supposed  that  it  refers  to  the 
size  of  the  letters  which  Paul  made  in 
writing  the  epistle — the  length  and 
crudeness  of  the  characters  which  he 
used.  Such  interpreters  suppose  that 
he  was  not  well  versed  in  writing 
Creek,  and  that  he  used  large  letters, 
and  those  somewhat  rudely  made,  like 
tne  Hebrew.  So  Doddridge  and  Whit- 
by interpret  it ;  and  so  Theodoret,  Je- 
rome, Theophylact,  and  some  others. 
He  might  not,  says  Doddridge,  have 
been  well  versed  in  the  Greek  charac- 
ters; or  "  this  inaccuracy  of  his  writings 
might  have  been  owing  to  the  infirmity 
or  weakness  of  his  nerves,  which  he  had 
hinted  at  before."  Jerome  savs,  that 
Paul  was  a  Hebrew,  and  that  he  was 


12  As  many  as  desire  to  make 
a  fair  show   in  the  flesh,  th  v 


unacquainted  with  the  mode  of  writing 
Greek  letters ;  and  that  because  neces- 
sity demanded  that  he  should  write  a 
letter  in  his  own  hand,  contrary  to  his 
usual  custom,  he  was  obliged  to  form 
his  characters  in  this  crude  manner. 
According  to  this  interpretation,  it  was, 
(1.)  A  pledge  to  the  Galatians  that  the 
epistle  was  genuine,  since  it  bore  the 
marks  of  his  own  handwriting;  and, 
(2.)  It  was  proof  of  special  affection  for 
them  that  he  was  willing  to  undergo 
this  labour  on  their  account.  Others 
suppose  that  he  means  to  refer  to  the 
size  of  the  epistle  which  he  had  written. 
Such  is  the  interpretation  of  Grotius, 
Koppe,  Bloomfield,  Clarke,  Locke, 
Chandler,  and  is,  indeed,  the  common 
interpretation,  as  it  is  the  obvious  one. 
According  to  this,  it  was  proof  of  special 
interest  in  them,  and  regard  for  them, 
that  he  had  written  to  them  a  whole 
letter  with  his  own  hand.  Usually  he 
employed  an  amanuensis,  and  added  his 
name,  with  a  brief  benediction  or  remark 
at  the  close.  See  Notes,  Rom.  xvi.  22. 
1  Cor.  xvi.  21.  What  induced  him  to 
depart  from  his  usual  custom  here  is 
unknown.  Jerome  supposes  that  he 
refers  here  to  what  f "flows  from  this 
verse  to  the  end  of  the  epistle,  as  that 
which  he  had  written  with  his  own 
hand,  but  the  word  i^ga^*,  says  Rosen- 
miiller,  refers  rather  to  what  he  had 
written,  than  to  that  which  he  intended 
to  write.  On  this  verse,  the  reader  may 
consult  with  advantage,  Tholuck  on  the 
Life  and  Writings  of  Paul.  German  Se- 
lections, by  Edwards  and  Park,  Ando- 
ver,  1839,  pp.  35.  04.  65. 

12.  As  many  as   desire  to  make  c 

fair  show  in  the  flesh.     To  be  distin 

guished  for  their  conformity  to  external 

rites   and  customs.     To  be  known  lor 

|  their  zeal  in  this  cause.     They  sought 

j  to  show  their  zeal  by  making  converts 

|  and  by  inducing  others  also  to  conform 

I  to  those  customs.     Paul    here    refers 


A.  D.  58.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


395 


eonstrain  you  to  be  circum- 
cised ;  only  lest  they  should  suf- 
fer persecution  for  the  cross  of 
Christ. 


doubtless  to  the  Jewish  teachers,  and  he 
says  that  their  main  object  was  to  evince 
their  zeal  in  the  observance  of  rites  and 
ceremonies.  *[  They  constrain  you. 
You  who  arc  Gentiles.  They  insist  on 
circumcision  as  indispensable  to  salva- 
tion. 1  Only  lest  they  should  suffer 
persecution.  It  is  not  from  any  true 
love  for  the  cause  of  religion.  It  is, 
that  they  may  avoid  persecution  from 
ihe  Jews.  If  they  should  renounce 
the  doctrine  which  taught  that  circum- 
cision was  indispensable,  they  would  be 
exposed  to  the  rage  of  the  Jews,  and 
would  suffer  persecution.  Rather  than 
do  this,  they  make  a  show  of  great 
zeal  in  inducing  others  to  be  circum- 
cised. \  For  the  cross  of  Christ. 
From  attachment  to  the  cause  of  a 
crucified  Saviour.  If  they  insisted  on 
entire  dependence  on  the  merits  of  his 
blood,  and  renounced  all  dependance 
on  rites  and  ceremonies,  they  would 
suffer  persecution.  This  verse  shows 
the  true  cause  of  the  zeal  which  the 
Judaizing  teachers  evinced.  It  was 
the  fear  of  persecution.  It  was  the 
want  of  independence  and  boldness  in 
maintaining  the  doctrine  that  men 
were  to  be  saved  only  by  the  merits  of 
the  Lord  Jesus.  By  attempting  to 
blend  together  the  doctrines  of  Judaism 
and  Christianity  ;  by  maintaining  that 
the  observance  of  the  Jewish  rites  was 
necessary,  and  yet  that  Jesus  was  the 
Messiah,  they  endeavoured  to  keep  in 
with  both  parties ;  and  thus  to  escape 
the  opposition  of  the  Jews.  It  was  an 
unhallowed  compromise.  It  was  an 
attempt  to  blend  things  together  which 
could  not  be  united.  One  must  really 
displace  the  other.  If  men  depended 
on  the  rites  of  Moses,  they  had  no  need 
of  dependence  on  the  Messiah ;  if  they 
professed  to  depend  on  him,  then  to 
rely  on  any  thing  else  was  in  fact  to 
disown    and   reject    him.     Embracing 


13  For  neither  they  them- 
selves who  are  circumcised  keep 
the  law  ;  but  desire  to  have  you 
circumcised,  that  they  may  glory 
in  your  flesh. 


the  one  system  was  in  fact  renouncing 
the  other.  Such  is  the  argument  of 
Paul ;  and  such  his  solemn  remon- 
strance against  embracing  any  doctrine 
which  would  obscure  the  glory  of 
simple  dependence  on  the  cross  of 
Christ. 

13.  For  neither  they  themselves  who 
are  circumcised.  The  Jewish  teachers, 
or  perhaps  all  Jews.  It  was  true  in 
general  that  the  Jews  did  not  wholly 
and  entirely  obey  the  law  of  Moses, 
but  it  is  probable  that  the  apostle  refers 
particularly  here  to  the  Judaizing 
teachers  in  Galatia.  If  Keep  the  law. 
The  law  of  Moses,  or  the  law  of  God. 
Paul's  idea  is,  that  if  they  were  circum- 
cised they  brought  themselves  under 
obligation  to  keep  the  whole  law  of 
God.  See  Note,  ch.  v.  3.  But  they 
did  not  do  it.  (1.)  No  man  perfectly 
observes  the  whole  law  of  God.  (2^ 
The  Jewish  nation  as  such  were  very  far 
from  doing  it.  (3.)  It  is  probable  that 
these  persons  did  not  pretend  even  to 
keep  the  whole  law  of  Moses.  Paul 
insists  on  it  that  if  they  were  circum- 
cised, and  depended  on  that  for  salva- 
tion, they  were  under  obligation  to 
keep  the  whole  law.  But  they  did 
not.  Probably  they  did  not  offer  sacri- 
fice, or  join  in  any  of  the  numerous 
observances  of  the  Jewish  nation,  ex- 
cept some  of  the  more  prominent,  such 
as  circumcision.  This,  says  Paul,  is 
inconsistent  in  the  highest  degree  ;  and 
they  thus  show  their  insincerity  and 
hypocrisy.  %  That  thpy  may  glory  in 
your  flesh.  In  having  you  as  converts, 
and  in  persuading  you  to  be  circum- 
cised, that  they  may  show  their  zeal 
for  the  law  and  thus  escape  persecu- 
tion. The  phrase  '*  in  your  flesh" 
here,  is  equivalent  to  '  in  your  circum- 
cision ;'  making  use  of  your  circum- 
cision to  promote  their  own  importance, 
and  to  save  themselves  from  persecution, 


J96 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.  59 


14  But   a    God  forbid  that  I  j  whom    the    world    is    crucified 
should  glory,  save  in  the  cross   b  unto  me,  and  I  unto  the  world. 


of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  *  by 


14.  But  God  forbid.  Note,  Rom. 
iii.  4.  *  For  me  it  is  not  to  glory  ex- 
cept in  the  cross  of  Christ.'  The 
object  of  Paul  here  is  evidently  to 
place  himself  in  contrast  with  the 
Judaizing  teachers,  and  to  show  his  de- 
termined purpose  to  glory  in  nothing 
else  but  the  cross  of  Christ.  Well 
they  knew  that  he  had  as  much  occa- 
sion for  glorying  in  the  things  pertain- 
ing to  the  flesh,  or  in  the  observance  of 
external  rites  and  customs,  as  any  of 
them.  He  had  been  circumcised.  He 
had  had  all  the  advantages  of  accurate 
training  in  the  knowledge  of  the  Jewish 
law.  He  had  entered  on  life  with  un- 
common advantages.  He  had  evinced 
a  zeal  that  was  not  surpassed  by  any  of 
them ;  and  his  life,  so  far  as  conformity 
to  the  religion  in  which  he  had  been 
trained  was  concerned,  was  blameless. 
Phil.  iii.  4 — 8.  This  must  have  been 
to  a  great  extent  known  to  the  Gala- 
tians ;  and  by  placing  his  own  conduct 
in  strong  contrast  with  that  of  the 
Judaizing  teachers,  and  showing  that 
he  had  no  ground  of  confidence  in  him- 
self, he  designed  to  bring  back  the 
minds  of  the  Galatians  to  simple  de- 
pendence on  the  cross.  ^  That  I 
should  glory.  That  I  should  boast ; 
or  that  I  should  rely  on  any  thing  else. 
Others  glory  in  their  conformity  to  the 
laws  of  Moses ;  others  in  their  zeal,  or 
their  talents,  or  their  learning,  or  their 
orthodoxy ;  others  in  their  wealth,  or 
their  accomplishments ;  others  in  their 
family  alliances,  and  their  birth  ;  but 
the  supreme  boast  and  glorying  of  a 
Christian  is  in  the  cross  of  Christ. 
%  In  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
In  Jesus  the  crucified  Messiah.  It  is  a 
subject  of  rejoicing  and  glorying  that 
we  have  such  a  Saviour.  The  world 
looked  upon  him  with  contempt ;  and 
the  cross  was  a  stumbling  block  to  the 
Jew,  and  folly  to  the  Greek.  Notes, 
1  Cor.  i.  23.  But  to  the  Christian,  that 
cross  is  the  subject  of  glorying.     It  is  so 


.  3.  3, 7, 


or,  whereby.         b  c.  2. 


because,  (1.)  Of  the  love  of  him  who 
suffered  there ;  (2.)  Of  the  purity  and 
holiness  of  his  character,  for  the  inno- 
cent died  there  for  the  guilty  ;  (3.)  Of 
the  honour  there  put  on  the  law  of  God 
by  his  dying  to  maintain  it  unsullied ; 
(4.)  Of  the  reconciliation  there  made 
for  sin,  accomplishing  what  could,  be 
done  by  no  other  oblation,  and  by  no 
power  of  man  ;  (5.)  Of  the  pardon  there 
procured  for  the  guilty  ;  (6)  Of  the 
fact  that  through  it  we  become  dead  to 
the  world,  and  are  made  alive  to  God ; 
(7.)  Of  the  support  and  consolation 
which  goes  from  that  cross  to  sustain 
us  in  trial ;  and,  (8.)  Of  the  fact  that  it 
procured  for  us  admission  into  heaven, 
a  title  to  the  world  of  glory.  All  is 
glory  around  the  cross.  It  was  a  glo- 
rious  Saviour  who  died  ;  it  was  glorious 
love  that  led  Lim  to  die ;  it  was  a  glo- 
rious object  to  redeem  a  world  ;  and  ii 
is  unspeakable  glory  to  which  he  will 
raise  lost  and  ruined  sinners  by  his 
death.  O  who  would  not  glory  in  such 
a  Saviour!  compared  with  this,  what 
trifles  are  all  the  objects  in  which  men 
usually  boast !  And  what  a  lesson  is 
here  furnished  to  the  true  Christian  ! 
Let  us  not  boast  of  our  wealth.  It 
will  soon  leave  us,  or  we  shall  be  taken 
from  it,  and  it  can  aid  us  little  in  the 
great  matters  that  are  before  us.  It  will 
not  ward  off  disease ;  it  will  not  enable 
us  to  bear  pain  ;  it  will  not  smooth  the 
couch  of  death;  it  will  not  save  the 
soul.  Let  us  not  glory  in  our  strength, 
for  it  will  soon  fail ;  in  our  beauty,  for 
we  shall  soon  be  undistinguished  in 
the  corruptions  of  the  tomb;  in  our 
accomplishments,  for  they  will  not  save 
us ;  in  our  learning,  for  it  is  not  that  by 
which  we  can  be  brought  to  heaven. 
But  let  us  glory  that  we  have  for  a 
Saviour  the  eternal  Son  of  God — that 
glorious  Being  who  was  adored  by  the 
inhabitants  of  heaven  ;  who  made  the 
worlds;  who  is  pure,  and  lovely,  and 
most  holv  and   who   has  undertaken 


A.  D.  58.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


397 


1 5  For  °  in  Christ  Jesus  nei- 
ther circumcision  availeth  any 
thing,  nor  uncircumcision,  but  a 
*  new  creature. 

ac.  5.  6.         6  2  Co.  5.  17.         c  Ps.  125.  5. 


our  cause  and  died  to  save  us.  I  de- 
sire no  higher  honour  than  to  be  saved 
by  the  Son  of  God.  It  is  the  exaltation 
of  my  nature,  and  shows  me  more 
than  any  thing  else  its  true  dignity, 
that  one  so  great  and  glorious  sought 
my  redemption.  That  cannot  be  an 
object  of  temporary  value  which  he 
sought  by  coming  from  heaven,  and 
if  there  is  any  object  of  real  magnitude 
in  this  world,  it  is  the  soul  which  the 
eternal   Sou  of  God   died   to  redeem. 

1  By  whom  the  world  is  crucified  unto 
me,  &c.     See  Notes  on  ch.  ii.  20. 

15.  For  in  Christ  Jesus.  In  his  re- 
ligion. See  Note  on  ch.  v.  6.  1  But 
a  new  creature.  The  fact  that  a  man 
is  created  anew,  or  born  again,  consti- 
tutes the  real  difference  between  him 
and  other  men.  This  is  what  Christ 
requires ;  this  is  the  distinction  which 
he  designs  to  make.  It  is  not  by  con- 
formity to  certain  rites  and  customs 
that  a  man  is  to  be  accepted ;  it  is  not 
by  elevated  rank,  or  by  wealth,  or 
beauty,  or  blood  ;  it  is  not  by  the  colour 
of  the  complexion ;  but.  the  grand  in- 
quiry is,  whether  a  man  is  born  again, 
and  is  in  fact  a  new  creature  in  Christ 
Jesus.  See  Note  on  2  Cor.  v.  17,  for 
an  explanation  of  the  phrase  "  a  new 
creature." 

16.  And  as  many  as  walk.  As 
many  as  live,  for  so  the  word  walk  is 
used  in  the  Scriptures.  %  According 
to  this  rule.  Gr.  This  canon.  See 
the  word   explained  in  the  Notes  on 

2  Cor.  x.  13.  ^  Peace  be  on  them. 
See  Note,  Rom.  xv.  33.  ^  And  upon 
the.  Israel  of  God.  The  true  church 
of  God ;  all  who  are  his  true  worship- 
pers. See  Notes  on  Rom.  ii.  28,  29 ; 
ix.  6. 

17.  From  henceforth.  For  the  re- 
maining time ;  that  is,  during  the  re- 
mainder of  my  life.  %  Let  no  man 
trouble  me.     This  implies  that  he  had 

34 


16  And  as  many  as  walk  ac- 
cording to  this  rule,  peace  e  be 
on  them,  and  mercy,  and  upon 
the  Israel  of  God. 

17  From    henceforth    let    no 


had  trouble  of  some  kind,  and  he  earn- 
estly desires  that  he  may  have  no  more. 
What  particular  trouble  he  here  refers 
to,  is  not  certainly  known,  and  com- 
mentators have  not  been  agreed.  It 
seems  to  me  that  the  connexion  re- 
quires us  to  understand  it  of  the  mo- 
lestation which  he  had  had  in  regard  to 
his  call  to  the  apostolic  office,  and  his 
authority  to  explain  and  defend  the 
religion  of  the  Redeemer.  This  had 
been  one  principal  subject  of  this  epis- 
tle. His  authority  had  been  called  in 
question.  He  had  felt  it  necessary  to 
go  into  a  vindication  of  it.  His  in- 
structions had  been  departed  from  on 
the  ground  that  he  was  not  one  of  the 
original  apostles,  and  that  he  differed 
from  others.  See  ch.  i.  11.  Hence 
all  the  anxiety  and  trouble  which  he 
had  had  in  regard  to  their  departure 
from  the  doctrines  which  he  had  taught 
them.  He  closes  the  whole  subject  of 
the  epistle  by  this  tender  and  affecting 
language,  the  sense  of  which  has  been 
well  expressed  by  Crellius.  'I  have 
shown  my  apostolic  authority,  and 
proved  that  I  am  commissioned  by  the 
Lord  Jesus.  I  have  stated  and  vindi- 
cated the  great  doctrine  of  justification 
by  faith,  and  shown  that  the  Mosaic 
law  is  not  necessarily  binding.  On 
these  points  may  I  have  no  more  trou- 
ble. I  have  enough  for  my  nature 
to  bear  of  other  kinds.  I  bear  in  my 
body  the  impressive  proofs  that  I  am 
an  apostle,  and  the  sufferings  that  re- 
quire all  my  fortitude  to  sustain  them. 
These  marks,  received  in  the  service  of 
the  Lord  Jesus,  and  so  strongly  re- 
sembling those  which  he  himself  re- 
ceived, prove  that  I  am  truly  engaged 
in  his  cause,  and  am  commissioned  by 
him.  These  wounds  and  sorrows  are 
so  many,  that  I  have  need  of  the  kind- 
ness and  prayers  of  Christians  rather 
than  to   be  compelled  to  vindicate  my- 


398 


GALATIANS. 


[A.  D.  58. 


man  trouble  me  ;  for  °  I  bear 
in  my  body  the  marks  of  the 
Lord  Jesus. 


a  Col.  1.24. 


&2Ti.  4.22.    Phil.  8.  25. 


self,  and  to  rebuke  them  for  their  own 
wanderings.'  t  For  I  bear  in  my  body 
the  marks  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  The 
word  here  rendered  "marks"  (rriy- 
fAwmy,  means  properly  the  marks  or 
brand*  which  are  pricked  or  burnt  in 
upon  the  body.  So  slaves  were  some- 
times branded  by  their  masters  to  pre- 
vent their  escape;  and  so  devotees  to 
an  idol  god  sometimes  caused  to  be  im- 
pressed on  themselves  the  name  or 
imago  of  the  divinity  which  they  adored. 
Herodotus  (ii.  113)  mentions  a  temple 
of  Hercules  in  Egypt  in  which  if  any 
slave  took  refuge,  and  bad  the  sacred 
brands  or  marks  impressed  on  him 
(o-ti^itu)  he  thereby  devoted  bimsclf 
to  the  god,  and  it  was  not  lawful  for 
any  one  to  injure  him.  Many  have 
supposed  that  Paul  here  says,  in  allu- 
sion to  such  a  custom,  that  he  had  the 
name  of  the  Redeemer  impressed  on 
his  body,  and  that  he  regarded  himself 
as  devoted  to  him  and  his  cause.  It 
seems  to  me  that  by  these  marks  or 
brands  he  refers  to  the  weals  which  he 
had  received  in  his  body  ;  the  marks  of 
stripes  and  sufferings  which  he  en- 
dured in  the  service  of  the  Redeemer. 
Comp.  2  Cor.  xi.  24,  25.  He  had  re- 
peatedly been  scourged.  He  bore  the 
marks  of  that  on  his  person  now. 
They  were  the  evidences  that  he  was 
devoted  to  the  Saviour.  He  had  re- 
ceived them  in  his  cause ;  and  they 
were  the  proofs  that  he  belonged  to 
the  Lord  Jesus.  He  had  suffered  for 
him,  and  had  suffered  much.  Having 
thus  suffered,  and  having  thus  the  evi- 
dence that  he  belonged  to  the  Saviour, 
and  having  by  his  sufferings  given 
ample  proof  of  that  to  others,  he  asks 
to  be  freed  from  further  molestation. 
Some  had  in  their  body  the  marks  of 
circumcision,  the  evidence  that  they 
were  disciples  of  the  law  of  Moses; 
others  had  perhaps  in  their  persons  the 
image   and  name  of  an  idol  to  which 


18  Brethren,  the  »  pracs  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with 
your  spirit.     Amen. 

Unto  the  Galatians,  written 
from  Rome. 


they  were  devoted ;  but  the  marks 
which  he  bore  were  the  weals  which 
he  had  received  by  being  again  and 
again  whipped  publicly  in  the  cause 
of  the  Redeemer.  To  that  Redeemer, 
therefore,  he  felt  himself  united,  and 
from  that  attachment  he  would  not 
allow  himself  to  be  diverted.  How 
often  has  an  old  soldier  shown  his  scars 
with  pride  and  exultation  as  a  proof 
of  his  attachment  to  his  country  ! 
Numerous  scars;  the  loss  of  an  arm, 
an  eye-,  or  a  leg,  are  thus  the  much- 
valued  and  vaunted  pledges  of  attach- 
ment to  liberty,  and  a  passport  to 
the  confidence  of  every  man  who  loves 
his  country.  '  I  prize  this  wound/ 
said  Lafayette,  when  struck  in  the  foot 
by  a  musket  ball  at  Germantown,  '  as 
among  the  most  valued  of  mv  honours.' 
So  Paul  felt  in  regard  to  the  scourges 
which  he  had  received  in  the  cause  of 
the  Lord  Jesus.  They  were  his  boast 
and  his  glory  ;  the  pledge  that  he  had 
been  engaged  in  the  cause  o.f  the  Sa- 
viour, and  a  passport  to  all  who  loved 
the  Son  of  God.  Christians  now  are 
not  subjected  to  such  stripes  and 
scourgings.  But  let  us  have  some 
marks  of  our  attachment  to  the  Lord 
Jesus.  By  a  holy  life  ;  by  self-denial ; 
by  subdued  animal  affections;  by  zeal 
in  the  cause  of  truth  ;  by  an  imitation 
of  the  Lord  Jesus ;  and  by  the  marks 
of  suffering  in  our  body,  if  we  should 
be  called  to  it,  let  us  have  some  evi- 
dence that  we  are  his,  and  be  able  to 
say  when  we  look  on  death  and  eter- 
nity, '  we  bear  with  us  the  evidence 
that  we  belong  to  the  Son  of  God.' 
To  us  that  will  be  of  more  value  than 
any  ribbon  or  star  indicating  elevated 
rank;  more  valuable  than  a  ducal  coro- 
net :  more  valuable  than  the  brightest 
jewel  that  ever  sparkled  on  the  brow  of 
royalty. 

18.  Brethren,  the  grace,  &c.     Se© 
Note.  Rom.  xvi.  20. 


Barnes'  Notes  on  tlje  Nero  Testament, 

FOR   FAMILIES   AND   SUNDAY  SCHOOLS. 

In  Ten   Volumes,  with  Maps  and  Engravings,   12mo,  Muslin,  75  cents  per 

Volume,  any  of  which  may  be  obtained  separately. 


tietpagntf 


<mm8&'& 


CONTENTS. 

Vols.  I.,  II.  The  Four  Gospels.— III.  The  Acts  of  the  Apostles.— IV.  The  Epistle 
to  the  Romans. —V.  The  First  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians.— VI.  The  Second 
Epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  and  the  Epistle  to  the  Gai.atians.— VII.  The 
Epistles  to  the  Ephesians,  the  Colossians,  and  the  Philippians— VIII.  The 
Epistles  to  the  Thessalonians, Timothy,  Titus,  and  Philemon.— IX.  The  Epistle 
to  the  Hebrews.— X.  The  General  Epistles  of  James,  Peter,  John,  and  Jude. 

QUESTIONS  on  the  Above,  18mo,  15  cents  per  Volume.     As  follows : 
Vol.  I.  Matthew.— II.  Mark  and  Luke.— III.  John.— IV.  Acts.— V.  Romans.— VI.  First 
Corinthians.— VII.  Hebrews. 

Testimonials  from  Distinguished  British  Clergymen. 

From  the  Hon.  and  Rev.  Baptist  W.  Noel,  M.A. 
I  heartily  wish  success  to  the  Commentary  of  Mr  A.  Barnes.  Coming  after  so  many  excel- 
lent expositors,  he  has  derived  advantage  from  their  writings.  He  has  more  learning  than 
Scott;  more  critical  decision  than  Henry;  more  spiritual  discernment  than  Whitby;  more 
copiousness  than  Benson  ;  and  more  judgment  than  Gill.  He  affords  precisely  the  aid  which 
an  English  reader  requires  when  seeking  to  ascertain  the  exact  sense  of  obscure  passages ; 
and  these  "  Notes"  will,  in  my  opinion,  render  essential  service  to  the  cause  of  religion. 

From  the  Rev.  Alexander  Fletcher,  Finsbury  Chapel. 
I  have  consulted  Barnes'  Commentary  on  Corinthians  with  much  satisfaction,  and  am 
pleased  to  find  that  it  exemplifies  the  same  piety,  talent,  research,  and  liveliness,  furnished 
by  the  preceding  Commentaries  on  the  books  of  the  New  Testament,  which  have  been  prepar- 


ed bv  the  same  eminent  divine. 


GPd^A     </4^L, 


I  TESTIMONIALS    TO    BARNES     NOTES. 

From  the  Rev.  Richard  Alliott,  LL.D.,  Lambeth. 
I  have  great  pleasure  in  recommending  Barnes'  "  Notes"  to  the  Christian  public 


^ 


*+*~cC 


SUMr. 


From  the  Rev.  Ralph  Wardlaw,  D.D. 
I  have  examined  the  "  Notes"  of  the  Rev.  Albert  Barnes  on  a  considerable  variety  of  testing 
passages  ;  and,  so  far  as  my  examination  has  gone,  I  feel  confident  in  pronouncing  them  to  be 
characterized,  in  no  ordinary  degree,  by  discriminative  judgment,  sound  theology,  unostenta- 
tious learning,  practical  wisdom,  and  evangelical  piety.  A  boon  of  greater  benefit  to  the  pub- 
lic can  not  be  bestowed  than,  along  with  correct  and  cheap  Bibles,  to  give  wide  circulation, 
by  cheap  editions,  to  Commentaries  on  the  Bible  such  as  this  ;  and  especially  in  times  when 
the  exclusive  authority  of  Holy  Scripture,  in  all  matters  of  faith  and  practice,  requires  to  be 
■o  firmly  maintained  and  universally  inculcated. 


From  the  Rev.  J.  W.  Massie,  D.D.,  Manchester. 
I  had  often  consulted  Barnes'  "  Notes"  on  parts  of  the  Sacred  Volume,  and  found  them  re- 
plete with  profitable  and  suggestive  matter.     I  wish  every  village  pastor  and  Sunday  school 
teacher  in  Britain  had  a  complete  copy  of  them.    They  would  afford  valuable  assistance  to 
many  in  more  exalted  spheres. 


/fcsMySie- 


From  Sir  Culling  E.  Eardlev,  Bart. 
I  have  much  pleasure  in  expressing  my  admiration  of  Barnes'  "  Notes."     Independently  of 
the  merit  of  the  work  itself,  from  its  simplicity  and  clearness  to  even  the  humblest  intelli- 
gence, it  is  well  got  up  ;  the  maps  are  very  good  ;  and  its  moderate  price  places  it  within  the 
reach  of  most  classes.    You  have  my  best  wishes  in  the  publication. 


From  the  Rev.  W.  Lyndsay  Alexander,  D.D.,  Edinburgh. 
I  have  long  regarded  the  "  Notes"  of  the  Rev.  Albert  Barnes  on  the  Gospels  and  Epistles 
as  the  best  commentary  for  popular  use  extant  on  the  New  Testament.  They  are,  for  tho 
most  part,  simple,  clear,  concise,  and  accurate  ;  embodying  the  results  of  much  reading,  with- 
out any  offensive  parade  of  learning.  It  would  be  well  that  they  were  in  the  hands  of  all  who 
read  the  New  Testament. 


NOTES.  8 

From  the  Rev.  T.  W.  Jenkyn,  D.D.,  F.G.S.,  Coward  College,  London. 

For  the  last  twenty  years  I  have  been  a  reader  of  the  various  works  of  the  Rev.  Albert 
fiarr.es.  From  my  strong  attachment  to  his  sound  and  manly  theology,  I  hailed  with  delight 
the  first  appearance  of  his  "  Notes  on  the  New  Testament."  I  have  read  every  volume  as  it 
came  forth  in  the  American  edition,  and  consider  all  of  them  as  rich  in  sober,  clear,  faithful, 
and  learned  exposition  of  "the  mind  of  the  Spirit"  in  the  Divine  Word. 

In  these  modest  volumes,  Mr.  Barnes  supplies  his  readers  with  all  the  results  of  modern 
criticism,  without  making-  any  parade  of  his  learning  in  Hebrew  and  Syriac  quotations.  Oc 
casional  slips  in  Greek  criticism  have  escaped  some  of  the  best  and  most  diligent  interpreters 
but  Mr.  Barnes  has  as  few  of  them  as  any  commentator  that  I  know.  For  comprehensive 
views  in  theology,  for  the  application  of  doctrines  to  the  affairs  of  every-day  life,  and  for  a 
tendency  to  produce  and  to  vindicate  revivals  of  religion  in  the  churches  of  Christ,  the  English 
language  has  not  an  exposition  equal  to  it. 


fftSJh  fe^Xy^ 


From  the  Rev.  J.  A.  James,  Carres  Lane  Chapel,  Birmingham. 
Barnes  is,  in  my  judgment,  the  best  popular  expositor  of  the  Scriptures  of  his  day.    His 
judgment  is  sound,  and  his  discrimination  accurate.     He  is  concise  without  being  obscure  ; 
and  yet  sufficiently  explicit  without  being  tedious.     I  sometimes  differ  from  him,  but  never 
till  I  have  well  considered  his  views  as  well  as  my  own. 


S*J* 


S&&4? 


From  the  Rev.  j.  Sherman,  Surrey  Chapel. 
Your  edition  of  Barnes'  "  Notes"  appears  to  me  both  carefully  and  well  got  up,  and  must 
be  of  great  use  to  Sunday  school  teachers  and  others  whose  means  will  not  allow  them  to  have 
more  expensive  and  elaborate  commentaries.  Without  subscribing  to  every  sentiment  of  the 
author,  there  can  be  no  doubt  the  "Notes"  are  valuable,  judicious,  and  evangelical.  Tou 
aave  my  sincere  wish  for  their  extensive  circulation. 


^Sjt*M~6/    /%6<&*zc<!M<^ 


From  the  Rev.  Edward  Steane,  D.D.,  Camberwell. 
Barnes'  "  Notes  on  the  New  Testament"  are  a  valuable  addition  to  the  commentaries  we 
already  possess  on  the  Word  of  God. 


f^0w£f^£> 


From  the  Rev.  John  Harris,  D.D.,  Cheshunt  College. 
Barnes'  "Exposition"  is  undoubtedly  the  best  work  of  its  kind.     Besides  showing  an  exten- 
sive acquaintance  with  the  writings  of  other  expositors,  it  is  pervaded  by  an  evangelical  spirit, 
■written  in  a  clear,  natural,  and  vigorous  style,  and  is  replete  with  good  sense. 


Sp<-*is-~z*~z^? 


TESTIMONIALS    TO    BARNES     NOTES. 

From  the  Rev.  Jabez  Burns,  D.D.,  JEnon  Chapel,  St.  Marylebone. 
am  delighted  with  Barnes'  "  Note* ;"  I  wish  they  had  a  place  in  every  family  in  the  land 


S\yw& 


From  the  Rev.  George  Clayton,  Walworth. 
Having  made  myself  acquainted  with  Albert  Barnes'  New  Testament,  I  cordially  concur 
with  others  of  my  brethren  in  giving  the  work  my  warmest  recommendation. 


From  the  Rev.  Adam  Thomson,  D.D.,  Coldstream. 
Since  the  days  of  Matthew  Henry,  no  commentator  that  I  know  of  has  appeared,  who,  for 
general  usefulness,  and  particularly  for  affording  to  ministers  of  the  Gospel  the  best  sort  of 
assistance,  can  be  compared  with  Albert  Barnes. 


From  the  Rev.  E.  Bickersteth,  M.A.,  Rector  of  Watton,  Herts. 
I  have  been  in  the  habit  of  occasionally  consulting  Mr.  Barnes'  "Exposition."     I  think  high* 
ly  of  his  industry  and  piety,  and  believe  that  he  has  gathered  much  useful  illustration  of  that 
glorious  One  Book,  which  must  ever  be  the  chief  study  of  the  Christian. 


z  w^yrfU^&ffir 


Extracts  from   Critical  Opinions  of  the  Press. 

The  author  of  this  valuable  work  is  so  well  known  as  one  of  the  ablest  Biblical  commenta- 
tors in  this  country,  that  any  extended  commendation  is  needless.  The  best  commendation, 
perhaps,  which  we  can  make,  is  to  say  that  nearly  80,000  copies  of  his  M  Notes  on  the  Gospels 
and  the  Epistles"  have  been  sold  since  their  first  publication.  These  works  are  valuable  to 
Sunday-school  teachers,  as  well  as  useful  to  Christians  generally  in  assisting  them  to  under- 
stand the  Word  of  God. — Evangelist. 

These  valuable  commentaries  combine  a  just  proportion  of  the  devotional  with  the  critical. 
— Commercial  Advertiser. 

The  first  rank  among  Biblical  critics  has  been  assigned  to  this  able  commentator. — New 
York  Evening  Gazette. 

"1  know  of  no  commentary,"  says  the  Rev.  Dr.  Cumming,  of  England,  "so  succinct,  full, 
and  impartial.  It  is  fitted  to  instruct  the  preacher  no  less  than  the  Sunday-school  teacher. 
It  seems  to  be  his  grand  effort  to  unveil  solely  what  'the  Spirit  saith  to  the  Churches.'  I 
venture  to  predict  that  his  faithful  and  lucid  comments  will  find  a  response  in  the  minds, 
hearts,  and  consciences  of  most  Christian  readers." 

The  fame  of  Albert  Barnes,  of  Philadelphia,  has  become  European.  As  a  writer,  he  has 
few  competitors  in  his  own  land,  and  not  many  in  ours.— London  Church  Examiner. 

Harper  and  Brothers,  Publishers,  New  York. 


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